Raw Data Report: North Face, Under Armour, Steve Madden

Each day, Wall Street is flooded with stock research offering a multitude of conflicting investment opinions. As such, TickerMine is not in the business of providing more opinions. We believe that accurate raw data points can be used to gain insight in to the stock selection and valuation process.

North Face (VFC) Gear & Equipment in Good Supply This Season

TickerMine researched The North Face, the premier supplier of outdoor apparel, equipment and footwear, this week. We asked respondents at 28 locations across the United States what piece of North Face gear is the most popular, do they have sufficient stock for the upcoming season, can they get more if needed, and are they expecting new gear this season, and if so, what?

We learned that 57% of those polled cited jackets as the hottest selling item (the Apex Bionic Jacket and the Men's Realization Jacket were among those mentioned). Backpacks were cited by 7% of those polled, and 4% mentioned that vests sold well. All of the respondents interviewed said they were sufficiently stocked of these items and that they could get more if needed. And while 50% said they weren't expecting anything new this season, another 50% said they were (the winter line and new backpacks were cited.)

Retail Outlets: Under Armour (UA) Sales Rise Relative to Nike's (NKE)

In a recent survey of sporting goods stores, 88% stated that sales of Under Armour have increased in the last month. 58% say Under Armour sales have increased in the last year compared to Nike sales. 52% stated the men's category is selling best, compared with women's and children's. Apparel sells better than accessories or footwear according to 64%.

Shoe Sales Lag Now that Boot Season Hits Steve Madden (SHOO)

We surveyed Steve Madden Ltd., this week, the shoe maker, soon after news of the company teaming with the Olsen Twins and their own shoe line. We asked respondents at 24 retail locations across the country about how Steve Madden boots were selling, do they sell better than shoes, and how are Steve Madden shoes selling vs. other brands?

We found that 84% of those polled report increases in sales of Steve Madden boots. 16% say sales are flat. 92% report that boots are selling better than shoes while 8% report the opposite. And 96% say that Steve Madden shoes sell better than other brands, only 4% say they don't.