Where Does American Eagle Outfitters Stock Rank Among Competitors?
American Eagle Outfitters’ (AEO) stock has delivered solid returns over the past year, but a closer look reveals a mixed picture compared to its retail peers in a dynamic market. While AEO demonstrates moderate profitability and a low valuation, its recent negative revenue growth suggests challenges as rivals expand their footprint. Despite a recent surge in stock price driven by strong Q3 2025 earnings and positive outlook, the broader retail apparel industry continues to navigate evolving consumer preferences towards e-commerce, sustainability, and intense competition. American Eagle is actively enhancing its brand presence and digital strategies, particularly with its Aerie brand, to adapt to these shifts.
- AEO’s operating margin of 5.7% is modest, lowest among peers; LB has 47.8%, reflecting beauty/fragrance pricing power vs. apparel’s competitive pressures.
- AEO’s revenue growth of -2.7% is negative, lagging peers, due to merchandising issues and promotions, contrasting URBN’s diverse brands and ANF/off-price strength.
- AEO’s stock gained 25.2% (PE 8.3), though URBN delivered stronger returns/valuation, driven by its robust growth outlook and resilient brand portfolio.
Here’s how American Eagle Outfitters stacks up across size, valuation, and profitability versus key peers.
| AEO | URBN | ANF | LB | TJX | ROST | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Market Cap ($ Bil) | 4.1 | 7.1 | 4.7 | 1.5 | 167.3 | 57.5 |
| Revenue ($ Bil) | 5.3 | 5.8 | 5.1 | 0.2 | 57.9 | 21.5 |
| PE Ratio | 8.3 | 13.7 | 7.3 | 85.3 | 27.7 | 20.0 |
| LTM Revenue Growth | -2.7% | 9.6% | 9.3% | 95.0% | 4.1% | 1.9% |
| LTM Operating Margin | 5.7% | 9.5% | 14.6% | 47.8% | 11.2% | 12.0% |
| LTM FCF Margin | 2.9% | 6.8% | 6.8% | 54.8% | 7.0% | 7.8% |
| 12M Market Return | 25.2% | 56.2% | -35.7% | -18.8% | 21.8% | 17.1% |
For more details on American Eagle Outfitters, read Buy or Sell AEO Stock. Below we compare AEO’s growth, margin, and valuation with peers across years
Revenue Growth Comparison
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| LTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AEO | -2.7% | 1.3% | 5.4% | -0.4% | |
| URBN | 9.6% | 7.7% | 7.5% | 5.4% | |
| ANF | 9.3% | 15.6% | 15.8% | -0.4% | |
| LB | 95.0% | – | 50.9% | 40.7% | � |
| TJX | 4.1% | 4.0% | 8.6% | 2.9% | |
| ROST | 1.9% | 3.7% | 9.0% | -1.2% |
Operating Margin Comparison
| LTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AEO | 5.7% | 8.3% | 6.9% | 5.4% | |
| URBN | 9.5% | 8.5% | 7.3% | 4.7% | |
| ANF | 14.6% | 15.0% | 11.3% | 2.5% | |
| LB | 47.8% | – | -15.0% | 96.1% | -6.2% |
| TJX | 11.2% | 11.2% | 10.7% | 9.7% | |
| ROST | 12.0% | 12.2% | 11.3% | 10.6% |
PE Ratio Comparison
| LTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AEO | 8.3 | 9.8 | 24.3 | 20.3 | |
| URBN | 13.7 | 12.6 | 11.5 | 13.9 | |
| ANF | 7.3 | 13.4 | 13.5 | 409.3 | |
| LB | 85.3 | – | 225.1 | � | � |
| TJX | 27.7 | 28.0 | 24.0 | 26.5 | |
| ROST | 20.0 | 23.8 | 24.7 | 26.4 |
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