If Thanksgiving is a bird, a beer and a football game for you, prepare to have your thinking challenged. Many retailers are looking to get a head start on Black Friday this year, opening a day early, some of them for the first time. Most Old Navy Stores (GPS) will open their doors on Thursday, along with Wal-Mart (WMT), Toys "R" Us, RadioShack (RSH) and Walgreen's (WAG). Rather than bet solely on Friday, retailers are looking to eke every last dime they can out of the holiday season this year.

The National Retail Federation expects holiday spending to drop 1% this year to $437.6 billion. "Retailers need to be competitive," says NRF spokeswoman Ellen Davis. "There's a lot riding on the success of November and December retail sales."

Continue reading Retailers can't wait for Black Friday, open Thursday

Retailers can't wait for Black Friday, open Thursday originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 25 Nov 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) recently trading up $15.29 to $609.20.

GOOG is expected to report earnings per share (EPS) on October 18th. GOOG October at the money 580 straddle is priced at $32.10. GOOG October option implied volatility of 38 is above its 26-week average of 27 according to Track Data, suggesting larger risk.

The Gap Inc. (NYSE: GPS) CEO Glenn Murphy hosted a meeting with analysts on October 5th.

Smith Barney says "Mr. Murphy is focused on making the company gets an adequate return on its investments. This includes a focus on the expense of the business. We suspect there will be continued focus on moderating the cost structure and assessing various cost components, including marketing. We think the real estate portfolio is under review." GPS over all option implied volatility of 31 is near its 26-week average according to Track Data, suggesting flat price risk.

Daily options Update is provided by Stock Specialist Paul Foster of theflyonthewall.com.

Option update: GOOG straddle suggests risk into earnings per share as GOOG at record originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 08 Oct 2007 16:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Gap Inc. (NYSE: GPS) -- September volatility elevated into August 23 EPS and outlook. Gap, the San Francisco based parent company of 3,200 Gap, Old Navy & Banana Republic stores, is expected to report EPS of 19 cents, according to Thomson First Call. GPS September option implied volatility of 40 is above its 26-week average of 29 according to Track Data, suggesting larger price fluctuations.

Foot Locker Inc. (NYSE: FL) -- implied volatility elevated into EPS and outlook. FL, a footwear & apparel operator of 3,950 retail stores, closed at $15.28. FL has a market cap of $2.4 billion with $220 million in long-term debt. FL is expected to announce EPS after the close on August 22. FL over all option implied volatility of 58 is above its 26-week average of 32 according to Track Data, suggesting larger price risks.

Daily options Update is provided by Stock Specialist Paul Foster of theflyonthewall.com.

Option update: Gap September volatility elevated into EPS originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 20 Aug 2007 10:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

In a victory of hope over reason, shares in GAP (NYSE: GPS) are up 6% to $16.70 in pre-market trading. The

advance is odd because GAP's July same-store sales were off by 7%.

With the exception of its Banana Republic unit, which saw an increase of 4% in same-store sales compared to a drop of 1% in the same month last year, GAP had another rough month in the U.S. GAP North American dropped 6% on top of another 6% last year. Old Navy fell 9% compared to 5% in the same month in 2006.

GAP did announce that for the second quarter of fiscal 2007, the company expects diluted earnings per share on a GAAP basis between 17 and 18 cents.

Thomson Financial had forecast GAP same-store sales to be down 4.9%. But, the guidance must have fired up Wall Street.

Douglas A. McIntyre is a partner at 24/7 Wall St.

GAP (GPS) in logic: Sales down, shares up originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 09 Aug 2007 08:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Gap Inc. (NYSE: GPS) volatility Elevated into new CEO. GPS, the San Francisco based parent company of 3,200 Gap, Old Navy, and Banana Republic stores, appointed Glenn Murphy, 45, to serve as GPS's Chairman and CEO and as a member of the Board of Directors. Smith Barney upgraded GPS to Buy. SBSH says: "The new CEO can positively impact customer focus and in-store experience." GPS over all option implied volatility of 31 is above its 26-week average of 29 according to Track Data, suggesting larger price fluctuations.

Target Corp. (NYSE: TGT) volatility increases; TGT sells off after Ackman announces position. TGT closed at $62.10. William Ackman's Pershing Square owns a 9.6% position in TGT. Robert Ulrich, TGT's Chairman of the Board, filed to sell one million shares of TGT on 7/12 through SEC form 144. TGT August option implied volatility of 35 is above its 26-week average of 24 according to Track Data, suggesting larger price risks.

GlaxoSmithKline (NYSE: GSK) volatility Elevated into 7/30 FDA meeting on Avandia. GSK closed at $49.63. A FDA advisory committee meeting on 7/30/07 will review GSK's diabetes drug Avandia. The New England Journal of Medicine carried a story on 5/21 saying, Avandia "significantly increases" the risk of heart attack. Cowen says: "It is difficult to envision what GSK could present that would significantly alter FDA and prescriber sentiment." GSK August option implied volatility of 30 is above its 26-week average of 20 according to Track Data, suggesting larger risk.

General Motors Corp. (NYSE: GM) volatility Elevated on tighter credit and into 7/31 EPS. GM closed at $31.10. GM will report EPS on July 31st. GM August over all option implied volatility of 53 is above its 26-week average of 37 according to Track Data, suggesting larger risk.

Daily options Update is provided by Stock Specialist Paul Foster of theflyonthewall.com.

Option update 7-28-07: volatility elevated in Gap & Target; suggesting more risk originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 28 Jul 2007 11:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

This post is part of our Battle of the Brands feature. Let us know which brand you prefer, and watch out for more Battle of the Brands posts.

Every time I walk through a mall (not too often these days), I see a new "hip" store of which I was previously unaware. I can always count on a few mainstays, though ... the cell-phone-accessory kiosk manned by overly enthusiastic employees, the tantalizing aroma from Auntie Anne's pretzels, and the always tasteful novelty shops. In most malls, I can typically scope out the latest yuppie fashions in either Gap (NYSE: GPS) or Abercrombie & Fitch (NYSE: ANF) (and often-times both). Despite the encroachment of Hot Topic (NASDAQ: HOTT), Pacific Sunwear of California (NASDAQ: PSUN), and other trendy competitors, these two venerable names have stood the test of time, providing relatively affordable threads for men, women, and kids.

In addition to its eponymous chain, which was started in 1969, GPS runs the Old Navy and Banana Republic chains. The retailer's most recent experiment, Forth & Towne (created to appeal to thirty-something career woman) was a bust and has now been abandoned after 18 months. Same-store sales trends have turned south of late, dropping five percent in fiscal year 2005 and slumping seven percent last year. And during the past 12-month cycle, GPS has seen its quarterly earnings drop more than 35 percent. The stock is well off its highs, having lost two-thirds of its value since early 2000. With technical resistance bearing down in the form of the equity's 10-month and 20-month moving averages, relief might not be in sight for a while.

Continue reading The Gap or Abercrombie & Fitch: Who is more tragically hip?

The Gap or Abercrombie & Fitch: Who is more tragically hip? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 07 Apr 2007 14:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Gap Inc. (NYSE:GPS) clothing store announced last week that net sales for February 2007 were up 5% to $910 million as compared to $865 million for February 2006. However, in a bit of a twist, comparable sales for that period were down 4% from the same period in 2006. The decrease in comparable sales was across the board for all North American Gap divisions:

• Gap North America comparable sales for February 2007 were down 5%, slightly better than a 7% decrease posted for February 2006.
• Banana Republic North America comparable sales were flat, which is a big improvement over an 11% decrease for February 2006
• Old Navy North America comparable sales declined 6%, still better than the 14% decline recorded in February 2006.
• International sales showed a modest 2% increase, very good news when compared to a 14% decline for February 2006.

Gap opened 80 additional retail locations between February 2006 and February 2007. The company currently has 3,135 store locations. A Gap spokesman called the results expected given the challenging retail environment for Gap and Old Navy.

Gap shrinks at the Gap originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 13 Mar 2007 10:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.