greeksoup/ stock research

Ralph Lauren Corp.: Q2 FY2027 earnings call

What management said about Q2 FY2027, from the documents filed with the SEC on 5 November 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 2 raised, 1 lowered, 5 new, 3 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue rose 9% reported: Revenue reached $2.2 billion, up 9% reported and 10% in constant currency, with growth in every region led by Asia. Source
  • Diluted EPS reached $4.87: Reported diluted EPS was $4.87, up from $3.32; adjusted diluted EPS was $4.64, up from $3.79 in the prior-year quarter. Source
  • Asia revenue rose 28%: Asia revenue reached $571 million; Asia comparable store sales rose 24%, and Asia operating margin was 27.4%, up 240 basis points. Source
  • Core business up 10%: The Core business rose 10%; Women's Apparel, Outerwear and Handbags grew low double digits in constant currency and outpaced total company growth. Source
  • Reported gross margin included tariff refunds: Reported gross margin was 74.2%, up 620 basis points; the company excluded $82.3 million of tariff refund recoveries from adjusted results. Source
  • Adjusted gross margin up 250 basis points: Adjusted gross margin was 70.5%, driven by AUR growth, favorable geographic mix and lower product costs. Source
  • Cash and investments reached $1.8 billion: Cash and short-term investments were $1.8 billion against $1.2 billion of total debt; net cash and short-term investments were $581.8 million. Source
  • Shareholder returns above $600 million: Dividends and repurchases returned more than $600 million year to date; the company repurchased about $250 million of Class A stock in the quarter. Source

“We delivered strong second quarter performance, enabling us to raise our Fiscal 2027 outlook once again,”

Patrice Louvet, President and Chief Executive Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Constant currency revenue growth SourceFiscal 2027, 52-week comparable basiscentered around 6% to 7%Raised from centered around 5% to 6%
Operating margin expansion, constant currency SourceFiscal 2027approximately 80 to 100 basis pointsRaised from approximately 60 to 80 basis points
Foreign currency effect on revenue growth SourceFiscal 2027negative impact of approximately 40 to 60 basis pointsLowered from negative impact of approximately 50 to 100 basis points
Foreign currency effect on margins SourceFiscal 2027gross margin benefit of approximately 10 to 30 basis points; roughly neutral on operating margin
53rd week effect SourceFiscal 2027additional 1 point to revenue growth; slight operating margin benefitKept
Full-year effective tax rate SourceFiscal 2027approximately 21% to 22%Kept
Capital expenditures SourceFiscal 2027approximately 4% to 5% of revenueKept
Constant currency revenue growth SourceThird quarter of Fiscal 2027centered around 3% to 4%New
Foreign currency effect on revenue growth SourceThird quarter of Fiscal 2027negative impact of approximately 50 to 100 basis pointsNew
Operating margin expansion, constant currency SourceThird quarter of Fiscal 2027approximately 50 to 70 basis pointsNew
Foreign currency effect on margins SourceThird quarter of Fiscal 2027gross margin benefit of about 20 to 40 basis points; operating margin roughly neutral to 20 basis point benefitNew
Effective tax rate SourceThird quarter of Fiscal 2027approximately 23% to 24%New

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: Full-year Fiscal 2027 constant currency revenue growth and adjusted operating margin expansion guidance were both raised. Source
  • New guidance: Third-quarter revenue, operating margin and tax rate guidance was given, as the company moved its guidance window to the third quarter. Source
  • Guidance kept: Fiscal 2027 capital expenditure guidance was held at approximately 4% to 5% of revenue. Source

Second-quarter results

  • Revenue rose 9% reported: Revenue reached $2.2 billion, up 9% reported and 10% in constant currency, with growth in every region led by Asia. Source
  • Diluted EPS reached $4.87: Reported diluted EPS was $4.87, up from $3.32; adjusted diluted EPS was $4.64, up from $3.79 in the prior-year quarter. Source
  • Operating income was $364 million: Reported operating margin was 16.6%; adjusted operating income was $345 million, a 15.7% margin, 160 basis points above the prior year. Source

Regional performance

  • Asia revenue rose 28%: Asia revenue reached $571 million; Asia comparable store sales rose 24%, and Asia operating margin was 27.4%, up 240 basis points. Source
  • China revenue up over 35%: China revenue rose more than 35% on both reported and constant currency bases, helped by comparable store growth and new distribution. Source
  • North America revenue up 6%: North America revenue reached $885 million; retail comparable store sales rose 6%, and segment operating margin was 21.0%, up 160 basis points. Source
  • Europe revenue up 1%: Europe revenue reached $696 million, or 3% in constant currency; retail comparable store sales fell 1%, and operating margin was 29.4%, flat to last year. Source

“We remain confident in the strength of our brand, our teams and our diversified engines of growth through this fiscal year and beyond.”

Patrice Louvet, President and Chief Executive Officer

Products, categories and stores

  • Core business up 10%: The Core business rose 10%; Women's Apparel, Outerwear and Handbags grew low double digits in constant currency and outpaced total company growth. Source
  • Collaborations and Polo Blaze launch: Product highlights included Ralph Lauren x Gee's Bend and a second TÓPA capsule, plus the official launch of the Polo Blaze handbag collection. Source
  • Key store openings in quarter: The company opened 22 new owned and partnered stores, including Seaport in Boston, London Sloane Square, St. Tropez, and Hopson One in Beijing. Source
  • Japan mobile app launched: The company launched its Ralph Lauren mobile app in Japan during the quarter. Source

Margins, costs and tax

  • Reported gross margin included tariff refunds: Reported gross margin was 74.2%, up 620 basis points; the company excluded $82.3 million of tariff refund recoveries from adjusted results. Source
  • Adjusted gross margin up 250 basis points: Adjusted gross margin was 70.5%, driven by AUR growth, favorable geographic mix and lower product costs. Source
  • Adjusted operating expense rate rose: The adjusted operating expense rate was 54.8%, against 53.9%, with continued investment in marketing and long-term growth initiatives. Source
  • Effective tax rate higher on prior benefits: The effective tax rate was about 20% reported and 19% adjusted, against 15% and 16%, as prior-year discrete tax benefits did not recur. Source

“These values are deeply personal to me and remain at the heart of our Company and everything we create.”

Ralph Lauren, Executive Chairman and Chief Creative Officer

Channels, timing and inventory

  • Retail and wholesale revenue both rose: Retail revenue was $1,413.5 million against $1,264.5 million; wholesale revenue was $739.4 million against $701.8 million. Source
  • North America wholesale helped by timing: North America wholesale rose 8%, including about 4 points from shipments moved earlier from the second half of Fiscal 2027. Source
  • Inventory down 9% year on year: Inventory at quarter end was $1.2 billion, down 9% from the prior-year period. Source

Cash, balance sheet and returns

  • Cash and investments reached $1.8 billion: Cash and short-term investments were $1.8 billion against $1.2 billion of total debt; net cash and short-term investments were $581.8 million. Source
  • Shareholder returns above $600 million: Dividends and repurchases returned more than $600 million year to date; the company repurchased about $250 million of Class A stock in the quarter. Source
  • Operating cash flow higher year to date: Six-month operating cash flow was $618.2 million against $229.3 million; capital expenditures were $114.2 million against $281.1 million. Source
  • Quarterly dividend per share higher: Dividends declared were $1.00 per share in the quarter, against $0.9125 a year earlier. Source

Strategy, brand and investment

  • Brand activations through sport and culture: Activations included sponsorships of Wimbledon, the U.S. Open Tennis Championships and Goodwood Revival, plus a Spring 2027 Women's Collection show in New York. Source
  • Transformation project charges excluded: Next Generation Transformation project charges of $23.9 million were excluded from adjusted results; the project supports a shift toward a direct-to-consumer model. Source
  • Five key enablers support the business: The company describes its base as five enablers: people and culture, digital technology and analytics, operational capabilities, the balance sheet, and citizenship and sustainability. Source

Reporting basis and adjustments

  • Constant currency alongside reported figures: Constant currency figures remove foreign currency effects; foreign currency reduced second-quarter revenue growth by about 50 basis points. Source
  • Adjusted results exclude tariff refund items: Adjusted results exclude the IEEPA tariff refund benefits, charitable donations funded by those refunds, and restructuring and transformation charges. Source
  • Guidance excludes future charges: Full-year and third-quarter guidance excludes restructuring-related and other net charges that may be incurred in future periods. Source

Coming up, as management said on 5 November 2026

  • Continued investment in strategic priorities: Management said it will continue to invest in the strategic priorities under its Next Great Chapter: Drive plan. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Global direct-to-consumer comparable store sales growth Source10%
Average unit retail growth, direct-to-consumer Source9%
New consumers in direct-to-consumer businesses Source1.7 million
Directly operated stores and concessions Source606 directly operated stores; 620 concessions; 145 licensed partner stores

Risks management discussed

  • External: Full-year guidance is based on the geopolitical and macroeconomic environment, including tariffs, inflation and consumer spending headwinds. Source
  • Demand: Third-quarter revenue includes about 1 point of negative impact from wholesale timing shifts and strategic off-price reductions. Source
  • Operational: Supply chain disruption and foreign currency volatility are among the factors the guidance reflects. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Ahead: Second-quarter revenue was described as exceeding expectations. Source
  • Met: The company completed its share repurchase plans for Fiscal 2027. Source
  • Not stated: Gross and operating margin expansion are still expected to be stronger in the first half of the fiscal year. Source
  • Not stated: Management refers to wholesale shipment timing shifts it disclosed earlier as a factor in the first-half margin pattern. Source

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.