The following video is from Friday's Investor Beat,� in which host Chris Hill, and analysts Ron Gross and Jason Moser, dissect the hardest-hitting investing stories of the day.
Retail sales numbers for June are coming in and, for some companies, the results are looking good. Costco's same-store sales were up 6%, slightly higher than expected. And Gap's same-store sales were up 7%, much higher than analysts were expecting. In our lead story on Investor Beat, Motley Fool analysts Jason Moser and Ron Gross examine the retail industry, consumer spending, the rise of e-commerce, and what it all means for investors.
Also, a look at why Boeing and UPS fell today, and why WebMD and RadioShack rose, and two stocks that our analysts will be following closely in the week ahead.
The retail space is in the midst of the biggest paradigm shift since mail order took off at the turn of last century. Only those most forward-looking and capable companies will survive, and they'll handsomely reward those investors who understand the landscape. You can read about the 3 Companies Ready to Rule Retail in The Motley Fool's special report. Uncovering these top picks is free today; just click here to read more.
Best Low Price Companies To Invest In Right Now: Lands End Inc (LE)
Lands��End, Inc. (Lands��End), incorporated on August 19, 1986, is a multi-channel retailer of casual clothing, accessories and footwear, as well as home products. The Company offers products through catalogs, online at www.landsend.com and affiliated specialty and international Websites, and through retail locations, primarily at Lands��End Shops at Sears and standalone Lands��End Inlet stores. The Company operates in two segments: Direct and Retail, and it offers merchandise that includes men��, women�� and kids��apparel, outerwear and swimwear; specialty apparel; accessories; footwear; and home products. In addition, Lands��End Business Outfitters offers business casual apparel and a variety of promotional products that can be embroidered to enhance a partner company�� image. The Lands��End School Uniform business provides school uniforms and school-appropriate clothing designed to meet dress-code requirements.
Lands��End Direct
The Company�� Direct business sells its products through its United States and international e-commerce websites and through direct mail catalogs. The customers can choose from several ordering methods- Internet, phone, mail, or in-store computer kiosks. The Company also offers specialty services, such as monogramming, embroidery and hemming pants to length. It also operates three call centers out of Dodgeville, Reedsburg and Stevens Point, Wisconsin. Its customer care representatives are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and 364 days a year. The Company�� apparel sales include men��, women�� and kids��apparel, footwear and accessories. It offers a full range of fits from Petites to Plus for women, Slim to Husky for kids and Big and Tall for men. The Company�� Lands��End Canvas collection focuses on updating the Lands��End heritage pieces with tailored fits, designs and fabrics throughout the line. Through its Lands��End Business Outfitters and School Uniform businesses, it offers tailored and busi! ness casual apparel for office wear, trade shows and company events and uniforms and school-appropriate clothing designed to meet dress-code requirements.
Lands��End Retail
The Company�� Retail business sells products and services through standalone Lands��End Inlet stores and dedicated Lands��End Shops at Sears across the United States. Each Lands��End Shop at Sears features Lands��End products, personalized service, enhanced visuals and a shopping lounge where customers can search all of its offerings through the Internet and its catalog. The Company�� Lands��End Shops at Sears offer a selection of products for men, women and kids and select stores offer footwear and products for the home.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By WWW.DAILYFINANCE.COM]
Keith Beaty/Toronto Star via Getty ImagesSears' Rexdale store at Woodbine Centre in suburban Toronto. HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. -- Sears, sorely in need of cash, Sears is selling most of its stake in its Canadian unit to raise as much as $380 million. The sale of the majority of its 51 percent stake in Sears Canada to its own shareholders will give the retailer some breathing room as it heads into the crucial holiday season. The company board approved a rights offering of up to 40 million shares of Sears Canada. Chairman and CEO Edward Lampert plans to fully exercise his subscription rights. ESL Investments , of which Lampert is also chairman and CEO, will do the same. Sears will still hold about 12 million shares of Sears Canada, valued at about $113 million. The retailer, based in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, expects at least $168 million in proceeds from the rights offering in mid-to-late October, with the rest by early November. Sears has been exploring options for its limping Sears Canada operations. Sears Holdings (SHLD), which runs Kmart and its namesake stores, has faced mounting pressure from rivals like Walmart Stores (WMT), in what has proved to be a slow recovery from the recession. It also faces the continuing shift by consumers to online purchases from companies like Amazon.com. Lampert, a billionaire hedge fund investor, combined Sears and Kmart in 2005, about two years after he helped bring Kmart out from under bankruptcy protection. The proceeds from the rights offering, in combination with a $500 million dividend tied to the spinoff of Lands' End (LE), $165 million in proceeds from some real estate transactions and a $400 million short-term loan, will provide Sears Holdings with up to $1.45 billion in liquidity in fiscal 2014, according to Chief Financial Officer Rob Schriesheim. He said that the recent cash infusions will give Sears the financial flexibility to continue working on a turnaround. Sears will continue to evaluate its capita
- [By DCResearch]
The decline in capital can be traced to the financial crisis, changes in underwriting, and the disappearance of STOLI policies. The changes in underwriting have not been favorable for the industry and have resulted in longer life expectancies. Just ask T. Boone Pickens how his predetermined time of death worked out for his alma mater. 21st Services and AVS are the industry leaders and whenever they perform life expectancy (LE) revisions, the life settlement IRRs adjust accordingly. For example, in September 2008 21st Services revised their LE tables and the result was longer expected lives.
Top 5 Retail Stocks To Invest In 2014: Puget Technologies Inc (PUGE)
PUGET TECHNOLOGIES, INC., incorporated on March 17, 2010, is a development-stage company. The Company is engaged in the distribution of luxury wool bedding sets produced in Germany. The Company�� product includes Lama Wool, Camel Wool, Cashmere Wool and Merino Wool.
The Company�� Lama Wool is consists of 50% Lama Wool hair, and 50% Merino wool hair. The Camel wool is consists of 50% Camel wool hair, and 50% Merino wool hair. The Cashmere wool is blended with Merino wool.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Peter Graham]
Small cap stocks Inscor, Inc (OTCMKTS: IOGA), Puget Technologies Inc (OTCBB: PUGE) and PTA Holdings Inc (OTCMKTS: PTAH) have all been getting some attention lately in various investment newsletters or investor alerts. However, two of these small caps have been the subject of paid promotions while the third is getting attention largely because its in the growing marijuana or cannabis business. With that in mind, are these stocks really all that hot or not? Here is a quick reality check:
Top 5 Retail Stocks To Invest In 2014: Five Below Inc (FIVE)
Five Below, Inc. (Five Below), incorporated on January 30, 2002, is a retailer offering a range of merchandise for teen and pre-teen customer. The Company offers products, including select brands and licensed merchandise across a number of categories, which it refer to as worlds-Style, Room, Sports, Media, Crafts, Party, Candy and Seasonal (which it refer to as Now). As of October 27, 2012, The Company operated 243 stores throughout the eastern half of the United States. Its Style consists primarily of accessories such as novelty socks, sunglasses, jewelry, scarves, gloves, hair accessories and attitude t-shirts. Its beauty offering includes products such as nail polish, lip gloss, fragrance and branded cosmetics. Its Room consists of items used to complete and personalize its customer�� living space, including glitter lamps, posters, frames, fleece blankets, pillows, candles, incense and related items. The Company also offers storage options for the customer�� room and locker.
The Company�� Sports consists of an assortment of sport balls, team sports merchandise and fitness accessories, including hand weights, jump ropes and gym balls. It also offers a variety of games, including name brand board games, puzzles, toys and plush items. In the summer season, its sports offering also include pool, beach and outdoor toys, games and accessories. Its Media consists of a selection of accessories for personal computers (PCs), cell phones, Moving Picture Experts Group Layer-3 Audio (MP3) players and tablet computers. The offering includes cases, chargers, headphones and other related items. It also carries a range of media products including books, video games and Digital Versatile Disc (DVDs). It offers an assortment of craft activity kits, as well as arts and crafts supplies, such as crayons, markers and stickers. It also offer trend-right items for school, such as backpacks, fashion notebooks and journals, novelty pens and pencils, as well as everyday name brand items.
The C! ompany�� Party consists of party goods, decorations and greeting cards, as well as everyday and special occasion merchandise. Its Candy consists of branded items that appeal to teens and pre-teens. This category includes an assortment of classic and novelty candy bars and movie-size box candy, as well as gum and snack food. It also sells chilled drinks through coolers. Its Seasonal consists of seasonally-specific items used to celebrate and decorate for events such as Christmas, Easter, Halloween and St. Patrick�� Day.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Vladimir Kuznetsov]
Morgan Stanley boosted its price estimate on Magnit�� global depositary receipts by 23 percent, reiterating a buy rating, a day after Goldman Sachs said a turnaround in the management of X5 Retail Group NV (FIVE), Russia�� second-largest retailer, will boost competition for the No.1 supermarket chain. Magnit said on Oct. 28 that profit margin rose to a record high while X5�� third-quarter revenue fell short of analysts estimates.
- [By Roberto Pedone]
Another stock that's quickly pushing within range of triggering a major breakout trade is specialty retailer Five Below (FIVE), which offers merchandise targeted at the teen and pre-teen customer. This stock is off to a strong start in 2013, with shares up 54%.
>>5 Stocks Under $10 Set to Soar
If you look at the chart for Five Below, you'll notice that this stock has been uptrending strong for the last month and change, with shares pushing higher from its low of $42.42 to its recent high of $50.39 a share. During that uptrend, shares of FIVE have been making mostly higher lows and higher highs, which is bullish technical price action. That move has now pushed shares of FIVE within range of triggering a major breakout trade.
Traders should now look for long-biased trades in FIVE if it manages to break out above its all-time high at $50.39 a share with high volume. Look for a sustained move or close above that level with volume that hits near or above its three-month average action of 835,622 shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then FIVE will set up to enter new all-time-high territory, which is bullish technical price action. Some possible upside targets off that breakout are $60 to $65 a share.
Traders can look to buy FIVE off any weakness to anticipate that breakout and simply use a stop that sits right below some key near-term support at $47.13 a share or around $46 a share. One can also buy FIVE off strength once it takes out its all-time high at $50.39 a share with volume and then simply use a stop that sits a comfortable percentage from your entry point.
Top 5 Retail Stocks To Invest In 2014: Lumber Liquidators Holdings Inc (LL)
Lumber Liquidators Holdings, Inc. (Lumber Liquidators) is retailer of hardwood flooring, and hardwood flooring enhancements and accessories. The Company offers an assortment of wood flooring, which includes prefinished domestic and exotic hardwoods, engineered hardwoods, unfinished hardwoods, bamboo, cork and laminates, as well as resilient flooring. Its flooring enhancements and accessories include moldings, noise-reducing underlay and adhesives. Lumber Liquidators and Bellawood are it brands. Its hardwood flooring products are available in various widths and lengths. It offers approximately 350 different flooring product stock-keeping units. In September 2011, it acquired certain assets of Sequoia Floorings Inc. (Sequoia) relating to Sequoia�� quality control and assurance, product development and logistics operations in China.
In June 2013, Lumber Liquidators Holdings Inc announced that the Company has opened its 300th store, located in Las Vegas, Nevada.
During the year ended December 31, 2011, the Company opened 40 stores. As of February 20, 2012, the Company operated 266 stores located in 46 states and Canada. During 2011, Lumber Liquidators opened its first stores in Canada. It operates a central distribution center located in Hampton, Virginia, supplemented by its facilities in Toano, Virginia. In addition, it operates a facility in Toronto, Canada, with both a store front and a small warehouse serving that metropolitan market. In 2011, Lumber Liquidators finished approximately 79% of its Bellawood products at its finishing facility in Toano, Virginia.
Solid Hardwood
The Company�� solid hardwood products are milled from one thick piece of wood, which can be sanded and refinished numerous times. It offers flooring products made from more than 25 wood species, including both domestic woods, such as ash, beech, birch, hickory, northern hard maple, northern red oak, pine and American walnut, and exotic woods, such as bloodwood, cherry, cypress, e! bony, koa, mesquite, mahogany, rosewood and teak. Lumber Liquidators sells these products either prefinished or unfinished.
Engineered Hardwood
The Company�� engineered hardwood products are produced by bonding a layer of hardwood to a plywood or fiber board backing. Its engineered hardwood floors are offered in domestic and exotic wood species, and in either glue down or floating application. All of its engineered hardwood products are prefinished. Engineered flooring is designed primarily to be installed in areas where hardwood is not conducive, such as slab construction, basements and areas where moisture may be a factor.
Laminates
Lumber Liquidators Holdings, Inc.�� laminate flooring is constructed with a fiber board core, inserted between a melamine laminate backing and photographic paper displaying an image of wood and a ceramic finish, abrasion-resistant laminate top. Its laminate flooring brands allow for easy-click installation, and some include a pre-glued undersurface, moisture repellent, soundproofing, single-strip format or a handscraped textured finish.
Moldings and Accessories
Lumber Liquidators offer a variety of wood flooring moldings and accessories. It sells stair treads and risers in both finished and unfinished versions. Accessories include underlayments that are placed between the new floor and the sub-floor, insulating sound and cushioning the floors. In addition, it sells installation supplies, such as sealers, adhesives and trowels, floor cleaning supplies, and butcher-block kitchen countertops.
Bamboo and Cork
The Company�� bamboo products, harvested from the bamboo plant, are offered as a prefinished, natural or stained, solid or engineered floor. Its cork flooring is produced by harvesting the outer bark of the cork oak tree.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Dan Caplinger]
In 2012 and 2013, Lumber Liquidators (NYSE: LL ) was one of the darlings of the stock market, with the specialist in hardwood and other flooring materials rode the wave of positive sentiment about the recovering housing market to record-high levels. Yet even as broader-based home-improvement retailers Home Depot (NYSE: HD ) and Lowe's (NYSE: LOW ) have largely managed to sustain their share-price advantages even as fears increase about a possible end to the recent rise in housing prices, Lumber Liquidators has seen questions come up about its ability to keep growing at the pace investors expect. So far, Lumber Liquidators hasn't given investors the answers they want to hear, and the stock has plunged as a result. Let's take a closer look at Lumber Liquidators to see whether the drop in its share price is a buying opportunity or just a sign of further weakness to come.
- [By Johanna Bennett]
Lumber Liquidators (LL) plunged 9.5% to $102.62. A report by the AP says the hardwood company’s offices have been searched by federal authorities, yet no word on why or when this took place.
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