Gildan Activewear (TSE:GIL) Stock Price Expected to Rise, National Bank Financial Analyst Says

Key Points

• National Bank Financial raised its price target on Gildan to C$101 and kept an "outperform" rating, implying roughly a 19.8% upside; consensus from analysts is a Moderate Buy with an average target of C$88 after several recent upgrades.
• Shares traded at C$84.30 (52‑week range C$62.80–C$100.44) with a market cap of C$15.61B and a P/E of 32.3, while the stock's 50‑ and 200‑day moving averages sit near C$82.56 and C$84.90 respectively.
• Q1 showed record net sales (~US$1.17B) driven by the Hanes acquisition but also a GAAP loss (‑$0.30) from a ~C$106M inventory step‑up; net debt rose to about C$4.87B (net‑debt/EBITDA ~3.3x), causing negative free cash flow and a pause on buybacks.

Gildan Activewear (TSE:GIL - Get Free Report) NYSE: GIL had its price objective raised by equities research analysts at National Bank Financial from C$100.00 to C$101.00 in a report released on Friday,BayStreet.CA reports. The brokerage presently has an "outperform" rating on the stock. National Bank Financial's target price would suggest a potential upside of 19.81% from the stock's previous close.

A number of other equities analysts have also recently commented on the stock. Desjardins lifted their price target on shares of Gildan Activewear from C$95.00 to C$108.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 25th. TD Securities lifted their price target on shares of Gildan Activewear from C$77.00 to C$80.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Friday, February 27th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, three have assigned a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of C$88.00.

Gildan Activewear Stock Performance

Shares of GIL stock remained flat at C$84.30 during trading hours on Friday. 342,932 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 555,943. Gildan Activewear has a 52-week low of C$62.80 and a 52-week high of C$100.44. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 137.08, a current ratio of 2.11 and a quick ratio of 0.87. The stock's 50-day moving average is C$82.56 and its 200-day moving average is C$84.90. The company has a market cap of C$15.61 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 32.30, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.55 and a beta of 1.57.

Gildan Activewear (TSE:GIL - Get Free Report) NYSE: GIL last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, April 30th. The company reported C$0.60 EPS for the quarter. Gildan Activewear had a net margin of 11.00% and a return on equity of 20.25%. The firm had revenue of C$1.62 billion during the quarter. On average, sell-side analysts expect that Gildan Activewear will post 4.5460385 EPS for the current year.

Trending Headlines about Gildan Activewear

Here are the key news stories impacting Gildan Activewear this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Record Q1 revenue — Net sales from continuing operations were about $1.17 billion, up ~63.8% year‑over‑year, driven by the HanesBrands acquisition. This proves the enlarged revenue base and supports growth expectations. Gildan Activewear Reports Record Q1 2026 Results
• Positive Sentiment: Synergies & guidance intact — Management says it’s on track for ~$100M of synergies in 2026 and expects ~$250M annual run‑rate over three years; full‑year 2026 guidance was maintained (revenue $6.0–6.2B; adjusted diluted EPS $4.20–4.40). That supports medium‑term margin and EPS improvement expectations. What Gildan Activewear TSX: GIL's Record Q1 Sales and HanesBrands-Driven Loss Mean For Shareholders
• Positive Sentiment: Dividend maintained — Board declared a cash dividend of $0.249/share, payable June 15, signalling commitment to shareholder returns while deleveraging. Gildan Activewear Reports Record Q1 2026 Results
• Neutral Sentiment: Governance update — Shareholders re‑elected all nine director nominees and approved reappointment of the auditor, renewal of the Shareholder Rights Plan and say‑on‑pay (majority support). Useful for governance stability but unlikely to move fundamentals much. Gildan Activewear Reports on Shareholders’ Voting Results
• Negative Sentiment: GAAP loss and one‑time charges — GIL reported a GAAP diluted loss of $0.30/share (operating loss ~$1M) and recorded a ~$106M inventory fair‑value step‑up tied to the Hanes purchase, which materially pressured net income this quarter. Gildan swings to Q1 loss as strong sales offset by increased costs
• Negative Sentiment: Leverage & cash flow concerns — Net debt rose to roughly $4.87B with a net‑debt/EBITDA ~3.3x; operating cash use (~$280M) and negative free cash flow (~$310M) mean share buybacks are paused until leverage improves. That constrains capital flexibility near term. Gildan Activewear Reports Record Q1 2026 Results

About Gildan Activewear

Gildan is a leading manufacturer of everyday basic apparel. The Company's product offering includes activewear, underwear, socks, and intimates sold to a broad range of customers, including wholesale distributors, screenprinters, embellishers, retailers or e-commerce platforms, as well as global lifestyle brand companies. Gildan markets its products in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Latin America, under a diversified portfolio of Company-owned brands including Gildan®, Hanes®, Comfort Colors®, American Apparel®, ALLPRO¿, GOLDTOE®, Peds®, Bali®, Playtex®, Maidenform®, Bonds®, as well as Champion® which is under an exclusive licensing agreement for the printwear channel in the U.S.

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