Hot Retail Companies To Buy Right Now

There was good news and bad news for JC Penney (JCP) investors in JPMorgan’s�report on the beleaguered retailer today.

REUTERS

The good news is that management is making the tough decisions necessary to ensure that the JC Penney can turn itself around. The bad news is that a turnaround will take time–lots of time.

Analysts Matthew Boss, Anne McCormick and Esteban Gomez explain:

We left Dallas incrementally positive in management�� decision making process, noting a clear mindset shift toward long-term viability…rather than near-term stock price….Re-focused on the core (��on’t try to be something you are not��mantra), management is working to correct missteps of the past (private label reorganization, Home realignment, shops structure). Looking ahead, the top-line ($4B recapture: $2B = home, .com, private brands / $2B = lost customer base) and gross margin (return to 38-39% = 450bps: return to 15% clearance mix + 350bps: private brands to 50%) algorithms remain the carrot on paper, but we left HQ without a clear sense of timing around a top-line inflection (customer connection impaired with traffic driving Home a work in progress), which remains key to the turnaround.

Best Paper Companies To Buy For 2015: Rite Aid Corp (RAD)

Rite Aid Corporation, incorporated in 1968, is a retail drugstore chain in the United States. As of March 3, 2012, the Company operated drugstores in 31 states across the country and in the District of Columbia. As of March 3, 2012, it operated 4,667 stores. In the Company�� stores, it sells prescription drugs and a range of other merchandise, which it calls front end products. During the fiscal year ended March 3, 2012 (fiscal 2012), prescription drug sales accounted for 68.1% of its total sales. The Company carries a range of front end products, which accounted for 31.9% of its total sales in fiscal 2012. Front end products include over-the-counter medications, health and beauty aids, personal care items, cosmetics, household items, beverages, convenience foods, greeting cards, seasonal merchandise and other everyday and convenience products, as well as photo processing. It offers a variety of products under its private brands, which contributed approximately 17% of its front end sales in the categories where private brand products were offered in fiscal 2012. As of March 3, 2012, the Company had opened over 2,100 GNC stores-within-Rite Aid-stores. During fiscal 2012, the Company sold two owned operating stores to independent third parties.

During fiscal 2012, its stores filled approximately 295 million prescriptions and served an average of 2.1 million customers per day. The overall average size of each store in its chain is approximately 12,600 square feet. As of March 3, 2012, 60% of its stores were freestanding; 51% of its stores included a drive-thru pharmacy; 24% included one-hour photo shops, and 46% included a GNC store-within-Rite Aid-store. The Company�� customers may also order prescription refills over the Internet through www.riteaid.com, or over the phone through its telephonic automated refill systems for pick up at a Rite Aid store. It has a strategic alliance with GNC, a retailer of vitamin and mineral supplements.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Divine]

  While there are many others, Rite Aid's (NYSE: RAD  ) stock is particularly ill-suited for a comparison against the Dow's performance. The drug store, with a market cap just above $7 billion, is less than a quarter of the size of the Dow's smallest component. But Rite Aid investors are doing just fine without the Dow to serve as a constant comparison. Shares jumped 5.6% today as last month's same-store sales increased a booming 7.5% month over month, driven by revenue from its pharmacy. With increasing competition from other drugstores to recruit recurring pharmacy customers via techniques like loyalty programs, the longer-term concern is whether Rite Aid's slim margins can hold up or not.

• [By Reuters]

  Joshua Lott/Getty Images NEW YORK -- Several major U.S. retailers posted disappointing sales for November after cautious shoppers pinched their pennies at the start of a shorter holiday season. Some of the companies that reported sales gains ramped up bargains to bring in shoppers who appeared hesitant to splurge. Costco Wholesale (COST) said Thursday that sales at stores open at least a year rose 2 percent, below the 3.3 percent increase analysts were looking for, according to Thomson Reuters. The warehouse club chain said consumer electronics sales fell. Same-store sales at L Brands (LTD), owner of the Victoria's Secret lingerie chain, also came in below expectations. Its drop of 5.5 percent was far deeper than the 1.1 percent decline analysts were projecting. Wall Street analysts are expecting 11 top retailers to report a 2.7 percent increase in same-store sales for November, according to Thomson Reuters. Excluding drugstore operators, which get two-thirds of revenue from prescriptions, that gain is estimated at 2.3 percent. Gap (GPS) will report its November sales after U.S. markets close. Retailers have been contending with low consumer confidence and the need to prod shoppers with bargains this holiday season, which has six fewer days because of a late Thanksgiving. The National Retail Federation on Sunday said U.S. shoppers had spent 2.9 percent less this year over the Thanksgiving weekend, the kickoff to the holiday season. The Conference Board, an industry group, said last week that U.S. consumer confidence fell in November after a sharp drop in October as Americans worried about their future jobs and earnings prospects. Earlier this week, J.C. Penney (JCP) reported a 10.1 percent comparable sales increase, partially reversing a disastrous decline in 2012, but the department store chain had to resort to aggressive bargains. The "environment will remain as competitive" through the holiday season, Chief Executive Officer Myron Ullman said. I

Hot Retail Companies To Buy Right Now: McDonald's Corporation(MCD)

McDonald?s Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a worldwide foodservice retailer. It franchises and operates McDonald?s restaurants that offer various food items, soft drinks, coffee, and other beverages. As of December 31, 2009, the company operated 32,478 restaurants in 117 countries, of which 26,216 were operated by franchisees; and 6,262 were operated by the company. McDonald?s Corporation was founded in 1948 and is based in Oak Brook, Illinois.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

  McDonald's (NYSE: MCD) reported a drop in its first-quarter profit. McDonald's posted its quarterly profit of $1.20 billion, or $1.21 per share, down from $1.27 billion, or $1.26 per share, in the year-ago period. Its total revenue rose to $6.70 billion versus $6.61 billion, while operating income slipped to $1.94 billion versus $1.95 billion.

• [By Vinay Singh]

  McDonald's (MCD) earnings were better than expected, but the results re-exposed the lingering weaknesses in the firm's fundamental business. The company reported year-over-year revenue growth of only 2% to $7.2 billion, slightly better than analysts' average expectation of $7.15 billion. EPS of $1.38 beat expectations of $1.33 -- estimates were lowered several times by analysts before the earnings. The firm reported $5.36 EPS for the full year.

Hot Retail Companies To Buy Right Now: CDC Point SpA (CDC)

CDC Point SpA is an Italy-based company engaged in the information technology (IT) sector. The Company structures its business into two main sectors: Production and Distribution of IT, and Business Value-Added. Through the Production and Distribution of IT sector, it is active in the manufacture of consumer desktop personal computers, as well as in the distribution and retail of computer hardware; peripheral equipment and accessories, such as keyboards, monitors, webcams, card readers, audio systems, voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) accessories and routers, and software products. Through the Business Value-Added sector, it provides value added services and solutions, including voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) services; video surveillance and home automation technologies; software management and e-commerce solutions, and Web services, such as domain registering, hosting, server, email, positioning on search engines and Web marketing services. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By abirk]

  The people of America are becoming more and more health conscious as obesity is growing at a great pace. As per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than one third of US adults (35.7%) is obese. This point out the finger towards the fast-food industry as they are using trans fats (responsible for clogging arteries) in their products to make it more mouth watering.

Hot Retail Companies To Buy Right Now: CarMax Inc(KMX)

CarMax, Inc., through its subsidiaries, operates as a retailer of used vehicles in the United States. It also sells vehicles that do not meet its retail standards to licensed dealers through on-site wholesale auctions, as well as sells new vehicles under franchise agreements. In addition, the company provides customers financing alternatives through its finance operation, CarMax Auto Finance, as well as through its third-party financing providers. Further, it offers a range of other related products and services, including the sale of extended service plans, guaranteed asset protection, and accessories; the appraisal and purchase of vehicles directly from consumers; and vehicle repair services. As of December 21, 2011, the company operated 107 used car superstores in 52 markets. CarMax, Inc. was founded in 1993 and is headquartered in Richmond, Virginia.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Louis Navellier] Popular Posts: 5 Stocks Ready to Bloom in SpringGoogle Stock Split Is All Good For GOOG Investors3 Stocks to Buy Now That Spring is In the Air Recent Posts: Here Is Your Guide for Q1 Earnings Season Leave CarMax Stock on the Lot For Now (KMX) Don’t Panic Out of Barnes & Noble Stock Yet View All Posts

  Welcome to the Stock of the Day.

• [By Michael Lewis]

  Used-auto behemoth CarMax (NYSE: KMX  ) released earnings this week that came in above expectations and sent the stock to a new 52-week high. Given the high average auto-age in the United States, coupled with continued macroeconomic trepidation, used-car sales appear to have a strong future. Yet, at 19 times forward earnings, the company known for its no-nonsense auto pricing has a stock price that looks mighty rich. Here's what you need to know about CarMax going forward.

Hot Retail Companies To Buy Right Now: Macy’s Inc (M)

Macy�s, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, operates stores and Internet Websites in the United States. Its retail stores and Internet Web sites sell a range of merchandise, including apparel and accessories for men, women, and children; cosmetics; home furnishings; and other consumer goods. The company also operates Bloomingdale�s Outlet stores that offer a range of apparel and accessories, including ready-to-wear, shoes, fashion accessories, jewelry, handbags, and intimate apparel products. As of January 28, 2012, it operated approximately 840 stores under the names of Macy�s and Bloomingdale�s; and 7 Bloomingdale�s Outlet stores, as well as macys.com and bloomingdales.com. The company was formerly known as Federated Department Stores, Inc. and changed its name to Macy�s, Inc. in June 2007. Macy�s, Inc. was founded in 1820 and is based in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Paul Ausick]

  Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (NYSE: WMT), Macy�� Inc. (NYSE: M), Kohl�� Corp. (NYSE: KSS), and Nordstrom Inc. (NYSE: JWN) have all already reported poor quarterly results that barely met expectations in most cases. There�� no reason to expect anything substantially different this week, except perhaps from Home Depot, which has history of being cautious with its estimates.

• [By Dimitra DeFotis]

  Some trends and percentages:

  Department store Thanksgiving online sales grew by 60% vs 2012, with mobile sales growing by 44% year over year. Perhaps a boost for clothing purveyors like Gap (GAP), whose shares are up 1% in morning trading : total online sales of apparel on Thanksgiving grew by about 41% vs. 2012, with mobile sales growing by close to 62.4% year over year. Shares of�Macy’s�(M) are flat this morning, while shares of women’s clothing seller Chico�� Fas�(CHS) are down 0.4%. Mobile represented nearly 26
• [By Alex Planes]

  This graph represents the "purchase consideration" of Men's Wearhouse against some of its largest suit-selling competitors, listed as Jos. A. Bank (NASDAQ: JOSB  ) , Macy's (NYSE: M  ) , and Nordstrom (NYSE: JWN  ) , among others. The industry average has been pretty steady, but Men's Wearhouse appears to be wearing thin among millennials (and among male consumers on the bubble between the millennial generation and Generation X). If that's so, then why did Men's Wearhouse report a nice spike in profits in its latest report? Well, older consumers still like the way they look in a Zimmer-promoted suit:

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Shares of J.C. Penney have dropped 4.4% to $8.65 today at 9:33 a.m., while Macy’s (M) has fallen 1.2% to $42.99, Kohl’s (KSS) has dipped 0.9% to $51.56, Nordstrom (JWN) is off 0.8% to $55.99 and Dillard’s (DDS) has dropped 0.8% to $78.50.

Hot Retail Companies To Buy Right Now: ALCO Stores Inc (ALCS)

Alco Stores, Inc., incorporated on June 2, 1915, is engaged in the business of retailing general merchandise throughout the central portion of the United States of America through a range of department store outlets. The Company�� ALCO stores offer a range of merchandise consisting of approximately 35,000 items, including automotive, commodities, crafts, domestics, electronics, furniture, hardware, health and beauty aids, housewares, jewelry, ladies�� men�� and children�� apparel and shoes, pre-recorded music and video, sporting goods, seasonal items, stationery and toys.

As of February 3, 2013, the Company operated 217 stores in 23 states located in mostly smaller communities in the central United States. The stores average approximately 21,000 square feet of selling space, with an additional 5,000 square feet utilized for merchandise processing, temporary storage and administration.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Monica Gerson]

  ALCO Stores (NASDAQ: ALCS) is projected to post its Q2 earnings.

  Digital Cinema Destinations (NASDAQ: DCIN) is estimated to post a Q4 loss at $0.11 per share on revenue of $11.17 million.