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MARKETS LIVE BLOG:

NASDAQ FUTURES POP, TESLA STOCK SURGES AFTER EARNINGS

Tesla shares jump after EV maker vows to speed up launch of more affordable models

Why Revlon Stock Dropped 27.4% in March

Steve Symington, The Motley Fool
Updated

What happened

Shares of Revlon (NYSE: REV) declined 27.4% in March, according to data from S&P Global Market Intelligence, after the cosmetics company announced disappointing quarterly results.

More specifically on March 18, Revlon revealed that its fourth-quarter 2018 net sales declined 5.7% year over year (falling 3.7% at constant currencies) to $741.6 million, translating to an adjusted (non-GAAP) net loss of $45.2 million, or $0.86 per share. Analysts, on average, were expecting earnings of $0.15 per share on revenue of $749 million.

Stock market data and charts on a colorful LED display
Stock market data and charts on a colorful LED display

Image source: Getty Images.

So what

It certainly didn't help that, along with its quarterly release, Revlon also said it had "identified a material weakness in its internal control over financial reporting" for last year. The cause, the company says, was a "lack of design and maintenance of effective controls" for the implementation of its new enterprise resource planning system in the United States. The company also delayed filing its annual report with the Securities and Exchange Commission until March 28, to provide time to adequately disclose the problem.

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To be clear, Revlon's painful quarter wasn't entirely surprising. In fact, while the stock did take a modest 7% hit the day after its formal earnings report, its biggest plunge last month came early on, with shares falling nearly 27% on March 5 alone after Jefferies analyst Stephanie Wissink cited data from Nielsen indicating a significant sales decline.

Now what

Revlon management remains optimistic. CEO Debra Perelman insisted it was "very pleased" with momentum in the fourth quarter, particularly given relative strength in areas of strategic focus, including e-commerce, travel retail, China, and the Elizabeth Arden skincare line. Perelman added that with the help of improved operational performance and the company's strategic optimization initiatives, Revlon remains "well positioned for long-term success."

Still, Revlon chose not to provide specific financial guidance. And until the company begins to show more tangible signs that its strategic initiatives can help it recapture sustained, profitable growth, I suspect the stock will remain under pressure.

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Steve Symington has 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.