Latest news with #HelenofTroy
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Helen of Troy Limited (HELE): A Bull Case Theory
We came across a bullish thesis on Helen of Troy Limited (HELE) on Value Investing subreddit by Individual_Buy7254. In this article, we will summarize the bulls' thesis on HELE. Helen of Troy Limited (HELE)'s share was trading at $27.91 as of 4th June. HELE's trailing and forward P/E were 5.14 and 5.18 respectively according to Yahoo Finance. Iakov Filimonov/ Helen of Troy (HELE), owner of steady cash-generating consumer brands like OXO, Hydro Flask, Braun, and Osprey, is trading at just 3.5x adjusted P/E—an irrationally low valuation given the company's underlying fundamentals. Much of this dislocation stems from overblown tariff fears, misunderstood one-time charges like the non-cash Drybar impairment, and temporary headwinds such as lower-margin sales post-COVID. The company is addressing these issues through Project Pegasus, a multi-year cost-saving initiative expected to deliver $75–85 million annually by 2027, while also reducing its China exposure below 20% of COGS by 2026. Beauty and wellness brands are rebounding, with Olive & June growing 8.7% in Q4, and Drybar's restructuring now complete. At the same time, HELE's $7.17 FY25 EPS and modest leverage (net debt/EBITDA ~3x with 4x interest coverage) highlight its financial resilience. While the stock was overvalued during the COVID bull run, trading at nearly 30x earnings in December 2021 due to a temporary boost in household items, the nearly 90% decline since then has been largely due to multiple contractions, not a fundamental collapse. Revenue has declined slightly from $2.1B in 2021 to a projected $1.9B in FY2025, but book value has grown by about 40%, showing the business isn't burning cash. Now trading below book value, HELE is a traditional, cash-generative business with recession-resistant brands that offer stability. With a base-case 50–100% upside and private equity interest a plausible catalyst, this is a classic value play with limited downside and significant rerating potential as execution continues. Previously, we have covered a bullish thesis on On Holding AG (ONON) in October 2024, written by Sanjiv on Substack, which, like Helen of Troy (HELE), operates in the consumer space with strong brand equity and margin expansion potential. While ONON represents a premium growth story and HELE a classic value opportunity, both showcase how differentiated brands can thrive despite broader market pressures. Helen of Troy Limited (HELE) is not on our list of the 30 Most Popular Stocks Among Hedge Funds. As per our database, 22 hedge fund portfolios held HELE at the end of the first quarter which was 28 in the previous quarter. While we acknowledge the risk and potential of HELE as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and have limited downside risk. If you are looking for an extremely cheap AI stock that is also a major beneficiary of Trump tariffs and onshoring, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: 8 Best Wide Moat Stocks to Buy Now and 30 Most Important AI Stocks According to BlackRock. Disclosure: None. This article was originally published at Insider Monkey.
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Why Helen of Troy Stock Plunged Today
Helen of Troy announced on Friday that its CEO had stepped down. The company said the resignation was "immediate," as the company named its CFO as interim chief executive. The uncertainty sent Helen of Troy stock down today after an already terrible start to the year. Shares of home goods and wellness products company Helen of Troy (NASDAQ: HELE) plunged 10.4% on Monday. The company, which has encountered severe headwinds in recent months -- including an earnings report that underwhelmed and uncertainty over tariffs -- abruptly announced after market close last Friday that its CEO was moving on. While some CEO departure announcements are greeted with an appreciation in a struggling stock on hopes of a turnaround, apparently, the market took Helen of Troy's announcement as a sign things may be worse under the surface. Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Continue » Late Friday afternoon, Helen of Troy announced that CEO Noel Geoffroy was stepping down as CEO, "effective immediately." Of note, Geoffroy had only been CEO for one year, assuming the role in March 2024. The "effective immediately" seems to imply a sudden and harsh decision. That may cause investors to worry that there are bigger problems under the surface. The company did announce that it was promoting CFO Brian Grass to the CEO role, but only on an interim basis, as the board conducts a search for the company's next CEO. While Grass was CFO from 2014 to 2021 and then again since 2023, it appears the appointment of a long-tenured executive didn't quell investor uncertainty. Helen of Troy has plunged 58% so far this year. While the company actually beat revenue expectations last quarter slightly, its adjusted (non-GAAP) EPS fell short of estimates. Furthermore, revenue declined 0.7% overall, and this is in spite of the December 2024 acquisition of Olive & June. On an organic basis, the revenue declines were an even worse 4.9%. Investors might also be worrying about the fact that the Olive & June acquisition increased the company's debt by $235 million, which would be an added burden in a recessionary scenario. While earnings underwhelmed last month, it was really the prospect of tariffs that accounted for the bulk of the stock's decline. Helen of Troy manufactures its household products in China, Vietnam, and Mexico, so it will have to either adapt to the new tariff regime, whenever that is settled, or hope the tariffs fall away as trade deals are struck. While investors don't know what's behind the CEO's resignation, the sudden nature of the decision and lack of preparation for a replacement understandably has investors on edge. Even at just 5.5 times expected 2025 adjusted earnings, Helen of Troy's declining top-line and debt load make it a risky choice; perhaps a value trap. Before you buy stock in Helen Of Troy, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the for investors to buy now… and Helen Of Troy wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $623,685!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $701,781!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 906% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 164% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join . See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of May 5, 2025 Billy Duberstein and/or his clients have no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Why Helen of Troy Stock Plunged Today was originally published by The Motley Fool Sign in to access your portfolio
Business Wire
02-05-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Helen of Troy Announces CEO Leadership Change
EL PASO, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Helen of Troy Limited (NASDAQ: HELE), designer, developer, and worldwide marketer of branded consumer home, outdoor, beauty, and wellness products, today announced a change to its leadership. Noel Geoffroy is departing from Helen of Troy Limited ('Company') as Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately. In connection with her departure, Ms. Geoffroy resigned as a director of the Company, also effective immediately. Brian Grass, Chief Financial Officer, has been appointed interim Chief Executive Officer by the Board of Directors. Additionally, the Board of Directors has appointed Tracy Scheuerman as its interim Chief Financial Officer. Ms. Scheuerman previously served as the Company's Senior Vice President, Finance for the Home & Outdoor segment. Mr. Meeker stated, 'The Board thanks Ms. Geoffroy for her service and looks forward to partnering with Mr. Grass and our talented global leadership team to improve the long-term health of our brands and position the Company for sustained shareholder value creation. As we work to identify the Company's next CEO, our priority will be selecting a leader who closely aligns with the Board's strong belief that this Company has tremendous growth potential.' 'I'm honored to be named the interim CEO of Helen of Troy, the Company that I've been privileged to serve for almost two decades,' said Mr. Grass. 'I am committed to working closely with the Board, our leadership team, and our talented associates to capitalize on the opportunities we see in front of us and enable our powerful portfolio of global brands to more profitably grow in the year ahead and well into the future. Like the Board, I strongly believe in Helen of Troy's tremendous potential for sustainable growth and long-term shareholder value creation.' Helen of Troy's Board has engaged a leading executive search firm to assist with the process of identifying a permanent CEO. Mr. Grass is expected to serve as our interim Chief Executive Officer until a permanent CEO is appointed. About Brian Grass Prior to his appointment as interim CEO, Mr. Grass, age 55, has served as Chief Financial Officer since September 23, 2023. He joined the Company in 2006 and previously served as Chief Financial Officer from 2014 until his retirement in 2021. Mr. Grass rejoined the Company in March 2023 to serve as Senior Vice President, Assistant Chief Financial Officer and began to serve as interim Chief Financial Officer on April 28, 2023. Prior to his appointment as the Chief Financial Officer in 2014, he served as the Company's Assistant Chief Financial Officer. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Grass spent seven years in public accounting at KPMG LLP and six years in various financial leadership roles at Tenet Healthcare Corporation, a healthcare services company. About Tracy Scheuerman Tracy Scheuerman, age 53, joined the Company in March 2004 through its acquisition of OXO International ('OXO'), where she served as Controller for three years prior to the acquisition. OXO comprised the former Housewares segment of the Company before it was renamed Home & Outdoor in 2023. Ms. Scheuerman continued to serve as Controller of OXO until her promotion in 2008 to Vice President, Finance & Supply Chain of the Housewares segment. In 2015, Ms. Scheuerman was appointed Senior Vice President, Finance & Operations of the Housewares segment and served until her retirement in 2024. In this role, she has led the financial and operational management of the OXO, Hydro Flask, and Osprey brands. After her retirement, she worked as a consultant with the Company until her appointment as interim CFO. Prior to joining OXO, Ms. Scheuerman spent two years in public accounting with KPMG LLP and six years in internal audit and finance roles at Borden Inc., a global producer of foods, non-food consumer products, and packaging and industrial products. About Helen of Troy Limited Helen of Troy Limited (NASDAQ: HELE) is a leading global consumer products company offering creative products and solutions for its customers through a diversified portfolio of well-recognized and widely-trusted brands, including OXO, Hydro Flask, Osprey, Vicks, Braun, Honeywell, PUR, Hot Tools, Drybar, Curlsmith, Revlon, and Olive & June. All trademarks herein belong to Helen of Troy Limited (or its subsidiaries) and/or are used under license from their respective licensors. For more information about Helen of Troy, please visit Forward-Looking Statements Certain written and oral statements made by the Company and subsidiaries of the Company may constitute 'forward-looking statements' as defined under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. This includes statements made in this press release, in other filings with the SEC, and in certain other oral and written presentations. Generally, the words 'anticipates', 'assumes', 'believes', 'expects', 'plans', 'may', 'will', 'might', 'would', 'should', 'seeks', 'estimates', 'project', 'predict', 'potential', 'currently', 'continue', 'intends', 'outlook', 'forecasts', 'targets', 'reflects', 'could', and other similar words identify forward-looking statements. All statements that address operating results, events or developments that the Company expects or anticipates may occur in the future, including statements related to sales, expenses, including cost reduction measures, EPS results, and statements expressing general expectations about future operating results, are forward-looking statements and are based upon its current expectations and various assumptions. The Company currently believes there is a reasonable basis for these expectations and assumptions, but there can be no assurance that the Company will realize these expectations or that these assumptions will prove correct. Forward-looking statements are only as of the date they are made and are subject to risks, many of which are beyond our control, that could cause them to differ materially from actual results. Accordingly, the Company cautions readers not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release should be read in conjunction with, and are subject to and qualified by, the risks described in the Company's Form 10-K for the year ended February 28, 2025, and in the Company's other filings with the SEC. Investors are urged to refer to the risk factors referred to above for a description of these risks. Such risks include, among others, the geographic concentration of certain United States ('U.S.') distribution facilities which increases its risk to disruptions that could affect the Company's ability to deliver products in a timely manner, the occurrence of cyber incidents or failure by the Company or its third-party service providers to maintain cybersecurity and the integrity of confidential internal or customer data, a cybersecurity breach, obsolescence or interruptions in the operation of the Company's central global Enterprise Resource Planning systems and other peripheral information systems, the Company's ability to develop and introduce a continuing stream of innovative new products to meet changing consumer preferences, actions taken by large customers that may adversely affect the Company's gross profit and operating results, the Company's dependence on sales to several large customers and the risks associated with any loss of, or substantial decline in, sales to top customers, the Company's dependence on third-party manufacturers, most of which are located in Asia, and any inability to obtain products from such manufacturers or diversify production to other regions or source the same product in multiple regions or implement potential tariff mitigation plans, the Company's ability to deliver products to its customers in a timely manner and according to their fulfillment standards, the risks associated with trade barriers, exchange controls, expropriations, and other risks associated with domestic and foreign operations including uncertainty and business interruptions resulting from political changes and events in the U.S. and abroad, and volatility in the global credit and financial markets and economy, the Company's dependence on the strength of retail economies and vulnerabilities to any prolonged economic downturn, including a downturn from the effects of macroeconomic conditions, any public health crises or similar conditions, risks associated with weather conditions, the duration and severity of the cold and flu season and other related factors, the Company's reliance on its Chief Executive Officer and a limited number of other key senior officers to operate its business, risks associated with the use of licensed trademarks from or to third parties, the Company's ability to execute and realize expected synergies from strategic business initiatives such as acquisitions, including Olive & June, divestitures and global restructuring plans, including Project Pegasus, the risks of significant tariffs or other restrictions continuing to be placed on imports from China, Mexico or Vietnam, including by the new U.S. presidential administration which has promoted and implemented plans to raise tariffs and pursue other trade policies intended to restrict imports, or any retaliatory trade measures taken by China, Mexico or Vietnam, the risks of potential changes in laws and regulations, including environmental, employment and health and safety and tax laws, and the costs and complexities of compliance with such laws, the risks associated with increased focus and expectations on climate change and other sustainability matters, the risks associated with significant changes in or the Company's compliance with regulations, interpretations or product certification requirements, the risks associated with global legal developments regarding privacy and data security that could result in changes to its business practices, penalties, increased cost of operations, or otherwise harm the business, the Company's dependence on whether it is classified as a 'controlled foreign corporation' for U.S. federal income tax purposes which impacts the tax treatment of its non-U.S. income, the risks associated with legislation enacted in Bermuda and Barbados in response to the European Union's review of harmful tax competition and additional focus on compliance with economic substance requirements by Bermuda and Barbados, the risks associated with accounting for tax positions and the resolution of tax disputes, the risks associated with product recalls, product liability and other claims against the Company, and associated financial risks including but not limited to, increased costs of raw materials, energy and transportation, significant additional impairment of the Company's goodwill, indefinite-lived and definite-lived intangible assets or other long-lived assets, risks associated with foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations, the risks to the Company's liquidity or cost of capital which may be materially adversely affected by constraints or changes in the capital and credit markets, interest rates and limitations under its financing arrangements, and projections of product demand, sales and net income, which are highly subjective in nature, and from which future sales and net income could vary by a material amount. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
ABC News
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- ABC News
SA Medieval Fair at to bring jousting and sword-wielding knights to Adelaide Hills
The weather might be warmer than usual but it won't stop the hearty mead flowing in the Adelaide Hills this weekend as scores of knights converge to battle in Paracombe. For more than 30 years the SA Medieval Fair has been attracting crowds of people in period outfits and armour for two days of colourful revelry. Event organiser and lead officer Brigitte Winton said the fair would include a 150-metre-long list field for "real jouster", archers who shoot from horseback and "knights in combat", as well as living displays and handmade encampments that depict "life in the Middle Ages". "There are some amazing people who are really dedicated and passionate to their craft," she said. Ms Winton developed an interest in the Middle Ages as a child whose father was "always fond of classics and history". The knights are highly trained in armed combat. ( Facebook: SA Medieval Fair/Mark Hamilton Photography ) "When other kids were reading different books, we were reading Helen of Troy and history books at home," she told "So I think I got it from him and once [Ms Winton and her husband] found out about the fair, we thought, 'Oh yeah, we'll go along.' "He's a bit of a history buff as well." The couple have been involved for 30 years, having started as "merchants" before becoming performers and then committee members. "It's kind of like a virus — once you've got it, you don't want to give it up," Ms Winton said. "Lots of people have been bitten by the medieval bug. "We have hundreds and hundred and hundreds of participants." Capturing imaginations Medieval fairs are increasingly popular across Australia — similar events are held in places such as Mount Gambier, Victoria, Sydney and Balingup in Western Australia. Professor Louise D'Arcens's main research field at Macquarie University is the Middle Ages, which spanned the fifth to the 15th centuries. "Re-enactors are often people who have done really interesting, intricate research," she told The 2024 Blacktown City Medieval Fayre in Sydney attracted fans from as far afield as Germany and the United States. ( Facebook: Blacktown City Medieval Fayre ) But in other instances, she said, the "capacity for the Middle Ages to still be very beloved, and also very inaccurately represented, is one of the really characteristic things about it". "It's a thousand-year span," Professor D'Arcens said. "It reached from Ireland across to China — it's a huge span of space and time and I think that gives people the opportunity to really imagine their way into it. " I think part of its incredible endurance in minds and in our hearts comes from the fact that we can engage in it quite imaginatively. " Using tools of the era In Paracombe, participants of a "15th century military" were busy setting up their encampment – including a "gambling house" – using only the tools that would have been available during the era. "It's all handmade," Ms Winton said. Grey Company knights wield their weapons at the Balingup Medieval Carnivale in WA. ( ABC South West WA: Ellie Honeybone ) She said this year's fair boasted close to 100 merchant and artisan stalls. "We've got sword-smiths, people who make bows and arrows, and we've got our own licensed area, which is called the Pale Raven Tavern," Ms Winton said. "If you want to come and have a mulled wine, you can. "Our Pale Raven Tavern Queen was quality-control sampling yesterday and says it's a good brew." The SA Medieval Fair will be held at the Paracombe Recreational Grounds on Saturday and Sunday.
The Independent
15-04-2025
- The Independent
Breakthrough in mystery of life-size sculptures discovered in Pompeii tomb
Visitors to the site of Pompeii, the ancient Roman town buried (and so preserved for thousands of years) by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79AD, don't often think to look beyond the city walls. And it's easy to understand why: there's plenty on offer within this monumentally well-preserved town, from jewel-like wall paintings of myths and legends like Helen of Troy, to the majestic amphitheatre and sumptuously stuccoed baths. But step outside the gates for a moment, and you're in a very different – yet no less important – world. For the ancient Romans, the roads and paths leading into and out of cities were crucial: not just for getting places, but as a very real kind of 'memory lane'. Tombs lined these ancient byways – some simply bearing inscriptions to the memories of loved ones lost, others, more grand, accommodating space for friends and family to feast in remembrance of the dead. Some of the tombs even address the passerby directly, as if its occupant could speak again, and pass on what they've learned. Take one Pompeiian example, set up by the freedman Publius Vesonius Phileros, which opens with ineffable politeness: 'Stranger, wait a while if it's no trouble, and learn what not to do.' Going into Pompeii, and leaving it, was about being reminded of ways of living and ways of dying – as well as an invitation to tip your hat to those who trod the path before you, and to learn from their example. Which is why the recent discovery of a monumental tomb crowned by life-size sculptures of a woman and man, just outside the gates on the east side of the town, isn't just a fascinating find in and of itself. It's also a reminder to stop, and to remember the people who once lived and died in this bustling Italian town. The tomb's main feature is a large wall, peppered with niches where cremated remains would have been placed, and surmounted by the astonishing relief sculpture of the woman and man. They're standing side by side, but not touching. I rather like that she's slightly taller than him, standing at 1.77m, while he's 1.75m. She's draped in a modest tunic, cloak and veil (symbols of Roman womanhood) and boasts a pronounced crescent-moon-shaped pendant at her neck called a lunula, that (through the age-old link with lunar cycles) tells a story about female fertility and birth. He, meanwhile, is dressed in the quintessentially Roman toga that instantly identifies him as a proud male citizen of Rome. Who do the statues depict? The status quo in archaeology, when a woman and a man are presented next to each other in tombs and burials like this, has always been to assume that she's his wife. Yet here, there's an unmissable clue that there's more going on. That's because, in her right hand, she's holding a laurel branch – which was used by priestesses to waft the smoke of incense and herbs in religious rituals. Priestesses, in the Roman world, held unusual levels of power for women – and it's been suggested that this woman might have been a priestess of the goddess Ceres (Roman equivalent of Demeter). So this high-status priestess is shown alongside a man. The inclusion of the symbols of her status (as priestess) alongside his (as a togatus, or 'toga-wearing man'), shows that she's there in her own right, as a contributing member of Pompeiian society. She might be his mother; she might even have been more important than him (which would explain why she's taller). Without an inscription, we don't know for sure. The point is: a woman doesn't have to be a wife to be standing next to a man. What's fascinating is that this isn't unique to Pompeii. In my new book, Mythica, which looks at the women not of Rome but of Bronze age Greece, I've found that new discoveries in archaeology are overturning the assumptions that used to be made about a woman's place in society, and the value of their roles, all the time. One fascinating example is a royal burial in Late Bronze Age Mycenae: a woman and a man who'd been buried together in the royal necropolis, around 1700 years before the eruption of Mount Vesuvius decimated Pompeii. As is typical, this woman was immediately labelled, by the archaeologists who uncovered her, as the man's wife. But then DNA analysis came into the picture. As recently as 2008, both skeletons were sampled for DNA – and came up with the game-changing result that they were, in fact, brother and sister. She'd been buried here as a member of a royal family by birth, not by marriage, in other words. She was there on her own terms. From golden Mycenae to the ash-blasted ruins of Pompeii: the remains from the ancient world are telling us a different story from the one we always thought. A woman didn't have to be a wife to make a difference. So I think it's worth listening to the advice of our friend Publius. Let's look at the burials of the past, and learn.
