It appears that the greatest factor for our retailers slowdown up until now had been the unseasonably warm weather, and as soon as we got more seasonally appropriate temperatures it unleashed pent up demand. |
It appears that the greatest factor for our retailers' slowdown up until now had been the unseasonably warm weather, and as soon as we got more seasonally appropriate temperatures it unleashed pent up demand. |
It could have been a lot worse given the expectations. We had lackluster sales through the spring, through summer, terrorist attacks, and a recession, so an increase of 1 or 2 percent is decent. The bigger factor is: What were the margins of those sales? |
It shows they're in the ballpark as far as sales go. |
It was a mixed bag, ... What we got again, as we did in December, is this separation of winners and losers. |
It was very clear to us that ... this year's annual meeting had a new, more sober tone. In the past, (Wal-Mart management) was willing to accept their shortcomings, though some might say it was closer to false modesty. This year, it was very clear that management realizes they have a lot of work to do and are deep into the transition. |
It would be considered a non-operating item and really will have a very limited financial impact as far as analysts are concerned, |
It's clear that [Wal-Mart] is going to offer very sharp price [discounts] to drive customer traffic. While [fourth-quarter] sales will be respectable, the lower prices necessary to drive traffic will filter through to earnings that are below the current consensus estimates. |
It's clear that the company is redoubling efforts to strengthen itself and build a competitive advantage. Anything that distracts the management from doing just that will be de-emphasized. The sale of its National Tire and Battery unit is a step in that direction. |
It's pretty well accepted that the economy is gradually building momentum, and Kmart has declared bankruptcy, |
Kohl's is having a major disconnect with its customers, ... The company's inventory growth is outpacing sales and I think their problems will continue into the fourth quarter and even the first quarter next year. |
Kohl's is having a major disconnect with its customers. The company's inventory growth is outpacing sales and I think their problems will continue into the fourth quarter and even the first quarter next year. |
Not only is there top-line pressure, but this is also going to translate into lower margins, |
On its own, a comp-store inventory increase of 2-to-5 percent is no big deal. But when you've got comp-store sales declines of closer to 10 percent, you're dealing with a possible 10-point spread, which we believe is going to cause retailers to push the promotional panic button earlier than they would have. |
Other retailers took advantage of that. |