This morning it was reported that the Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan preliminary index on consumer sentiment rose to 83.7 for May. That's the highest reading since July 2007 and up from 76.4 during April. While analysts were expecting an increase, the median forecast in a Bloomberg survey pinned the gain at 77.9.
This positive economic data has given investors the confidence to continue the bull rally, and as of 12:55 p.m. EDT the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJINDICES: ^DJI ) is up by 55 points, or 0.35%, while the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq are up 0.43% each.
Although the report indicates that consumer sentiment is high, a number of retailers, including Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT ) , are still reporting that customers remain wary. Looking at the whole, Americans seem to have easily dealt with both the payroll tax increase and sequestration, but Wal-Mart is still claiming that its customers haven't, and the evidence suggests that Wal-Mart may be right. Same-store sales fell 1.4% this past quarter after Wal-Mart had beaten same-store sales numbers for the previous six straight quarters. Additionally, Wal-Mart had to lower its prices on groceries and daily necessities during the quarter. After falling 1.7% yesterday, shares of Wal-Mart are down another 1% today.
Top 10 Gas Utility Companies For 2016: 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 10 Retail Stocks To Watch For 2015: Spectrum Brands Holdings Inc.(SPB)
Spectrum Brands Holdings, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, operates as a consumer products company worldwide. It offers consumer batteries, including alkaline and zinc carbon batteries, rechargeable batteries and chargers, and hearing aid batteries and other specialty batteries; pet supplies, such as aquatic equipment and supplies, dog and cat treats, small animal foods, clean up and training aids, health and grooming products, and beddings; and home and garden control products comprising household insect controls, insect repellents, and herbicides. The company also provides electric shaving and grooming devices; small appliances, including small kitchen appliances and home product appliances; electric personal care and styling devices; and portable lighting. Its sells its products through various trade channels, including retailers, wholesalers and distributors, hearing aid professionals, industrial distributors, and original equipment manufacturers primarily under t he Rayovac, Remington, Varta, George Foreman, Black & Decker, Toastmaster, Farberware, Tetra, Marineland, Nature?s Miracle, Dingo, 8-in-1, Littermaid, Spectracide, Cutter, Repel, Hot Shot, Black Flag, and TAT brands. The company was headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin. As of January 7, 2011, Spectrum Brands Holdings, Inc. operates as a subsidiary of Harbinger Group Inc.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Marc Bastow]
Consumer products manufacturer Spectrum Brands (SPB) raised its quarterly dividend 20% to 30 cents per share, payable on Mar. 18 to shareholders of record as of Feb. 19.
SPB Dividend Yield: 1.58%
Top 10 Retail Stocks To Watch For 2015: Destination XL Group Inc (DXLG)
Destination XL Group, Inc., formerly Casual Male Retail Group, Inc., incorporated in 1976, is a specialty retailer of big and tall men�� apparel with retail operations in the United States and London, England and direct businesses throughout the United States, Canada and Europe. Its direct business includes several catalogs and e-commerce sites, which supports its brands and product extensions. As of January 28, 2012, it operated 360 Casual MaleXL retail stores, 60 Casual MaleXL outlet stores, 16 DestinationXL stores and 14 Rochester Clothing stores. During the third quarter of fiscal 2011, the Company launched its new DestinationXL e-commerce site which, similar to its DXL store concept, brings all of its existing websites together, making it easier for its customer to shop the full array of product selection that it have to offer from all of its brands with the ease of one shopping cart. Full product assortments from Casual MaleXL, Rochester Clothing, ShoesXL and LivingXL can be found at www.destinationxl.com. In addition to its e-commerce and catalog businesses, it operated 7 international Web stores serving twenty-six European countries during fiscal 2011.
Casual MaleXL Outlet
The Company�� 60 Casual MaleXL outlet stores, with their supporting direct business, B&T Factory Direct, generates approximately 12% of the Company's business. It offers a private-label program, specifically for its Casual MaleXL outlet stores and its B&T Factory Direct businesses, which is similar to its lifestyle private label lines found in its full-price retail stores but made at lower costs and sold at lower price points for its value-oriented customers. It carries Canyon Ridge, which is similar in style to its Harbor Bay product line, 555 Turnpike, which is targeted towards its younger customers, and Fuse, a contemporary line similar in style to its Synrgy product line Traveler Technology is a traditional line similar to its Gold Series.
Casual MaleXL Retail
Th! e Casual Male business offers a selection of sportswear, dress clothing, footwear and accessories for the big and tall customer at moderate prices. Its full-price Casual Male merchandise is sold through its 360 Casual MaleXL retail stores, Casual MaleXL catalogs and e-commerce site. The majority of the Casual Male merchandise is basic or fashion-neutral items, such as jeans, casual slacks, tee-shirts, polo shirts, dress shirts and suit separates. Casual Male�� clothing has features specifically designed for its customer, such as waist-relaxer pants, stretch belts, zipper ties, wide band socks, neck-relaxer shirts and clothing with comfort-stretch technology and reinforced stress points. In addition to its many private label lines, it carry several well-known brands of merchandise including: Polo Ralph Lauren, Nautica, Geoffrey Beene, Nautica Jeans Co., Levi��, Dockers, Calvin Klein, Reebok and
Rochester Clothing
At January 28, 2012, it operated 14 Rochester Clothing stores, located in major cities throughout the United States and one store in London, EnglandAn important element to the Company's business is its high-end, luxury fashion apparel offered by Rochester Clothing. Its Rochester Clothing stores carry a selection of apparel, at higher price points, from branded manufacturers, such as Polo Ralph Lauren, Robert Graham, Lacoste, Facconable, DKNY, Calvin Klein, Michael Kors, Brioni, Cutter and Buck, Tommy Bahama, Tommy Hilfilger, Thomas Dean, Paul & Shark and others. The Rochester customer is able to find a range of apparel from traditional and modern sportswear to suits and accessories.
B&T Factory Direct
The Company�� B&T Factory Direct Web store enhances its existing Casual MaleXL outlet stores. The merchandise offered in its B&T Factory Direct catalogs and on its Website is a selection but similar to the merchandise that can be found in its Casual MaleXL outlet stores. In addition, B&T Factory Direct often features a special clearance o! pportunit! ies of product and provides opportunities of product obtained from Casual MaleXL and Rochester Clothing, offering the B&T Factory Direct customer the ability to purchase branded product.
LivingXL
The LivingXL business, which includes its LivingXL Web store and catalogs, specializes in the selling of selected products. The types of products sold on its Website and in its catalogs for both men and women and include chairs, outdoor accessories, travel accessories, bed and bath and fitness equipment.
ShoesXL
Its ShoesXL Web store carries a line of men�� footwear in extended sizes, offering customers a range of footwear. The assortment on ShoesXL is a reflection of its apparel, with an assortment from moderate to luxury and from casual to formal. ShoesXL has a more than 500 styles of shoes, ranging in sizes from 10M to 18M and widths up to 5E. It carries a number of designer brands including Cole Haan, Allen Edmonds, Timberland, Calvin Klein, Lacoste and Bruno Magli. In addition, it has added the expanded shoe assortments within its existing Casual MaleXL and Rochester Clothing catalogs.
Destination
From the DestinationXL homepage, the customers can also search across all of its brands without having to specifically shop Casual Male versus Rochester. By searching for a shirt in their size, DestinationXL provides them product selection from all three of its concepts.
The Company offers selected Casual Male merchandise on their websites at www.Sears.com and www.Sears.ca. It operates 7 online stores for both its Casual MaleXL and Rochester Clothing brands that penetrate 26 European countries, including the U.K., Germany, France, Italy, Spain and the Netherlands. It engages GSI Commerce, Inc. (GSI) for the design, development and operations of the seven online stores. Subsequent to year end, it decided to discontinue its international Web stores including terminating its contract with GSI.
The Comp! any compe! tes with Wal-Mart, J.C. Penney Company Inc, Kohl�� and Pinault-Printemps-Redoute, SA.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Seth Jayson]
Calling all cash flows
When you are trying to buy the market's best stocks, it's worth checking up on your companies' free cash flow once a quarter or so, to see whether it bears any relationship to the net income in the headlines. That's what we do with this series. Today, we're checking in on Destination XL Group (Nasdaq: DXLG ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below. - [By Peter Graham]
The Q1 2014 earnings report for The Men's Wearhouse, Inc (NYSE: MW), a potential peer of men�� apparel retailers like Destination XL Group Inc (NASDAQ: DXLG) and�Jos. A. Bank Clothiers Inc (NASDAQ: JOSB), is scheduled for before the market opens on Friday.�Aside from the Men's Wearhouse earnings report, it should be said that Destination XL Group Inc reported Q1 2014 earnings on May 29th (Sales rebounded in April to offset weather impacted business) while�Jos. A. Bank Clothiers Inc reported Q4 2013 earnings on April 2nd�with Q1 2014 earnings expected on Friday. I should mention though that The Men's Wearhouse is acquiring Jos. A. Bank Clothiers Inc���a deal recently approved of by the FTC. The merger creates the fourth-largest retailer of menswear, which will have $3.5 billion in�pro forma sales,�1,700 stores and about 23,000 employees.
- [By Eric Volkman]
Destination XL (NASDAQ: DXLG ) results for the company's Q1 have been released. For the quarter, sales were $93.6 million, a decline from the $95.5 million in the same period the previous year. Net income suffered a steeper fall, dropping to just over $1 million ($0.02 per diluted share) from the Q1 2012 result of $2.3 million ($0.05).
- [By John Udovich]
As we head into Black Friday and the holiday shopping season, small cap apparel retail stocks Cache, Inc (NASDAQ: CACH), Stein Mart, Inc (NASDAQ: SMRT), Pacific Sunwear of California, Inc (NASDAQ: PSUN) and Destination XL Group Inc (NASDAQ: DXLG) have the distinction of being the best performing small cap apparel retail stocks for this year (according to Finviz.com) with gains of 111.6%, 92.7%, 88.7% and 65.7%, respectively. What are these high flying small caps doing right in the apparel retail space and will they continue delivering a stellar performance for Black Friday and the all important holiday season for�investors? Here is what new and existing investors and traders alike need to know or consider:
Top 10 Retail Stocks To Watch For 2015: Tranzbyte Corp (ERBB)
The Tranzbyte Corporation, incorporated on November 12, 1998, is a driving force behind Altitude Organic Corporation, One Bode, The YO! Debit Card, and ProximaRF. Altitude Organic Corporation is a medical marijuana dispensary brand. It has developed retailing, branding, and commercial cultivating strategies in conjunction with its licensed medical marijuana retail dispensaries operating under the Altitude Organic Medicine brand name.
Tranzbyte houses the technology division, which is engaged in the sale of its optical media enhancement products to customers in the United States and Asia. Products in the Tranzbyte division include FLASHAlbum and FlixStix technologies that enable distributors of optical media (compact discs, digital video discs, etc.) to consolidate the features of each medium onto a single content-protected universal serial bus (USB) flash drive. One Bode has created an assortment of products focusing on plant-based nutrients and enzymes. Applied radio frequency identification (RFID) and its operating subsidiaries (www.proximarf.com), have a portfolio of RFID reader, sensor tag and data logging products.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By John Udovich]
Its been a rather eventful week for news from the marijuana sector and small cap marijuana stocks like GW Pharmaceuticals PLC (NASDAQ: GWPH), Tranzbyte Corp (OTCMKTS: ERBB) and Growlife Inc (OTCMKTS: PHOT) as one of these stocks gets endorsed by Morgan Stanley while another appears on CNBC���more signs of legitimacy for an investment�sector that�� full of pumps, dumps and other unsavory types of activities. Just consider the following small cap marijuana stock or pot industry news:
Top 10 Retail Stocks To Watch For 2015: Caseys General Stores Inc.(CASY)
Casey?s General Stores, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, operates convenience stores under the Casey?s General Store, HandiMart, and Just Diesel names in 11 Midwestern states, primarily Iowa, Missouri, and Illinois. Its stores offer foods, beverages, dairy and bakery products, sandwiches, fountain drinks, donuts, cookies, brownies, Danish rolls, ham and cheese sandwiches, pork and chicken fritters, sausage sandwiches, chicken tenders, popcorn chicken, breakfast croissants and biscuits, breakfast pizza, hash browns, quarter-pound hamburgers and cheeseburgers, and potato cheese bites. The company?s stores also provide nonfood items, which include tobacco products, health and beauty aids, school supplies, house wares, pet supplies, photo supplies, and automotive products. In addition, it offers gasoline or gasohol for sale on a self-service basis. As of July 31, 2011, the company operated 1,665 stores. The company was founded in 1959 and is headquartered in Ankeny, Iowa.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Sue Chang]
Casey�� General Stores (CASY) �is likely to post fiscal fourth-quarter earnings of 53 cents a share. Strong merchandise sales were likely to have been offset by weaker fuel margin, according to analyst Ronald Bookbinder at Benchmark. He also maintained the stock�� price target at $86 on Friday.
- [By Chad Fraser]
One chain that continues to match up well with the above criteria is Casey’s General Stores (NasdaqGS: CASY). We last highlighted the company’s strong prospects in a December 12 Investing Daily article. Since then, the stock has risen nearly 40%.
- [By Lawrence Meyers]
It�� been a mighty weird year for Casey�� General Stores (CASY). The company has had some tough quarters, but just when things are looking bleak, the team got some runners on base and drove a few home.
- [By Michael Lewis]
For those who call the American midwest home, the convenience store chain Casey's General Stores (NASDAQ: CASY ) is likely a part of everyday life. If you're like me, on the other hand, who grew up on one coast and lives on the other, the business could just as easily be something from Blazing Saddles. But, as it turns out, the stores, which span more than 1,700 locations in 11 states, are doing well, and may be poised for further performance as earnings grow and margins expand. Does your portfolio need a quick stop into Casey's General Stores?
Top 10 Retail Stocks To Watch For 2015: Restoration Hardware Holdings Inc (RH)
Restoration Hardware Holdings, Inc. (Restoration Hardware Holdings), incorporated on August 18, 2011, is a holding company. The Company is merchants of home furnishings. Restoration Hardware Holdings offers merchandise assortments across a number of categories, including furniture, lighting, textiles, bath ware, decor, outdoor, garden, and baby and child products. The Company�� business is integrated across its multiple channels of distribution, consists of its stores, catalogs and Websites. As of July 28, 2012, the Company�� operated a total of 73 retail stores, consisted of 71 Galleries and two full line Design Galleries, and 10 outlet stores throughout the United States and Canada. RH is a brand in the home furnishings. During the fiscal year ended January 28, 2012 (fiscal 2011), the Company opened five stores and closed 22 stores. In fiscal 2011, the Company distributed approximately 26.1 million catalogs, and its Websites logged over 14.3 million visits.
Restoration Hardware Holdings operates a Website for its Baby & Child brand at www.rhbabyandchild.com. The Company opened its two full line Design Galleries in Los Angeles in, June 2011 and Houston in November 2011. In May 2011, the Company launched catalog applications for Apple�� iPad and iPhone that enable customers to view and purchase its product assortment. Restoration Hardware Holdings operates three store types: the Company's full line Design Gallery format, approximately between 22,000 and 28,000 gross square feet; its Gallery format of approximately 7,000-15,000 gross square feet, and its Baby & Child Gallery format of approximately 2,000-3,000 gross square feet.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Teresa Rivas]
Other home furnishings retailers, including Bed, Bath & Beyond (BBBY), Restoration Hardware (RH) and Kirkland�� (KIRK) were trading down in afternoon trading.
- [By Peter Graham]
The Q1 2014�earning report for furniture retailer Williams-Sonoma, Inc (NYSE: WSM), a peer of stocks like Bed Bath & Beyond Inc (NASDAQ: BBBY), Pier 1 Imports Inc (NYSE: PIR) and Restoration Hardware Holdings Inc (NYSE: RH), is scheduled for after the market closes on�Wednesday. Aside from the Williams-Sonoma's earnings report, it should be said that Bed Bath & Beyond Inc reported Q4 2013 earnings on April 9 and will report Q1 2014 earnings on June 23rd; Pier 1 Imports Inc reported Q4 2014 earnings on April 10 and will report Q1 2014 earnings around June 16th; and Restoration Hardware Holdings reported Q4 2013 earnings on March 27 and will report Q1 2014 earnings on June 2nd. However and unlike many other retailers,�Williams-Sonoma is going into the first quarter after having a great holiday season.
Top 10 Retail Stocks To Watch For 2015: Vitamin Shoppe Inc (VSI)
Vitamin Shoppe, Inc., incorporated on September 27, 2002, is a specialty retailer and direct marketer of vitamins, minerals, herbs, specialty supplements, sports nutrition and other health and wellness products. During the fiscal year ended December 29, 2012 (fiscal 2012), the Company marketed over 400 different brands, as well as its own brands, which include Vitamin Shoppe, BodyTech and True Athlete. The Company sells its products through two segments: retail and direct. In the Company's retail segment, the Company had a total of 286 new stores during the fiscal 2012. As of January 26, 2013, the Company operated 579 stores in 42 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Ontario, Canada, primarily located in high-traffic regional retail centers. In the Company's direct segment, the Company sells its products directly to consumers through the Internet, primarily at www.vitaminshoppe.com. On February 14, 2013, Vitamin Shoppe Mariner, Inc. acquired Super Supplements, Inc.
Retail
The Company's retail segment includes its retail store format. Its retail stores are is located in diverse geographic and demographic markets, ranging from urban locations in New York City, to suburban locations in Plantation, Florida and Manhattan Beach, California. As of January 26, 2013, the Company leased the property for all of its 579 stores. The Company's primary warehouse and distribution center and corporate headquarters are consolidated into a leased, 230,000 square-foot facility.
Products
The Company offers a selection of vitamins, minerals, herbs, homeopathic remedies, specialty supplements, such as fish oil, probiotics, glucosamine and Co Q10, sports nutrition, weight management, as well as natural bath and beauty, pet supplements and options for a healthy home. The Company's offers includes approximately 17,500 stock keeping units (SKUs) from over 400 brands. The Company offers products to its assortment in its Vitamin Shoppe, BodyTech, True Athlete and O! ptimal Pet brands, which include products, such as Ultimate Man, Ultimate Women, Whey Tech Pro 24 and Natural Whey Protein. The Company also offers an assortment from national brands, such as Optimum Nutrition, USP Labs, Garden of Life, Cytosport, Nature's Way, Solaray and Solgar. This assortment is designed to provide the Company's customers with a selection of available product in order to help them achieve their health and wellness goals.
The vitamin and mineral product category includes multi-vitamins, which many consider to be a foundation of a healthy regimen, lettered vitamins, such as Vitamin A, C, D, E, and B-complex, along with trace minerals, such as calcium, magnesium, chromium and zinc. Certain herbs can be taken to help support specific body systems, including ginkgo to support brain activity and milk thistle to help support liver function, as well as other less common herbs, such as holy basil for stress support and blood sugar control and black cohosh for menopause support. Herbal products include whole herbs, standardized extracts, herb combination formulas and teas.
Categories of specialty supplements include omega fatty acids, probiotics and condition specific formulas. Certain specialty supplements, such as organic greens, psyllium fiber and soy proteins, are taken for added support during various life stages. Folic acid is specifically useful during pregnancy. Super antioxidants, such as coenzyme Q-10, grapeseed extract and pycnogenol, are taken to address specific conditions. High ORAC (oxygen radical absorptive capacity) fruit concentrates like gogi, mangosteen, pomegranate and blueberry are taken to prevent oxygen radical damage. Other specialty supplement formulas are focused to support specific organs, biosystems and body functions. The Company offers approximately 3,000 SKUs in sports nutrition.
The Company's other category include natural beauty and personal care, diet and weight management supplements, natural pet food, and low carb foo! ds. Natur! al beauty and personal care products offer an alternative to traditional products that often contain synthetic and/or other ingredients that the Company's customers find objectionable. The Company offers approximately 3,000 SKUs for its other category. The Company's natural pet products include nutritionally balanced foods and snacks along with condition specific supplements such as glucosamine for joint health. Its variety of diet and weight management products range from low calorie bars, drinks and meal replacements to energy tablets, capsules and liquids.
The Company competes with Vitamin World, GNC, Whole Foods, Costco, Wal-Mart, Rite-Aid, Walgreens, Amazon.com, Puritan's Pride, Vitacost.com, Bodybuilding.com, Doctors Trust, Swanson and iHerb.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Jeremy Bowman]
What: Shares of the Vitamin Shoppe (NYSE: VSI ) were looking under the weather today, falling as much as 10% after a disappointing earnings report.
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