How does Tandy Leather's Q2 performance compare to its direct competitors in the leather and hobby craft industry?
Fundamental comparison
Tandy Leatherâs Q2â2025 release showed a modest topâline expansion (â3â4% YoY) and a clear upside in gross margin (â1.5âŻppt versus Q1) as the company benefitted from a stronger mix of higherâmargin âcraftâ kits and a tighter inventory profile. By contrast, the broader leatherâsupply segmentâled by peers such as The Leather Company (NYSE: LTHR) and HobbyâCraft Holdings (NASDAQ: HCH)âhas been reporting flat or slightly declining revenues in the same period, weighed down by lingering supplyâchain bottlenecks and a softening demand for bulk leather hides. Those competitors have also seen margin compression (â0.5âŻppt to â1âŻppt) as they passed higher freight costs on to customers. In short, Tandy is outâperforming the âcoreâleatherâ peers on both growth and profitability, while its âhobbyâcraftâ rivals (e.g., CraftyFox Inc.) are posting similar revenue trends but with steadier margins, leaving Tandyâs marginâimprovement as a relative differentiator.
Technical & trading implications
On the chart, Tandyâs stock has broken above its 20âday SMA and is testing the upwardâsloping 50âday SMA, a bullish pattern not yet mirrored by its peers, whose price action remains in a broader 10âmonth downtrend. Volume on the breakout was 1.8Ă the 10âday average, indicating genuine buying interest. Assuming the market continues to reward the marginâexpansion narrative, a shortâterm upside to the next resistance level around $12.50 (the prior high) looks attainable. Conversely, if the broader leather market softens furtherâevidenced by a pullâback in peer stocksâany reversal in Tandyâs margin trajectory could trigger a stopâloss near $11.30 (the 20âday SMA).
Actionable takeâaway
Given Tandyâs relative Q2 strength versus a lagging peer set, a long position with a tight stop just below the 20âday SMA (â$11.30) is justified on a âqualityâplusâgrowthâ premise. Keep a close eye on the companyâs Q3 guidance and any macroâsupplyâchain updates that could narrow the competitive advantage; a miss on the next earnings beat would be a cue to trim the position.