Weight Watchers International

[vogelspotter]

Weight Watchers CEO: We are making a comeback

Brian Sozzi
Editor-at-Large

Yahoo FinanceAugust 06, 2019


Another comeback quarter for Weight Watchers (WW) is in the books.

The health and wellness brand reported second quarter earnings of 78 cents a share on Tuesday after the close, dusting Wall Street estimates for 65 cents a share. Total revenue came in at $369 million versus analyst projections for $377 million.

The company’s closely watched subscriber count clocked in at 4.6 million, up about 1.5% from a year ago, powered by new digital additions. The figure was generally in line with most numbers on Wall Street.

Weight Watchers CEO Mindy Grossman tells Yahoo Finance the company continued to see improvements in client retention and customer acquisition in the second quarter. Grossman adds that momentum in the business has been sustained into the third quarter.

Apparently the strength is enough for Weight Watchers to strike an upbeat note ahead of a new diet plan and fresh marketing plan that will be unveiled in the key early 2020 dieting season. Weight Watchers sees full year sales of $1.4 billion and earnings of $1.55 to $1.70 a share. Previously, the company had guided to $1.4 billion in sales and earnings of $1.35 to $1.55 a share.

Shares of the company popped more than 12% in after-hours trading Tuesday.

It was just this past February when Weight Watchers materially slashed its full year profit outlook owing to a disappointing consumer response to its new brand positioning. Prior to Tuesday’s earnings release, Weight Watchers shares had fallen about 45% year-to-date.

Grossman says her team is focused on “executing” this year. That’s one way to get the stock moving higher again.

[vogelspotter]

Home

Industries


The Ratings Game

Get email alerts

Weight Watchers upgraded at Bank of America as 2020 innovation sparks optimism


Published: Aug 7, 2019 1:25 p.m. ET


Weight Watchers stock soared 40% on Wednesday, heading to biggest one-day percentage jump since October 2015

WW
Weight Watchers is promising a new program for 2020, which has got analysts bullish


By

Tonya
Garcia

Reporter

 
Weight Watchers International Inc. was upgraded from underperform to buy at Bank of America Merrill Lynch on subscriber numbers stabilization in the second quarter and a user-driven 2020 program that leaves analysts bullish.

Bank of America raised its price target to $27 from $25.

WW WW, +42.65% announced second-quarter earnings late Tuesday, which included an increase in the full-year earnings outlook to between $1.55 and $1.70 per share. The FactSet consensus is for $1.52 per share.

WW ended the quarter with 4.6 million subscribers, up from 4.5 million last year.

Read: Blue Apron to end partnership with Walmart’s Jet.com but continue with Weight Watchers

Shares soared more than 40% in Wednesday trading, putting WW on the path to the biggest one-day percentage gain since October 2015.


Bank of America analysts led by Olivia Tong still see risks in WW, including competition from other apps and programs.

“However, after much volatility and several misfires, we think WW is getting back on track, re-engaging their consumers and better communicating the significant changes made in 2018 that alienated some,” Bank of America wrote. “A new program for the post-holiday recruitment drive should drive renewed interest amongst previous members and attract new (never) members as well in our view.”

WW Chief Executive Mindy Grossman would only say that the new innovation will offer a fresh way to follow the program, and is based on lessons from the WW Freestyle program along with new scientific research.

“We believe our 2020 innovation will appeal not only to our current members who love the flexibility of WW Freestyle but also to potential first time and returning members who are looking for a more personalized program that provides the structure and support for sustainable results,” she said, according to a FactSet transcript.

See: Shake Shack partners with GrubHub for nationwide delivery, warns of ‘volatility’

“In addition to conducting clinical trials to verify efficacy, the innovation has undergone extensive consumer testing to ensure we’re delivering a program that fits the needs of even more people.”

UBS analysts are keeping a wary eye on WW, as the subscriber growth was still a deceleration on a two-year stack and was likely helped by some discounting.

Still, WW says the third quarter is off to a good start and fall advertising should give the business a bump, said UBS.

“However, the true test will be the reception of its new program at the end of the year,” analysts said. “We think the market will reward WW for its progress in Q2, but it’s unlikely to give it full credit for a successful program launch until it provides evidence that its subscriber growth is sustainable,” the note said.

Also: Pizza Hut will close hundreds of locations to focus on carry out and delivery

UBS rates WW neutral with a $26 price target, up from $23.

“[W]e agree that the new diet program launch should drive recruitment and earnings growth next year,” wrote JPMorgan analysts. “That said, we continue to believe that investors should remain on the sidelines until getting more clarity around the key differences in WW’s new program, given the increasing intensity of the competitive environment.”

JPMorgan rates WW stock neutral with a $27 price target, up from $22.

WW stock has lost 62.5% for the past year while the S&P 500 index SPX, +0.08% is down 0.2% for the period.

[vogelspotter]

BUZZ-WW International: Rises on Craig-Hallum upgrade

13:52 (27/08) - Bron: Reuters


** Weight management services provider up ~5.5%
premarket at $30.5 after Craig-Hallum upgrades to "buy" from
"hold"
** Brokerage says upgrade driven by improving trends, a
mostly positive member response to new free app called Kurbo by
WW, and the potential for upside to estimates stemming from an
upcoming new diet program launch
** Says results for WW have improved since a very weak start
to the year in Q1, and it appears that this trend has continued
since the Q2 earnings report
** "Speed of WW's mid-year recovery has been impressive
given the slow start to the year" - Craig-Hallum
** Says WW's new diet program could be a major catalyst for
next year
** Craig-Hallum raises PT to $35 from $25, implying an
upside of ~21% to Monday's close
** 5 of 13 brokerages rate the stock "buy" or higher and 8
rate "hold"; median PT $27 - Refinitiv data
** Up to Monday's close, stock down ~25% this year

(Reporting by Siju Varghese in Bengaluru)
(([email protected]))

[vogelspotter]

Weight Watchers International (NASDAQ:WW) Upgraded by Craig Hallum to “Buy”

Posted by William Newman on Sep 4th, 2019


Weight Watchers International, Inc. logoCraig Hallum upgraded shares of Weight Watchers International (NASDAQ:WW) from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report released on Tuesday, August 27th, BenzingaRatingsTable reports. They currently have $35.00 target price on the stock, up from their prior target price of $25.00.

A number of other analysts also recently issued reports on WW. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised shares of Weight Watchers International from an underweight rating to a neutral rating and boosted their price objective for the company from $17.00 to $22.00 in a report on Thursday, July 11th. Morgan Stanley set a $25.00 target price on shares of Weight Watchers International and gave the company a hold rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 7th. B. Riley raised shares of Weight Watchers International from a neutral rating to a buy rating and upped their price objective for the company from $23.50 to $40.00 in a research note on Wednesday, August 7th. DA Davidson raised shares of Weight Watchers International from a neutral rating to a buy rating and upped their price objective for the company from $24.50 to $32.00 in a research note on Friday, July 19th. Finally, ValuEngine raised shares of Weight Watchers International from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research note on Thursday, August 8th. Six analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the company. Weight Watchers International presently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $29.38.

[vogelspotter]

Top Stock Picks for the Week of Sep 9, 2019

Panel Of Zacks Experts September 10, 2019

TGT WW
WW (WW - Free Report) is the company formerly known as Weight Watchers International. After it decided to change its name and its branding, subscriber rates dropped, as did earnings, leading to a sell-off in the stock. But WW has a secret weapon named Oprah Winfrey. They have rolled out new ads with Oprah and that has boosted subscriber numbers. Additionally, Oprah will be going on a 9-city arena tour called “Oprah’s 2020 Vision: Your Life in Focus” in January and February of 2020, which is the key health and wellness season due to New Year’s resolutions. After falling 50% in the last year, WW is now a value with a forward P/E of 18.9. WW is a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stock.

[vogelspotter]

With A Rebrand And A New App, Will WW International Rebound In 2020?

Contributor

Rebecca Shore — The Motley Fool


Published
Nov 22, 2019 1:19PM EST

Last week -- just in time for the holiday heavy-eating season -- Weight Watchers International (NASDAQ: WW) rolled out its new, customized weight management program called myWW. It's the earliest the company has ever launched a new program, according to CEO Mindy Grossman. The debut date is more than seven weeks before New Year's, when folks make resolutions that often include weight loss goals. The post-holiday diet season drives WW International's highest subscriber rates, which usually decline through the rest of the year. The myWW plan program matches members to one of three plans based on taste preferences, eating habits, and goals. Gary Foster, WW's chief scientific officer, says myWW took about two years to develop, and it builds on science and behavioral data.

Wall Street analysts say the program will be a key driver of future subscriber growth. Keybanc's Edward Yuma said myWW is "unique enough to feel new," but also carries elements of the old program, including the concepts of SmartPoints and ZeroPoints. "This customization of the ZeroPoints list offers more flexibility from the existing, and arguable more restrictive, Freestyle program," said Yuma.
Hand holding phone (over plate of food and drink) with WW app displayed on screen.
Image source: Getty Images.

WW International board member Oprah Winfrey is doing her part to help. She'll tour the U.S. in early 2020 to share her "health journey" talk about healthy living, and conduct interviews with celebrities about their health. Grossman said ticket sales are "tremendously strong" for the tour, called WW Presents Oprah's 2020 Vision: Your Life in Focus.

[vogelspotter]

Weight Watchers International (NASDAQ:WW) Sets New 12-Month High at $45.90

Posted by Jon Anderson on Jan 8th, 2020


Weight Watchers International logoWeight Watchers International, Inc. (NASDAQ:WW)’s stock price reached a new 52-week high on Wednesday . The company traded as high as $45.90 and last traded at $44.80, with a volume of 3252368 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $41.04.

A number of equities analysts have weighed in on the stock. Sidoti set a $43.00 price objective on shares of Weight Watchers International and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, September 27th. ValuEngine raised shares of Weight Watchers International from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Sunday, November 17th. UBS Group increased their price target on shares of Weight Watchers International from $26.00 to $38.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Friday, September 20th. B. Riley increased their price target on shares of Weight Watchers International from $40.00 to $46.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, December 17th. Finally, Zacks Investment Research cut shares of Weight Watchers International from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Saturday, November 9th. Eight investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. The stock currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $36.27.

Get Weight Watchers International alerts:

The firm’s 50-day moving average price is $40.25 and its 200 day moving average price is $32.31. The firm has a market cap of $2.63 billion, a P/E ratio of 14.13, a PEG ratio of 1.25 and a beta of 2.24.

Weight Watchers International (NASDAQ:WW) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, November 5th. The company reported $0.68 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.66 by $0.02. Weight Watchers International had a net margin of 9.50% and a negative return on equity of 17.17%. The business had revenue of $348.60 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $352.72 million. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $1.00 earnings per share. The company’s quarterly revenue was down 4.7% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, research analysts forecast that Weight Watchers International, Inc. will post 1.73 earnings per share for the current year.

In related news, insider Corinne Pollier-Bousquet sold 12,708 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, November 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $42.98, for a total transaction of $546,189.84. 12.03% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. BlackRock Inc. increased its stake in shares of Weight Watchers International by 10.0% in the second quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 4,777,001 shares of the company’s stock valued at $91,240,000 after purchasing an additional 433,790 shares during the period. Eminence Capital LP acquired a new stake in shares of Weight Watchers International in the second quarter valued at approximately $83,395,000. AQR Capital Management LLC increased its stake in shares of Weight Watchers International by 4.7% in the second quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 2,748,009 shares of the company’s stock valued at $52,308,000 after purchasing an additional 124,121 shares during the period. Northern Trust Corp increased its stake in shares of Weight Watchers International by 2.4% in the second quarter. Northern Trust Corp now owns 625,124 shares of the company’s stock valued at $11,939,000 after purchasing an additional 14,845 shares during the period. Finally, Chicago Capital LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Weight Watchers International in the third quarter valued at approximately $23,151,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 79.61% of the company’s stock.

[vogelspotter]

Weight Watchers stock jumps 7% after earnings, sales beat, 'terrific start' of 2020


Claudia Assis

MarketWatch February 25, 2020

Shares of WW International Inc. rose more than 7% in the extended session Tuesday after the company formerly known as Weight Watchers reported fourth-quarter profit and sales that beat Wall Street expectations and said 2020 is "off to a terrific start." WW said it earned $29 million, or 42 cents a share, in the quarter, compared with $44 million, or 63 cents a share, in the year-ago period. Sales rose to $333 million from $330 million, the company said. Analysts polled by FactSet expected EPS of 39 cents on sales of $331 million. WW ended 2019 with 4.2 million subscribers, a "record level for year-end," it said. "Member recruitment so far in 2020 has been well above the prior year, as expected, and is reflected in revenue and earnings growth guidance for full year 2020," Chief Financial Officer Nick Hotchkin said in a statement. WW shares ended the regular trading day down 5.6%.

[vogelspotter]

Weight Watchers stock rallies as company posts narrower Q1 loss, grows subscriber base
MarketWatch
Claudia Assis
,MarketWatch•April 28, 2020
Shares of WW International Inc. rose nearly 10% in the extended session Tuesday after the company formerly known as Weight Watchers reported a narrower first-quarter loss and said it ended the three-month period with 9% more subscribers. WW said it lost $6.1 million, or 9 cents a share, in the quarter, compared with a loss of $11 million, or 16 cents a share, in the year-ago period. Sales rose 10% to $400 million, the company said. Analysts polled by FactSet had expected WW to post a GAAP and adjusted loss of 23 cents a share on sales of $400 million. The company said it ended first quarter with 5 million subscribers, a new first-quarter record and a 9% rise compared with the prior-year period. WW "took quick global coordinated action and pivoted to move all of our in-person group workshops, which serve about a quarter of our members, to a virtual platform, keeping the WW community connected no matter where they are," Chief Executive Mindy Grossman said in a statement. "We are accelerating our digital transformation," she said. The company withdrew its 2020 guidance due to the coronavirus pandemic.

[vogelspotter]

Oprah Winfrey en WW kondigen 'Oprah's Your Life In Focus: A Vision Forward' live virtuele ervaring aan
PR Newswire PR Newswire •12 mei 2020
Series begint zaterdag 16 mei om 11 uur ET / 8 uur PT


NEW YORK , 12 mei 2020 / PRNewswire / - Vandaag, wereldwijde media-leider Oprah Winfrey kondigde Oprah's Your Life in Focus: A Vision Forward - Live-Virtual Experience , een gratis, interactief, vier weken durende virtuele ervaring geïnspireerd door haar uitverkochte nationale arenatour met WW International, Inc. (NASDAQ: WW). Oprah organiseert een live, wekelijks, negentig minuten durend digitaal evenement op opeenvolgende zaterdagen van 16 mei tot 6 juni vanaf 11.00 uur ET / 8.00 uur PT en inspireert het publiek om hun weg naar zelfzorg terug te vinden in het licht van ongekende veranderingen. De serie wordt gepresenteerd en geproduceerd door WW.

"Begin 2020 reisde ik negen weken door het land, sprak met mensen over gezond zijn en gefocust blijven. Het was opwindend. Toen sloeg de pandemie toe en schudde ons allemaal," zei Oprah Winfrey . "Nu is het belangrijker dan ooit om goed en sterk te zijn en te blijven. Laten we samen resetten, opnieuw focussen en duidelijkheid vinden in wat het belangrijkst is."

Gedurende de vier weken zal Oprah lessen in wellness delen die haar door dit moment heen dragen en het publiek leiden door interactieve werkboekoefeningen om hen te helpen manieren te vinden om hun gezondste en beste leven te leiden in deze uitdagende tijden. Tijdens het wekelijkse evenement zal Oprah ook live in gesprek zijn met deelnemers over de hele wereld, verhalen over transformatie, wellnesservaringen thuis en gesprekken met headline makers en thought leaders in de voorhoede van wellness die ons laten zien wat het betekent om sterker te leven, gezondere, meer verbonden levens. In de zaterdagreeks komen de volgende thema's aan bod:

16 mei : Focus
Vind helderheid in zowel je fysieke als emotionele welzijn.

23 mei : Verbind
relaties in een tijd van sociale afstand.

30 mei : Pas
Tools om je sterkste zelf te bouwen.

6 juni : Commit
Habits, gezondheid en geluk. Wat je nu kunt doen.

Om deel te nemen aan de gratis wereldwijde ervaring, gaat u naar ww.com/oprah om u te registreren. Deelnemers aan het evenement ontvangen gratis digitale werkboekoefeningen die samenvallen met het wekelijkse onderwerp en een gratis 30-daagse WW-proefaanbieding. De serie wordt gehost als een Zoom Video Webinar en wordt live gestreamd op Oprah's Facebook-kanaal en WW's Facebook- en YouTube-kanalen. De vier sessies blijven beschikbaar voor weergave op aanvraag op alle platforms. Mobeon, een internationaal productiebedrijf voor live streaming en virtuele evenementen, heeft samengewerkt met WW om technologie te creëren om deze ultramoderne ervaring te bieden.

Media die geïnteresseerd zijn in aanvullende informatie of met persvragen kunnen dit formulier HIER invullen .

Over WW International, Inc.
WW - Weight Watchers Reimagined - is een wereldwijd wellnessbedrijf dat wordt aangedreven door 's werelds toonaangevende commerciële programma voor gewichtsbeheersing. We inspireren miljoenen mensen om gezonde gewoonten over te nemen in het echte leven. Door onze boeiende door technologie ondersteunde ervaring en persoonlijke groepsworkshops volgen leden ons leefbare en duurzame programma van gezond eten, lichaamsbeweging en een behulpzame mentaliteit. Gebruikmakend van meer dan vijf decennia ervaring in het bouwen van geïnspireerde gemeenschappen en onze diepgaande expertise in gedragswetenschappen, streven we ernaar wellness te democratiseren en welzijn voor iedereen te bieden. Ga naar ww.com voor meer informatie over de WW-benadering van gezond leven . Bezoek onze corporate website op corporate.ww.com voor meer informatie over onze wereldwijde activiteiten.

WW Media Contacten:
Joe Quenqua, Chief Communications Officer, [email protected]
Michelle McIntyre Sznewajs , Head of Communications voor Oprah's Your Life in Focus: A Vision Forward, [email protected]

Meer
Bekijk originele inhoud om multimedia te downloaden: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases ... ve-virtual -ervaring-301057672.html

BRON WW International, Inc.