Piper Sandler Upgrades VF Corp. as Vans Holds Seventh Spot With Teen Males

Piper Sandler upgraded VF Corp. to overweight from neutral Tuesday and lifted its price target to $20 from $16 after Vans showed stronger standing among teen shoppers.

The move followed the firm’s new fall teen poll, which collected responses from roughly 9,000 teenagers. Vans remained the seventh-most-popular footwear brand among teen males, holding that position for the first time in two years.

Among upper-income young men, Vans moved up one place from the previous year to rank as the ninth-most-popular shoe brand.

The survey results, combined with improving direct-to-consumer data, suggest Vans’ brand mindshare may have reached a low point and could return to growth as new products expand across wholesale channels.

Vans store foot traffic also reached its highest level since February 2023, adding to signs of improving consumer engagement with the brand.

The upgrade contrasts with the broader analyst view of VF Corp. Among 25 analysts covering the company, 13 have a hold rating, 10 have a buy or strong-buy rating, and two rate the stock underperform. VF Corp. shares have fallen nearly 11% in 2026.