Levi Strauss shattered first-quarter expectations and raised its annual guidance, proving the profitability of a direct-to-consumer sales model. This success highlights a lucrative opportunity for other retail brands successfully pivoting toward DTC channels to capture higher margins and direct customer loyalty.
Published on April 8
When brands cut out the middleman and sell directly to shoppers, they keep far more of every pound spent. These companies are quietly building some of the most profitable retail models in the industry.
Analysts are paying close attention to the DTC trend after Levi Strauss smashed earnings expectations on the back of its direct-to-consumer strategy. The question is: which brand is next to surprise the market?
From Nike to On Holding to Crocs, this group includes some of the most recognisable brands in footwear and apparel — all doubling down on owning the customer relationship and the profits that come with it.
The rise of direct-to-consumer (DTC) selling is reshaping the retail industry. When brands sell directly to shoppers — through their own websites, apps, and stores — they keep more of the profit and build deeper customer relationships. Levi Strauss recently proved this model works, beating earnings expectations and raising its full-year guidance on the back of strong DTC growth. This basket was built to capture that same momentum across footwear, activewear, and lifestyle apparel.
These are established retail and apparel brands, many of which are household names. What connects them is a shared strategic shift: moving away from selling through third-party retailers and toward owning the customer journey directly. This can mean more predictable revenue and stronger profit margins, though like all investments, individual results will vary and broader market conditions can still have an impact.
Each stock in this group was handpicked by professional analysts based on evidence of strong or accelerating DTC revenue streams. From digitally native brands like Allbirds and FIGS, to global giants like Nike and Skechers, these companies represent a broad cross-section of the DTC opportunity. They were not chosen at random — they reflect a deliberate, research-driven view on which brands are best positioned to benefit from this retail transformation.
This basket's total market capitalisation is $117.24B and is heavily anchored by a few very large-cap stocks, giving it a stable, large-cap‑dominated profile.
NKE: $63.22B
ONON: $10.66B
DECK: $14.23B
Get the full story on this Basket. Read our detailed article on its risks and potential.
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Part of Exinity Group 2015, serving over a million customers globally.
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SK Hynix has unveiled a record-breaking 40 trillion won share buyback fueled by soaring demand for its AI memory chips. This historic capital return creates a compelling investment theme centered on high-bandwidth memory producers and the specialized equipment manufacturers that enable their advanced production.
Home Depot's recent earnings beat highlights consistent consumer spending on smaller household repair and maintenance projects. This ongoing trend presents promising opportunities for various home improvement retailers and building material suppliers.
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On average, analysts expect assets in this group to grow 66.42% over the next year.
7 of 14 assets in this group are rated Buy by professional analysts.
Use the growth calculator to see how much investing in these assets could return over one year, based on aggregated analyst sentiment provided by Refinitive Ltd.
If you invested across these assets:
In 12 months it might be worth:
+66.42%
