Can consumer spending continue to run the engine of retailing? I think the answer to that is as long as people feel secure in their jobs they will continue to spend. I don't think that we've seen consumer psychology change even though unemployment numbers are higher. |
They are the only player that has deep pockets to expand. It takes a lot of money to operate new stores, and Lipton at least has it. |
Things are looking great for retailers, surprisingly so. Retail stocks are usually sleepy and nobody really pays attention to them. But the chances of a first quarter earnings surprise, on the positive side, are very great right now - across the board. |
We're predicting that sales are going to be up about 4 percent this year, and that is a little bit on the low side. That compares to about 5 percent last year. But clearly, we are looking for a decent holiday season. |