AEO vs URBN Stock Comparison
URBN currently leads AEO in this stock comparison, with AIQ scores of 65 vs 55. The clearest difference is momentum, while AEO has the stronger value profile.
What is the main difference between AEO and URBN?
URBN leads the current stock comparison as Urban Outfitters, Inc., with the clearest separation coming from momentum and the broader AIQ evidence mix.
AlgovestIQ AIQ Comparison
American Eagle Outfitters, Inc. vs Urban Outfitters, Inc.
URBN leads
URBN leads by 10 AIQ points, primarily on Momentum and Quality, having only recently taken the lead back from AEO. Wall Street currently favors AEO on target upside.
Fragile: 4 of 6 evidence groups support URBN, the lead recently changed hands, and its current signal state is conflicted.
American Eagle Outfitters, Inc.
Urban Outfitters, Inc.
The Algovestiq AIQ Score currently favors URBN over AEO, 65 versus 55 as of Oct 21, 2026. URBN's advantage is driven primarily by stronger momentum and quality, while AEO holds the stronger value profile. URBN also shows the stronger technical structure relative to its 50-day moving average, though analyst target upside currently favors AEO. 4 of 6 covered evidence groups favor URBN today, and the comparison is rated Fragile on stability: the lead has already changed hands inside the comparison window. URBN lead: Reversed — AEO led by 1 AIQ points 30 sessions ago; URBN now leads by 10.
Compare American Eagle Outfitters, Inc. and Urban Outfitters, Inc. across the Algovestiq AIQ Score, valuation, quality, momentum, risk, technicals and analyst expectations.
Performance over time
Total return with distributions reinvested, from daily closes.
Total return comparison
Growth of $10,000, distributions reinvested
Split-adjusted closes; each distribution is reinvested at the close on its ex-dividend date. Taxes and trading costs are not modeled.
Compare AEO and URBN against another ticker
Open a multi-ticker workspace without changing this focused pair page.
AIQ Factor Divergence
Where the two separate, on the four dimensions behind the AIQ Score. Bars read outward from a shared zero: further from the centre is a wider gap.
- Momentum55 vs 81URBN +26
- Quality46 vs 61URBN +15
- Risk Resilience50 vs 62URBN +12
- Value68 vs 58AEO +10
4 of 6 evidence groups favor URBN. URBN’s edge is concentrated in momentum and quality; AEO keeps a meaningful value edge.
What changed since the last close
Latest scored session 2026-10-20, compared against the prior scored session 2026-10-19.
Largest factor move: Momentum +3, not enough on its own to move the overall score.
New signals
- MACD Bearish Crossover — bearish, momentum, short horizon
No factor moved materially.
No signal started or stopped since the prior session; its 7 active signals are unchanged.
URBN's lead was unchanged in the latest session.
Deeper signal detail for each name lives on its own signals page — AEO and URBN both carry a full feed there.
The central trade-off
URBN (Urban Outfitters, Inc.): the stronger current systematic profile, led by momentum and quality.
AEO (American Eagle Outfitters, Inc.): the counter-case, on value, valuation, analyst expectations — but at materially higher volatility, 32.7% against 21.7%.
The AIQ Score and Wall Street therefore point in different directions on this pair.
Which one fits your objective
The same two names rank differently depending on what you are optimizing for. All six reads are shown at once — none of them is hidden behind a toggle.
Balanced
URBNURBN on the overall AIQ Score, which weights Quality and Value most heavily.
Growth
URBNURBN on combined revenue and EPS growth.
Value
AEOAEO on the peer-relative Value factor, by 10 points.
Momentum
URBNURBN on the Momentum factor, by 26 points.
Lower downside
URBNURBN on Risk Resilience, by 12 points.
Analyst upside
AEOAEO on implied upside to the consensus price target.
AIQ vs Wall Street
The model and the Street disagree here: AIQ favors URBN, analyst targets favor AEO. That disagreement is the most useful thing on this page.
| Measure | AEO | URBN | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Implied upside to target | +10.8% | +0.3% | AEO has more room |
| Target dispersion | +62.3% | +32.1% | Lower is tighter analyst agreement |
| Consensus | Hold | Buy | Context, not a primary driver |
| Analysts covering | 6 | 7 | Higher coverage generally improves confidence |
The two are measuring different things. The AIQ Score reads current fundamentals, valuation, trend and risk; analyst targets price forward expectations. A divergence of this kind is either a contrarian opportunity or a sign the model is missing something already priced in — it is worth resolving before acting on either.
Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions. Dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.
AIQ Agreement Matrix
4 of 6 covered evidence groups favor URBN. A wide gap backed by one group is a weaker case than a narrow gap backed by five.
| Evidence group | Favors | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| AIQ Score | URBN | 55 vs 65 |
| Fundamentals | URBN | revenue growth -32.1% vs 12.2%; EPS growth -73.1% vs 112.9%; TTM ROE 17.2% vs 20.7%; gross margin 34.8% vs 37.5%; operating margin 7.6% vs 11.3% |
| Valuation | AEO | Value 68 vs 58 |
| Technicals | URBN | Price vs 50-day 3.6% vs 10.4%; vs 200-day -4.7% vs 20.2% |
| Risk Resilience | URBN | Risk Resilience 50 vs 62 |
| Analyst expectations | AEO | Target upside 10.8% vs 0.3% |
✓ agrees with the overall verdict · ✕ points the other way. Groups marked “not covered” lack data on one or both of AEO and URBN and are excluded from the count.
AIQ Decision Stability
The conclusion is sensitive to small changes. Treat the lead as provisional and watch the flip conditions below.
- The AIQ gap is moderate at 10 points.
- The lead has already changed hands inside the comparison window. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
- The lead has been steady session to session. (supports the conclusion holding)
- The leader is throwing conflicting signals. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
Stability combines the score gap, how broadly the evidence agrees, how steady the lead has been across daily snapshots, the current signal state on both names, and analyst dispersion on URBN.
How the comparison changed
120 daily snapshots · Jun 21 – Oct 20URBN lead: Reversed — AEO led by 1 AIQ points 30 sessions ago; URBN now leads by 10.
- Today
- URBN +10
- 55 vs 65
- 7 sessions ago
- URBN +7
- 58 vs 65
- 30 sessions ago
- AEO +1
- 56 vs 55
- 90 sessions ago
- URBN +11
- 48 vs 59
The lead changed hands 7 times in this window, most recently on Oct 1 when URBN moved ahead of AEO.
AIQ Signal Divergence
Only the signals that bear on the head-to-head. A conflicted name is carrying bullish and bearish rules at the same time — the technical evidence is not pointing one way.
0 bullish / 2 bearish / 2 neutral
Only AEO
- Bollinger Band Squeeze — neutral, volatility, short horizon
- Death Cross Active — bearish, trend, long horizon (11.40%)
- ATR Expansion - Breakout Mode — neutral, volatility, short horizon (3.54%)
- MACD Bearish Crossover — bearish, momentum, short horizon
6 bullish / 1 bearish, conflicted
Only URBN
- Golden Cross Active — bullish, trend, long horizon (8.47%)
- Keltner Channel Breakout — bullish, volatility, short horizon
- RSI Overbought — bearish, momentum, short horizon
- EMA Ribbon Expansion Bullish — bullish, trend, medium horizon
- 52-Week High Proximity — bullish, risk, long horizon (2.6%)
- Uptrend Structure Active — bullish, trend, long horizon
- MACD Bullish Crossover — bullish, momentum, short horizon
URBN leads the comparison while carrying a conflicted signal state, which is one reason the stability rating is not higher.
Price vs model alignment
Whether the latest session's price move confirms what the model did over the same session, or contradicts it.
Neither the price nor the AIQ Score moved enough in the latest session to confirm or contradict the other (price -2.41%, AIQ 0 points).
Neither the price nor the AIQ Score moved enough in the latest session to confirm or contradict the other (price -0.41%, AIQ 0 points).
What would flip this result
A state, not a forecast. These are the specific, observable changes that would reverse the verdict — not a price prediction.
- 1AEO closes the Momentum gap — currently 26 points behind, the largest single contributor to URBN's edge.
- 2AEO's Death Cross Active resolves — a bearish trend rule currently active against it.
- 3URBN's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 6 bullish and 1 bearish rules at once.
- 4A regime shift changes factor weighting — Quality and Value carry the heaviest weights in the composite, so a rotation toward either would move the result most.
The full evidence
Every number behind the verdict. The leader is called above each group so you are not left to solve it from the table.
Fundamentals
URBN leads on balance| Metric | AEO | URBN |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue growth (YoY) | -32.1% | 12.2% |
| EPS growth (YoY) | -73.1% | 112.9% |
| Gross margin | 34.8% | 37.5% |
| Operating margin | 7.6% | 11.3% |
| Return on equity (TTM) | 17.2% | 20.7% |
| Debt to equity | 1.14 | 0.43 |
Performance
URBN leads 6 of 6 windows| Metric | AEO | URBN |
|---|---|---|
| 1 week (5 sessions) | 0.2% | 2.9% |
| 1 month (20 sessions) | 11.9% | 16.4% |
| 3 months (63 sessions) | -0.1% | 18.5% |
| 6 months (126 sessions) | -7.8% | 16.9% |
| Year to date | -32.5% | 14.8% |
| 1 year (252 sessions) | 19.5% | 29.3% |
Technicals
URBN has the stronger structure| Metric | AEO | URBN |
|---|---|---|
| RSI (14) | 50.5 | 82.9 |
| ADX (14) | 23.4 | 33 |
| Price vs 50-day | 3.6% | 10.4% |
| Price vs 200-day | -4.7% | 20.2% |
| Volatility (1M, annualized) | 32.7% | 21.7% |
Risk
URBN is the more resilient| Metric | AEO | URBN |
|---|---|---|
| Beta | 1.24 | 0.92 |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.52 | 0.75 |
| Sortino ratio | 0.71 | 1.29 |
| Max drawdown | -48.5% | -26.3% |
| Current drawdown | -36.8% | -0.1% |
| Annualized volatility | 51.7% | 42.7% |
| Value at risk (95%) | -4.5% | -3.6% |
Straight answers
Each answer is regenerated from the current snapshot, not written once and left to age.
Which is better, AEO or URBN?
On the Algovestiq AIQ Score, URBN is the stronger of the two as of Oct 21, 2026, scoring 65 against AEO's 55. The edge comes from momentum and quality. AEO is not without a case — it holds the better value profile, which matters more if that is the objective you are optimizing for. This is a systematic score, not a recommendation: it ranks the two on the same evidence, it does not know your holding period or tax position.
Is AEO or URBN the better buy right now?
URBN carries the stronger systematic profile as of Oct 21, 2026, and the comparison is rated Fragile — 4 of 6 covered evidence groups agree. A Fragile rating means the conclusion is sensitive: the lead has already changed hands inside the comparison window. Treat the lead as provisional.
Why does the AIQ Score favor URBN over AEO?
The composite weights Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk Resilience. URBN leads Momentum by 26 points; URBN leads Quality by 15 points; URBN leads Risk Resilience by 12 points. Where the two split, the factor with the larger weight carries the result.
Which has more analyst upside, AEO or URBN?
Analyst price targets imply +10.8% upside for AEO and +0.3% for URBN, so the Street currently favors AEO. That points the opposite way to the AIQ Score, which favors URBN. The two are measuring different things: the model reads current fundamentals, valuation, trend and risk; the Street is pricing forward expectations. A divergence of this kind is either a contrarian opportunity or a sign the model is missing something the analysts have already priced — it is the single most useful row on this page to investigate. Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions, and dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.
Which is better value, AEO or URBN?
AEO is the better-valued of the two on the peer-relative Value factor. AEO on the peer-relative Value factor, by 10 points. The Value factor reads valuation relative to sector peers and to the company's own fundamental quality, so it is not the same as simply having the lower multiple.
Which has stronger growth, AEO or URBN?
URBN on combined revenue and EPS growth. Growth here is measured on reported revenue and earnings, not on forward estimates — it describes what the businesses have delivered, not what the Street expects next.
Which has stronger momentum, AEO or URBN?
URBN on the Momentum factor, by 26 points. Momentum is one of the four weighted factors in the AIQ composite. It has documented persistence over three- to twelve-month horizons, which makes it a timing input rather than a reason to hold something indefinitely.
Which is riskier, AEO or URBN?
URBN is the more resilient of the two, so the other name carries the higher downside risk. URBN on Risk Resilience, by 12 points. Risk Resilience is a weighted factor in the composite; position sizing usually responds to it more usefully than the buy/avoid decision does.
Is AEO more profitable than URBN?
URBN leads on the comparable margin measures — gross margin 34.8% vs 37.5%; operating margin 7.6% vs 11.3%; ttm roe 17.2% vs 20.7%.
Is URBN's lead over AEO getting stronger or weaker?
URBN lead: Reversed — AEO led by 1 AIQ points 30 sessions ago; URBN now leads by 10. This is measured from 120 daily comparison snapshots between 2026-06-21 and 2026-10-20. The lead has changed hands 7 times in that window, most recently on 2026-10-01, when URBN moved ahead of AEO.
What would change the AEO vs URBN verdict?
The result is a state, not a forecast, so it changes when the underlying evidence changes. Concretely: AEO closes the Momentum gap — currently 26 points behind, the largest single contributor to URBN's edge; AEO's Death Cross Active resolves — a bearish trend rule currently active against it; URBN's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 6 bullish and 1 bearish rules at once; a regime shift changes factor weighting — Quality and Value carry the heaviest weights in the composite, so a rotation toward either would move the result most.
What do the current signals say about AEO and URBN?
AEO: 0 bullish / 2 bearish / 2 neutral. URBN: 6 bullish / 1 bearish, conflicted. A conflicted state means bullish and bearish rules are active on the same name at once — the technical evidence is not pointing one way, and a decision taken on it carries more timing risk. The most decision-relevant rule on AEO is Death Cross Active (bearish, long horizon). On URBN it is Golden Cross Active (bullish, long horizon).
Compare AEO and URBN with others
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How this comparison is scored
The Algovestiq AIQ Score composites four factors — Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk, each carrying a fixed weight. Sentiment is reported separately as SentimentPulse and is not folded into the composite. Scores refresh every trading day, and this page regenerates from the latest snapshot rather than being written once.
The verdict names a leader, states how broadly six independent evidence groups agree, and rates how durable that conclusion is given the score gap, its recent trajectory and the current signal state on both names.
How to use side-by-side comparison →This comparison is informational and educational, not investment advice. AIQ scores update daily; re-check after earnings, guidance or macro data that materially changes either name’s factor profile.