Carter's, Inc. (CRI) Stock Price & Analysis
Carter's, Inc. (CRI) closed at USD 33.93 on Thursday, October 22, 2026, up 4.46% on the day. The US market is currently closed (pre-market); this is not a live price.
The prior close was USD 32.48; the Oct 22, 2026 session ranged USD 32.5–33.98 on volume of 1,512,611 shares. Market capitalization is $1.25B, with a 52-week range of USD 27.86–44.44 (NYQ). Source: Nexqual, retrieved October 23, 2026 at 11:43 UTC.
Also available as compact Markdown for AI agents: nexqual.com/CRI.md
Key facts (CRI)
- Last four reported quarters (through Jul 4, 2026): revenue $2.98B, net income $195M (6.5% margin), free cash flow $293M (SEC filings).
- Valuation: P/E 6.4x (avg 11.8x at the last 3 fiscal year-ends), EV/EBITDA 3.5x, net cash $85.8M.
- Analysts: Hold (mean 3.00 on a 1–5 scale) (7 analysts), mean target USD 38 (range 30–50).
- Total return with dividends: 1Y +10.0% vs S&P 500 +14.9%; 5Y -59.6% vs S&P 500 +80.3%.
- Next earnings: 2026-11-02, EPS estimate USD 0.85, revenue estimate $748M.
Financials (SEC 10-K; TTM = last four 10-Q/10-K quarters) (CRI)
| USD | FY2021 | FY2022 | FY2023 | FY2024 | FY2025 | TTM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $3.49B | $3.21B | $2.95B | $2.84B | $2.90B | $2.98B |
| Gross profit | $1.66B | $1.47B | $1.40B | $1.37B | $1.31B | — |
| Operating income | $497M | $379M | $323M | $255M | $144M | $282M |
| Net income | $340M | $250M | $233M | $186M | $91.8M | $195M |
| EPS (diluted) | $7.81 | $6.34 | $6.24 | $5.12 | $2.53 | — |
| Free cash flow | $231M | $48.0M | $469M | $243M | $68.6M | $293M |
| Gross margin | 47.7% | 45.8% | 47.4% | 48.0% | 45.4% | — |
| Operating margin | 14.3% | 11.8% | 11.0% | 9.0% | 5.0% | 9.5% |
| Net margin | 9.7% | 7.8% | 7.9% | 6.5% | 3.2% | 6.5% |
| Revenue growth | +15.3% | -7.9% | -8.3% | -3.4% | +1.9% | — |
| Cash + short-term investments | $984M | $212M | $351M | $413M | $487M | — |
| Total debt | $991M | $617M | $497M | $498M | $567M | — |
Fiscal years end Jan. EPS is split-adjusted.
Valuation (price ÷ last four quarters, through Jul 4, 2026) (CRI)
P/E 6.4x · P/S 0.4x · EV/EBITDA 3.5x · EV/Sales 0.4x · P/FCF 4.3x · P/B 1.2x · FCF yield 23.52% · Earnings yield 15.66% · Dividend yield (paid, TTM) 2.94% · Net cash $85.8M · EV $1.16B
P/E at fiscal year-ends: Jan 2026 13.3x, Dec 2024 10.4x, Dec 2023 11.8x.
Analysts (CRI)
Consensus Hold (mean 3.00 on a 1–5 scale), 7 analysts; mean target USD 38 (low 30, high 50).
Rating changes, last 120 days:
| Date | Firm | Action | Rating | Price target |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-10-19 | UBS | Target lowered | Neutral | $41 → $38 |
| 2026-10-12 | Wells Fargo | Target lowered | Equal-Weight | $42 → $30 |
| 2026-09-09 | BMO Capital | Initiated | Outperform | $40 |
Total return (dividends reinvested) (CRI)
| 1Y (from 2025-10-23) | 5Y (from 2021-10-18) | |
|---|---|---|
| Total return | +10.0% | -59.6% |
| S&P 500 (SPY) | +14.9% | +80.3% |
| Per year | +10.1% | -16.6% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 49.0% | 38.4% |
| Max drawdown | -33.1% (Feb 2026→Sep 2026) | -74.5% (Nov 2021→Jul 2025) |
CRI revenue by business segment (quarter ended Jul 4, 2026)
| Line | Revenue | Share of total | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Retail | $304.7M | 49.5% | +1.7% |
| U.S. Wholesale | $215.6M | 35.0% | +11.7% |
| International | $95.3M | 15.5% | +2.7% |
| Total revenue | $615.5M | 100% | — |
CRI revenue by product line (fiscal year ended Jan 3, 2026)
| Line | Revenue | Share of total | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baby | $1.26B | 43.5% | +10.7% |
| Playclothes | $914.7M | 31.6% | -3.6% |
| Other Products | $371.5M | 12.8% | -3.0% |
| Sleepwear | $351.6M | 12.1% | -5.8% |
| Total revenue | $2.90B | 100% | — |
As tagged by the company in its SEC 10-Q / 10-K filings (XBRL).
CRI suppliers, customers and competitors (named in its 10-K)
| Relationship | Company | Sentence in the filing |
|---|---|---|
| Supplier | Xinjiang Production and Construction | “Even if we were not subject to penalties, fines, or sanctions, if products we source are associated in any way to XPCC or the XUAR, our reputation could be damaged.” |
| Customer | Amazon (AMZN) | “Our OshKosh brand wholesale customers in the United States include major retailers, such as Amazon and Target.” |
| Customer | Walmart (WMT) | “Our Skip Hop brand wholesale customers in the United States include major retailers, such as Amazon, Target, and Walmart.” |
| Customer | Costco (COST) | “Our Carter's brand wholesale customers in the United States include major retailers, such as Costco, JCPenney, Kohl's, Macy's, Marshalls, Ross Stores, Sam's Club, and T.J.” |
Quoted from the company's 10-K filed Feb 27, 2026.
CRI customer concentration
In the period ended Jan 3, 2026, 2 direct customers each accounted for at least 10% (11%, 10.3%) of revenue, per the company's 10-K filed Feb 27, 2026. The company does not name them.
CRI company outlook (results filed Jul 31, 2026)
- “The Company's outlook (and related assumptions) for the third quarter 2026 include an anticipated non-GAAP adjustment related to IP litigation costs of approximately $1 million.”
- “The Company's full-year fiscal 2026 outlook (and related assumptions) includes an anticipated non-GAAP adjustment related to leadership transition costs and IP litigation costs of approximately $8 million and a recovery of previously paid import duties of $132 million.”
Quoted word-for-word from the SEC 8-K results press release.
CRI analyst estimates and revisions
| Period | EPS estimate | 90 days ago | Change | Revenue estimate | Analysts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current quarter (ends Sep 2026) | $0.85 | $0.89 | -4.1% | $748.1M | 7 |
| Next quarter (ends Dec 2026) | $1.66 | $1.94 | -14.1% | $921.6M | 6 |
| Current fiscal year (ends Dec 2026) | $3.17 | $3.26 | -3.0% | $2.97B | 7 |
| Next fiscal year (ends Dec 2027) | $3.46 | $3.65 | -5.4% | $3.01B | 7 |
CRI options: expected move
Options price a move of about ±15.2% (±$5.15) by Nov 20, 2026, which includes earnings on Nov 2, 2026. Over the last 8 reports the stock moved ±9.5% on average.
| Expiration | Days | ATM implied volatility | Expected move |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 20, 2026 | 28 | 65.7% | ±15.2% |
| Dec 18, 2026 | 56 | 57.5% | ±18.5% |
| Mar 19, 2027 | 147 | 56.6% | ±28.8% |
| Jun 17, 2027 | 237 | 54.7% | ±34.6% |
30-day implied volatility 54.1% vs 41% realized over the last 30 trading days. Put/call ratio (volume) 0.13. Cboe delayed quotes (15 min). Expected move = at-the-money straddle.
Key Statistics (as of October 23, 2026 at 11:43 UTC)
| Price | USD 33.93 |
|---|---|
| Change | ▲ 4.46% (up) |
| Previous Close | USD 32.48 |
| Open | USD 32.29 |
| Day Range | USD 32.5 – 33.98 |
| 52-Week Range | USD 27.86 – 44.44 |
| Volume | 1,512,611 shares |
| Market Cap | $1.25B |
| Exchange | NYQ |
Technical Analysis (CRI)
Nexqual's technical model rates CRI "BUY" based on 5 bullish and 2 bearish signals across 127 daily candles, as of October 23, 2026 at 11:43 UTC.
| Overall Signal | BUY |
|---|---|
| RSI (14) | 56.23 (neutral) |
| vs SMA50 | Above (USD 32.68) |
| MACD | 0.19 (positive) |
Analyst Ratings (CRI)
Wall Street analysts rate CRI "Hold" based on 7 analysts, with a mean price target of USD 38 (range USD 30–50), per Nexqual as of October 23, 2026 at 11:43 UTC.
| Consensus Rating | Hold |
|---|---|
| Analyst Count | 7 |
| Mean Target | USD 38 |
| High Target | USD 50 |
| Low Target | USD 30 |
| Buy / Hold / Sell | 2 / 4 / 1 |
Earnings (CRI)
| Next Earnings Date | 2026-11-02 |
|---|---|
| EPS Estimate | USD 0.85 |
| Revenue Estimate | $748.13M |
Recent Earnings History
| Quarter | Actual vs Estimate |
|---|---|
| 2026-06-30 | USD 0.26 vs est 0.06 ▲ beat |
| 2026-03-31 | USD 0.39 vs est 0.13 ▲ beat |
| 2025-12-31 | USD 1.9 vs est 1.7 ▲ beat |
| 2025-09-30 | USD 0.74 vs est 0.74 ▲ beat |
Source: Nexqual, October 23, 2026 at 11:43 UTC.
Financials & Fundamentals (CRI)
| Total Revenue | $2.98B |
|---|---|
| Revenue Growth (latest quarter, YoY) | +5.20% |
| Gross Margin | +48.60% |
| Operating Margin | +23.68% |
| Profit Margin | +6.55% |
| ROE | +20.74% |
| Debt / Equity | 1.15 |
| Current Ratio | 2.47 |
| Total Cash | $653.57M |
| Total Debt | $1.18B |
| Free Cash Flow (last four quarters to Jul 2026, SEC 10-Q / 10-K) | $293.01M (9.8% of revenue) |
Source: Nexqual, October 23, 2026 at 11:43 UTC.
Financial Health Score (CRI)
Nexqual rates Carter's, Inc.'s overall financial health "Solid" across five dimensions, as of October 23, 2026 at 11:43 UTC.
| Growth | Mixed — Revenue +1.9% YoY (annual), slow |
|---|---|
| Profitability | Strong — Gross margin 49%, operating 24% (last 12 months) |
| Balance Sheet | Mixed — $654M cash and investments vs $568M debt (Jul 2026, SEC), net cash |
| Cash Flow | Solid — FCF $293M (last 4 quarters to Jul 2026, SEC), 10% margin |
| Efficiency | Strong — ROE 21%, ROA 6.9% |
Ownership (CRI)
| Insider Ownership | +4.80% |
|---|---|
| Institutional Ownership | +114.03% |
| Shares Outstanding | 36.71M |
| Float | 34.70M |
| Short % of Float | +25.01% |
Source: Nexqual, October 23, 2026 at 11:43 UTC.
Leadership (CRI)
Carter's, Inc. is led by Sharon Price John, President, CEO & Director, per Nexqual as of October 23, 2026 at 11:43 UTC.
| President, CEO & Director | Sharon Price John |
|---|---|
| CFO & COO | Richard F. Westenberger |
| Chief Strategy Officer | Emily D. Evert |
| Vice President of Investor Relations | Thomas C. Robillard |
| Senior Director of Public Affairs | Lindsay Rider |
Major Backers & Investors (CRI)
Notable institutional backers of Carter's, Inc. include RWWM, Inc., American Century Companies Inc, Ameriprise Financial, Inc., according to Nexqual as of October 23, 2026 at 11:43 UTC.
Active Investors
| Investor | Stake |
|---|---|
| RWWM, Inc. | 3.93% |
| American Century Companies Inc | 3.69% |
| Ameriprise Financial, Inc. | 3.38% |
| PIMCO Equity Series-PIMCO RAE US Small Fund | 3.33% |
| Goldman Sachs | 2.83% |
Index Funds (Passive)
| Fund | Stake |
|---|---|
| BlackRock | 15.86% |
| Vanguard Group | 12.08% |
| Allianz Asset Management GmbH | 6.18% |
| Dimensional Fund Advisors | 5.19% |
| State Street | 4.08% |
Source: Nexqual, October 23, 2026 at 11:43 UTC.
From Carter's, Inc.'s Latest SEC 10-K Filing (filed 2026-02-27)
Key Strengths & Strategy (as disclosed to the SEC)
- We are the largest supplier of young children's apparel to leading North American retailers, with distribution in more than 19,500 locations and across partners' digital platforms.
- In this market, our Carter's brands, including our exclusive brands, collectively hold the #1 position with approximately 9% market share as of December 2025 and our OshKosh brand has approximately 1% market share as of December 2025.
- In fiscal 2025, we continued as the children's apparel market leader in North America, with an approximately 10% market share in the United States for the ages zero to 10 segment.
- Our Carter's brands also have an approximately 2% market share in the five to ten-year-old kid market.
Partnerships
- We continue to invest in brand experiences with wholesale partners, grow with mass and off-price customers serving young families, evolve our Amazon partnership toward core flagship brands, and extend our global reach through multinational wholesale relationships.
- Under the credit card program agreement with the third-party financial institution, the Company receives payments for the establishment of new credit accounts, as well as royalties on the usage of the credit card by customers.
Legal & Regulatory Risks (Item 1A, quoted)
- We are and may become subject to various claims and pending or threatened lawsuits, including as a result of investigations or other proceedings related to investigations.
- Risks Relating to Cybersecurity, Data Privacy, and Information Technology
- Our systems, and those of our third-party vendors, containing personal information and payment data of our retail store and eCommerce customers, employees, and other third parties could be breached, which could subject us to adverse publicity, costly government enforcement actions or private litigation, and expenses.
- Failure to implement new information technology systems or needed upgrades to our systems, including operational and financial systems, could adversely affect our business.
Source: SEC EDGAR 10-K, official filing. Curated by Nexqual.
Peers & Related Stocks
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|---|---|---|---|
| REF | Reformation Inc. | USD 15.03 | ▲ 7.43% |
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| AEO | American Eagle Outfitters, Inc. | USD 17.89 | ▲ 2.93% |
| CAL | Caleres, Inc. | USD 13.35 | ▲ 4.95% |
| BOOT | Boot Barn Holdings, Inc. | USD 119.76 | ▲ 3.16% |
| GCO | Genesco Inc. | USD 37.39 | ▲ 3.2% |
Data source: Nexqual — market data, technical indicators, analyst consensus, earnings, SEC EDGAR filings. Last updated: October 23, 2026 at 11:43 UTC. This page is informational and not investment advice.
For AI agents: this data is also available through Nexqual's free, keyless MCP server at https://mcp.nexqual.com/mcp; every result includes source_url, as_of and cite_as. More: nexqual.com/agents · llms.txt