By Dean Seal

Shares of Buckle are down despite higher sales and earnings in the first quarter, though analysts did note that merchandise margins were tighter.

The stock fell 9.5% at $45.70 on Friday. Shares are down 14% since the start of the year.

The fashion retailer said before the opening bell that it logged a bigger profit for the first quarter of the year, which ended May 2, as sales climbed 6.1% to $288.7 million.

On the company's earnings call, executives noted that gross margin pulled back to 46.2% from 46.7% due in part to a pullback in merchandise margins. Those margins were at record levels a year earlier, but now they're feeling pressure from tariffs, executives said. Men's denim in particular has been a sore spot, they said.

Executives also said that fuel surcharges on trucking and inbound freight for new product have been rising. "But so far, it's been manageable," Chief Financial Officer Thomas Heacock said.

Write to Dean Seal at dean.seal@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

May 29, 2026 15:49 ET (19:49 GMT)

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