Increased dividend to $0.125 from $0.10 payable to shareholders of record on September 9.

Aided by double-digit sales growth in Europe and higher profit margins, trendy apparel maker Guess? (GES) Wednesday posted fiscal second-quarter (ended July 31) earnings of a record 65 cents a share, compared with Wall Street's estimate of 44 cents. The Los Angeles outfit also enhanced its quarterly common dividend 25%, to 12.5 cents a share from a dime. Yield: 1.42%. Payouts were initiated in early 2007 at a split-adjusted rate of three cents a share..

Strong Buy - Price 11.35 on Dec. 2
by Needham & Co.

Guess? [looks as if it] has trend-right merchandise and lean inventory, and is well-positioned to navigate the consumer slowdown. [Due to a likely] difficult holiday season, we're decreasing our F4Q and FY08 EPS estimates by eight cents, to 76 cents and $2.49, respectively, down from 84 cents and $2.57. Our FY08 EPS of $2.49 is in the middle of raised guidance of $2.47 to $2.53 versus $1.99, and represents 25% growth. We are decreasing our FY09 EPS estimates to $2.79, down from $3.06. Target: 41 [down from 62]. Market cap: $1 billion.

Premium Denim Stocks Resist Fading:
In this week's Random Acts of Fashion, Kristin Bentz, The Talented Blonde, points out the bright spots in the world of consumer retail.
Click here to watch the video.

Premium Denim Stocks Resist Fading:
In this week's Random Acts of Fashion, Kristin Bentz, The Talented Blonde, points out the bright spots in the world of consumer retail.


Click here to watch the video.

25%

After sailing past guesses last week on what it would earn in its second fiscal quarter, Guess? hiked its quarterly common dividend 25%. The clothing and accessories retailer (ticker: GES) initiated payouts at six cents a share in February 2007, then sweetened them to eight cents last September and to a dime a share Wednesday. Investors of record Sept. 17 will receive the new payout Oct. 3, and the stock goes ex-dividend Sept. 15. Yield: 1.03%. Guess? repurchased 951,000 of its shares in the quarter ended July 31. Recently quoted at 39 on the Big Board, the stock's 52-week high and low are 57.20 and 29.66.

In the past, appeared in Guess advertising campaigns

Guess? Has Bebe on the Ropes: The Talented Blonde, Kristin Bentz, shows you why teen retailer Guess? remains a heavyweight.

Click here to watch the video.

Three Unstoppable Growth Stocks: Chris McHugh, portfolio manager for the Turner Midcap Growth Fund, explains why shares of Intuitive Surgical, Guess? and Urban Outfitters will go up even in a down economy.


Click here to watch the video.

Very disleveraging point in their business cycle. Both comps and total sales are deccelerating..the up momentum will kill it on the way down $30 easy target.