Category Archives: BKE

Review: The Buckle Inc.

On  June 16, 2012, we posted the following commentary on The Buckle Inc. (BKE) when the stock was trading at $36.79:

“We are very interested in this stock at the right price.  We believe that BKE will be a buy at $30 and below.  However, prior price movement based on Gould’s speed resistance lines indicated that the conservative downside target is $24.47 and the extreme downside target of $16.68.”

Since that time, The Buckle (BKE) managed to increase as high as $56.07 by January 12, 2015.  However, since January 2015, BKE fell as low as $13.70 on August 2017, on a closing basis.

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One of the fascinating elements of the work of Edson Gould is that it can be extremely accurate in spite of incomplete data.  When we ran the figures for downside targets, BKE’s peak price was $48.39.  The peak price is part of the equation that helps to generate the downside targets.  In spite of this fact, BKE managed to decline below the extreme downside target based on the speed resistance lines (SRL).

Buckle (BKE): A Review

The following is a review of Buckle (BKE) using Edson Gould’s Altimeter.

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Below is the performance of the buy and sell indications of Edson Gould’s Altimeter based on periods when the indicator first cross below 150 for buy indication, and above 247 for sell indications.

Date Price Altimeter buy/sell % change $1 invested
6/12/1997 6.57 148 buy 69% $1.69
1/28/1998 11.13 250 sell -47%  
10/8/1998 5.95 134 buy 85% $3.13
11/6/1998 11.01 248 sell -41%  
11/4/1999 6.51 146 buy 69% $5.30
3/19/2002 11.01 248 sell 120%  
11/19/2007 24.26 146 buy 72% $9.13
9/18/2008 41.78 251 sell -43%  
10/23/2008 23.94 144 buy 107% $18.90
3/9/2012 49.56 248 sell -39%  
????????? 30 150 buy ?????????  

The consistency of the indicator is amazing.  Only the sell indication of March 19, 2002 resulted in an outcome that was contrary to the desired result.  Even so, A person who only bought BKE based on the buy signal and sold based on the sell indication would have resulted in a gain of 1,890% from June 12, 1997 to the present.  This is compared to the buy and hold total return with reinvestment of dividends (including special dividends) of 766.21%.  Based on capital appreciation alone, the price of BKE rose 498% since June 12, 1997.

  • +1,890% (buy/sell Altimeter)
  • +766% (dividends reinvested)
  • +498% (based on price change only)

In the table above, the section in blue is the tentative estimate of when the next buy signal will be registered and the amount of decline necessary to get to the signal.  It appears that based on the sell indication from March 9, 2012 to the price of $30, BKE would have to decline -39% using the Altimeter.  Such a decline is well within the prior successful sell indications that resulted in losses.

We are very interested in this stock at the right price.  We believe that BKE will be a buy at $30 and below.  However, prior price movement based on Gould’s speed resistance lines indicated that the conservative downside target is $24.47 and the extreme downside target of $16.68.

Historically, based on prior Altimeters, a buy indication does not mean that the price decline has actually ended. Therefore, if the buy indication is triggered then be prepared by making your purchase of the stock in, at least, two stages. Once at the trigger price and again at any desirable price lower than the trigger level.