12% stock buyback was very well timed for longs in Abercrombie&F

Shares of Abercrombie & Fitch Co. ANF, rallied 2.3% in premarket trading Friday, after the apparel retailer announced a new stock repurchase program representing more than 10% of the shares outstanding. The company said it can now buy back up to 7.6 million shares, which at Thursday's closing price of $15.35 would be valued at $116.7 million. Based on about 65.7 million shares outstanding as of June 7, the company could buy back up to 11.6% of the total. "This new share repurchase program reflects our ongoing confidence in our long-term strategy," said Chief Executive Fran Horowitz.

From a technical perspective the chart is starting to show signs of selling exhaustion, and given the high short interest we will keep a close watch on the short covering to begin if the stock can hold above the current level.

AVERAGE ANALYSTS PRICE TARGET $20.69
AVERAGE ANALYSTS RECOMMENDATION HOLD
P/E RATIO 10
SHORT INTEREST 23%


Abercrombie & Fitch Co. engages in the retail of apparel, personal care products and accessories. It offers apparel products, including knit tops, woven shirts, graphic t-shirts, fleece, sweaters, jeans, woven pants, shorts, outerwear, dresses, intimates and swimwear; and personal care products and accessories for men, women and kids under the Abercrombie & Fitch, abercrombie kids, Hollister and Gilly Hicks brands. The company was founded by David Abercrombie in 1892 and is headquartered in New Albany, OH.