Piper Jaffray Underweight on Family Dollar Stores

Piper Jaffray is out with a research report on Family Dollar Stores, Inc.

and it has an Underweight rating and a $49 price target on shares. In a note to investors, Piper Jaffray writes, "We are maintaining our UW rating and $49 PT heading into FDO's Q4 earnings release on Wednesday. We expect in line Q4 EPS, and remain more concerned about the outlook and eventual results during the coming F12. We expect ongoing gross margin pressure as a result of supplier cost increases and FDO's push toward low- margin consumables within its mix. Also, we note expectations for out-year earnings growth heading into F12 are much higher compared to the two previous years, and this is coming off a year when FDO operationally missed its full year guidance." Shares of FDO gained $2.35 on Friday to close at $54.64.