Ralph Lauren’s Dresses, Polo Shirts Drive Sales Forecast Raise

Ralph Lauren raised its annual revenue forecast on Thursday as the apparel maker bet on younger shoppers picking up its spring collection of dresses, floral dinner jackets and Polo shirts, sending its shares up 15 percent.

Unlike European fashion houses Hugo Boss and Kering, Ralph Lauren has enjoyed strong demand as its investments in brands such as Polo and Purple Label helped pull in wealthy shoppers, especially from the younger demographic in North America.

For the first time in the last…