The S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Discretionary Index (ASX: XDJ) has risen steadily throughout the past 12 months as falling interest rates reignite confidence in Australian clothing stock.
That's with the exception of a sharp drop in April when President Trump announced his aggressive Liberation Day tariffs, which sparked global investor panic.
Over the past year, the index has gained 18.03%. And companies in the sector could experience even stronger demand going forward in the event of even more cash rate cuts.
The Australian clothing stock to buy now
Universal Store Holdings Ltd (ASX: UNI) is an Australian retailer specialising in trend-led and casual men's and women's fashion, shoes, accessories, lifestyle, and gifting. The company owns a portfolio of popular premium fashion brands like Champion, Perfect Stranger, Tommy Jeans, Kiss Chacey, Thrills, Barney Cools, and others.
As consumer confidence bounces back, the retail stock presents a great buying opportunity.
At the time of writing, Universal Store shares are trading in the red, down 2.28% for the day so far and changing hands at $8.59.
For the year, the shares have outpaced the index and are 21.75% higher. The ASX clothing stock has also been a strong performer over the past five years, climbing over 105%.
Analysts are also very positive on the company's outlook.
Earlier this week, Macquarie Group brokers named Universal Store as one of its top picks for earnings season. Its analysts have an outperform rating on the shares and a price target of $10.20. The broker thinks the stock is undervalued and is well-positioned for tailwind growth.
Morgans is also optimistic about the stock. The broker has a buy rating and $10.80 target price on its shares, citing strong sales momentum.
TradingView data shows 10 out of 11 analysts have a buy or strong buy rating on the shares, with a maximum target price of $11.28.
At the time of writing, these target prices represent a potential upside of between 18.7% and 31.3% over the next 12 months.
The Australian clothing stock to avoid
While Universal Store represents a good buying opportunity for investors, not all clothing stocks have experienced the same robust growth.
The Myer Holdings Ltd (ASX: MYR) share price is down 1.56% to $0.4725 a piece at the time of writing.
The stock has suffered a crash in investor confidence this year, with the share price now 41.98% lower than it was 12 months ago.
In the past 24 hours alone, Myer shares have plummeted 28.79% after the retailer announced a slump in profits for FY25. The company reported a 0.5% increase in sales and a 13.8% drop in earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) for the year.
Analysts haven't updated their guidance on the stock following its financial results yesterday. TradingView data currently shows 2 out of 4 analysts rating the stock as a buy, with an average 12-month price target of 69 cents. That represents a 47.75% upside at the time of writing.
As a result of its poor annual performance, the Myer board decided against paying a final dividend to investors in FY25. Clearly, investors aren't happy with the news. The company did not give any guidance about when it would resume dividend payments.
In my view, the stock looks risky at the moment, and there isn't much clarity around how quickly the retailer can return to profitability. I wouldn't be surprised if weak consumer sentiment drags the share price down further before we see a recovery.
