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RCKY vs VFC
Which Stock Would AI Choose? Rocky Brands, Inc. (RCKY) vs. V.F. Corporation (VFC) Stock Comparison
Key Takeaways
- Rocky Brands (RCKY) has delivered superior recent momentum, with year-to-date (YTD) gains of approximately 50% compared to V.F. Corporation's (VFC) modest 2% rise.
- RCKY's one-year return exceeds 230%, far outpacing VFC's 60%, driven by strong retail sales growth in recent quarters.
- RCKY trades at a lower price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of about 15 versus VFC's 32, suggesting relative value in the smaller-cap stock.
- Both companies operate in the footwear and apparel sector, but VFC offers greater diversification across global lifestyle brands, while RCKY focuses on work and outdoor boots.
- RCKY exhibits higher volatility (beta of 2.58) compared to VFC's 0.97, appealing to momentum traders but riskier for conservative investors.
Introduction
This stock comparison examines RCKY and VFC, two players in the competitive footwear and apparel industry. RCKY, a smaller specialist in rugged outdoor and work boots, contrasts with VFC, a large-cap leader with diversified global brands. Investors tracking consumer discretionary trends, relative performance in recent market activity, or opportunities in small-cap versus established names may find value here. Amid shifting retail dynamics and economic pressures, understanding their business models, momentum, and positioning aids informed trading and portfolio decisions.
RCKY Overview and Recent Performance
Rocky Brands, Inc. (RCKY) specializes in designing, manufacturing, and marketing footwear and apparel for outdoor, work, and military applications. Operating through wholesale, retail, and contract manufacturing segments, it sells via independent retailers, e-commerce sites like rockyboots.com, and branded stores under names such as Rocky, Georgia Boot, and Muck Boot. With a market capitalization around $330 million, RCKY targets niche markets including industrial workers, hunters, and the U.S. military.
In recent market activity, RCKY shares have shown robust gains, up nearly 50% YTD and over 230% in the past year, trading near $44 within a 52-week range of $17 to $49. First-quarter 2026 results highlighted a 9% sales increase to $124 million, fueled by 30% retail growth, though challenges like tariffs persist. Positive analyst upgrades and strategic partnerships have bolstered sentiment, with earnings per share (EPS) at $2.96 trailing twelve months (TTM).
VFC Overview and Recent Performance
V.F. Corporation (VFC) is a global apparel, footwear, and accessories giant, operating in outdoor, active, and work segments. Iconic brands like The North Face, Vans, Timberland, and Dickies drive sales through specialty stores, department chains, and direct-to-consumer channels including e-commerce and owned retail. Headquartered in Denver, VFC serves diverse consumers worldwide, with a market cap of about $7.2 billion.
VFC stock has traded steadily around $18-$19 in recent weeks, with YTD performance at roughly 2% and a one-year gain of 60%, within a 52-week range of $11 to $22. Recent quarters show revenue stability, as in Q3 FY26 at $2.88 billion, alongside operational enhancements like inventory visibility partnerships. Analyst targets hover near $21, with TTM EPS of $0.57, though shares have occasionally lagged broader market gains amid sector pressures.
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Head-to-Head Comparison
RCKY and VFC both navigate the apparel and footwear space but differ in scale and focus. RCKY's niche emphasis on durable work boots yields higher growth potential via retail expansion, contrasting VFC's broader portfolio of lifestyle brands for mass-market appeal. Recent momentum favors RCKY, with explosive returns versus VFC's steadier recovery. Risk profiles diverge: RCKY's elevated beta signals volatility tied to wholesale cycles and tariffs, while VFC benefits from diversification and lower beta for stability. Market sentiment leans positive for both via upgrades, but RCKY trades at a discount on P/E, highlighting value in its outperformance amid consumer shifts toward practical gear.
Tickeron AI Verdict
Tickeron's AI models would likely favor RCKY in the current environment due to its consistent upward trend, superior relative performance, and recent catalysts like sales growth. While VFC offers stability and scale, RCKY's momentum and valuation position it probabilistically stronger for trend-following strategies over the near term.
Disclaimer
The information on this webpage is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as investment advice, a recommendation to purchase or sell any security, or an offer or solicitation related to investments. It does not consider your personal financial situation, goals, or risk profile, and all investing carries inherent risks, including the possibility of losing your entire investment. For more details, please review our full disclaimer. Disclaimers and Limitations
To compare these two companies we present long-term analysis, their fundamental ratings and make comparative short-term technical analysis which are presented below. The conclusion is RCKY is a StrongBuy and VFC is a Hold.
Long-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a long-term outlook for a ticker by using Fundamental Analysis (FA) ratings. The rating of 1 to 100, where 1 is best and 100 is worst, is divided into thirds. The first third (a green rating of 1-33) indicates that the ticker is undervalued; the second third (a grey number between 34 and 66) means that the ticker is valued fairly; and the last third (red number of 67 to 100) reflects that the ticker is undervalued. We use an FA Score to show how many ratings show the ticker to be undervalued (green) or overvalued (red).
RCKY’s FA Score shows that 2 FA rating(s) are green whileVFC’s FA Score has 1 green FA rating(s).
- RCKY’s FA Score: 2 green, 3 red.
- VFC’s FA Score: 1 green, 4 red.
Short-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a short-term outlook for a ticker by using Technical Analysis (TA) indicators. We use Odds of Success as the percentage of outcomes which confirm successful trade signals in the past.
If the Odds of Success (the likelihood of the continuation of a trend) for each indicator are greater than 50%, then the generated signal is confirmed. A green percentage from 90% to 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bullish trend. A red percentage from 90% - 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bearish trend. All grey percentages are below 50% and are considered not to confirm the trend signal.
RCKY’s TA Score shows that 4 TA indicator(s) are bullish while VFC’s TA Score has 5 bullish TA indicator(s).
- RCKY’s TA Score: 4 bullish, 5 bearish.
- VFC’s TA Score: 5 bullish, 5 bearish.
Price Growth
RCKY (@Wholesale Distributors) experienced а -3.19% price change this week, while VFC (@Apparel/Footwear) price change was -0.48% for the same time period.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Wholesale Distributors industry was -1.03%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was +2.77%, and the average quarterly price growth was +2.52%.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Apparel/Footwear industry was -1.26%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was +4.49%, and the average quarterly price growth was +9.19%.
Reported Earning Dates
RCKY is expected to report earnings on Aug 04, 2026.
VFC is expected to report earnings on Jul 30, 2026.
Industries' Descriptions
@Wholesale Distributors (-1.03% weekly)Companies in this industry handle the wholesale shipments for the manufacturer of a product. They have warehouses and distribution centers, and they ship products directly to the retailer. Digitization, increasing competition, emerging customer demand, and product innovation are some of shifts that the industry has been facing in recent times – something that is potentially creating needs/opportunities for business model revisions or transformations. Data, analytics, and technology are becoming increasingly important for whole distributors in anticipating and analyzing consumer needs, and therefore planning their business strategies accordingly. Fastenal Company, W.W. Grainger, Inc., Genuine Parts Company and Pool Corporation are some of the largest names in the business.
@Apparel/Footwear (-1.26% weekly)Apparel/footwear might be slightly more ‘cyclical’ in the largely non-cyclical category of non-durables. While digital giants like Amazon have been rapidly expanding their presence, traditional clothing/footwear retailers have also been bulking up their online presence in recent years, to milk the burgeoning trend of online shopping among consumers across the globe. The apparel and footwear retail market was valued at around $ 360 billion in 2018, and this figure was expected to reach about $386 billion by 2020 (according to a Statista report). NIKE, Inc, V.F. Corporation and Under Armour, Inc. are some of the companies with the largest U.S. stock market caps in this segment.
| RCKY | VFC | RCKY / VFC | |
| Capitalization | 286M | 6.51B | 4% |
| EBITDA | 42.1M | 789M | 5% |
| Gain YTD | 30.511 | -7.594 | -402% |
| P/E Ratio | 15.38 | 25.97 | 59% |
| Revenue | 492M | 9.61B | 5% |
| Total Cash | 1.67M | 836M | 0% |
| Total Debt | 130M | 4.98B | 3% |
RCKY | VFC | ||
|---|---|---|---|
OUTLOOK RATING 1..100 | 50 | 5 | |
VALUATION overvalued / fair valued / undervalued 1..100 | 18 Undervalued | 28 Undervalued | |
PROFIT vs RISK RATING 1..100 | 100 | 100 | |
SMR RATING 1..100 | 80 | 56 | |
PRICE GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 44 | 59 | |
P/E GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 33 | 97 | |
SEASONALITY SCORE 1..100 | 50 | 50 |
Tickeron ratings are formulated such that a rating of 1 designates the most successful stocks in a given industry, while a rating of 100 points to the least successful stocks for that industry.
RCKY's Valuation (18) in the Apparel Or Footwear industry is in the same range as VFC (28). This means that RCKY’s stock grew similarly to VFC’s over the last 12 months.
RCKY's Profit vs Risk Rating (100) in the Apparel Or Footwear industry is in the same range as VFC (100). This means that RCKY’s stock grew similarly to VFC’s over the last 12 months.
VFC's SMR Rating (56) in the Apparel Or Footwear industry is in the same range as RCKY (80). This means that VFC’s stock grew similarly to RCKY’s over the last 12 months.
RCKY's Price Growth Rating (44) in the Apparel Or Footwear industry is in the same range as VFC (59). This means that RCKY’s stock grew similarly to VFC’s over the last 12 months.
RCKY's P/E Growth Rating (33) in the Apparel Or Footwear industry is somewhat better than the same rating for VFC (97). This means that RCKY’s stock grew somewhat faster than VFC’s over the last 12 months.
| RCKY | VFC | |
|---|---|---|
| RSI ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 85% | 1 day ago 78% |
| Stochastic ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 77% | 1 day ago 72% |
| Momentum ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 78% | 1 day ago 79% |
| MACD ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 74% | 1 day ago 63% |
| TrendWeek ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 75% | 1 day ago 77% |
| TrendMonth ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 73% | 1 day ago 76% |
| Advances ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 74% | 1 day ago 67% |
| Declines ODDS (%) | 6 days ago 77% | 8 days ago 78% |
| BollingerBands ODDS (%) | N/A | 1 day ago 65% |
| Aroon ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 78% | 1 day ago 76% |
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RCKY and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, RCKY has been loosely correlated with VFC. These tickers have moved in lockstep 43% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is some statistical probability that if RCKY jumps, then VFC could also see price increases.
| Ticker / NAME | Correlation To RCKY | 1D Price Change % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RCKY | 100% | +1.42% | ||
| VFC - RCKY | 43% Loosely correlated | +0.18% | ||
| GIL - RCKY | 40% Loosely correlated | -1.06% | ||
| LEVI - RCKY | 38% Loosely correlated | +2.22% | ||
| OXM - RCKY | 34% Loosely correlated | +0.91% | ||
| WEYS - RCKY | 33% Poorly correlated | -0.74% | ||
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