Iconic, battle-honed retailer Macy's Inc. (M), first discussed here on June 17, 2009, at a price of $11.23, has pulled back slightly to about $23 after a better-than-decent run-up in 2010. But just view that dip as an opportunity to scoop up shares of a preferred company.

Further, the modifier "battle-honed" has been used because "Big M" has survived the worst U.S. economic contraction since the Great Depression, a downturn that hammered the retail sector.

Macy's should post a FY2012 same-store sales increase of 3% to 4%, followed by a similar rise in FY2013.

Continue reading Macy's: Indomitable, Iconic Retailer

Macy's: Indomitable, Iconic Retailer originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 13 Mar 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading U.S. Stock Futures Down on Libya Unrest

U.S. Stock Futures Down on Libya Unrest originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 22 Feb 2011 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Barnes & Noble, the Gap, RadioShack, and Sears -- that may sound like the lineup at the local mall, but in fact they are just a few of the retailers scheduled to step into the earnings spotlight this week. Following last week's disappointing January retail sales numbers from the Commerce Department but strong fourth-quarter reports from Abercrombie & Fitch (ANF) and Nordstrom (JWN), the coming week will offer plenty more data on the sector for investors to mull over.

Walmart

Bentonville-based Walmart (WMT) offered free holiday shipping, closed its Moscow office and named a chief merchandising officer during its fourth quarter. Analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters forecast earnings for that period to come to $1.31 per share, up from $1.17 in the same quarter of last year. The world's largest retailer also is expected to post revenues of $117.7 billion for the three months that ended in January. That's 3.5% more than a year earlier.

Continue reading Week in Preview: Walmart, Home Depot and More Retail Earnings

Week in Preview: Walmart, Home Depot and More Retail Earnings originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 20 Feb 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

On Thursday, Dillard's (DDS) announced that it plans to form a wholly-owned real estate investment trust. The company will transfer some of its properties to the REIT and then lease back the properties from the entity. The company said that the move may enhance its ability to access debt or preferred stock and improve its liquidity.

The market is currently pricing REITs at rich valuations, and the transaction will allow Dillard's to better monetize its significant real-estate assets. By transferring these holdings into a publicly traded REIT, Dillard's should be able to unlock additional shareholder value. According to Craig Johnson, an analyst at Customer Growth Partners, "the sum of the parts can be greater than the sum of the whole."

Continue reading Buy Select Retailers on Dillard's Move into REITs

Buy Select Retailers on Dillard's Move into REITs originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 21 Jan 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Hewlett-Packard (HPQ) to buy from neutral at UBS.
• Fluor (FLR) to overweight from neutral at JPMorgan.
• Macy's (M) to outperform from neutral at Credit Suisse.
• Canadian Solar (CSIQ), JA Solar (JASO) and HeartWare (HTWR) to buy from hold at Auriga.
• Ashford Hospitality (AHT) to outperform from market perform at FBR Capital.
• RenaissanceRe (RNR) to buy from neutral at Janney Capital.
• DCT Industrial (DCT) to market perform from underperform at Wells Fargo.
• Coeur d'Alene Mines (CDE) and Silver Standard (SSRI) to buy from hold at Deutsche Bank.
• Weatherford (WFT), Hercules (HERO), GulfMark Offshore (GLF), Tidewater (TDW) and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) to buy from hold, and Diamond Offshore (DO) to hold from underperform, at Jefferies.
• Ritchie Bros. (RBA) to buy from neutral at BofA/Merrill.
• AstraZeneca (AZN) to buy from hold at Citigroup.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: AA, AMD, AMR, AZN, CIT, GSK, HPQ, M, NVDA, PCX, SPWRA ...

Analyst Calls: AA, AMD, AMR, AZN, CIT, GSK, HPQ, M, NVDA, PCX, SPWRA ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 11 Jan 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Battle-honed retail chain Macy's (M), first discussed here on June 17, 2009, at a price of $11.23, has pulled-back slightly, after a better-than-decent run-up in 2010, but just view that dip as an opportunity to consider the shares.

Moreover, the modifier "battle-honed" has been used because iconic retailer Macy's has survived the worst U.S. economic contraction since the Great Depression -- a downturn that hammered the retail sector.

Continue reading Will Macy's Stock Vector to $30 and Beyond in 2011?

Will Macy's Stock Vector to $30 and Beyond in 2011? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 07 Jan 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Macy's to Create 725 Online Jobs

Macy's to Create 725 Online Jobs originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 04 Jan 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Macy's Down on Q3 News

Macy's Down on Q3 News originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 10 Nov 2010 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Even though Americans are still concerned about the economy, anemic employment growth and saving enough for the future, it looks like consumers are starting to make their way back to the malls and department stores -- which is a good sign for Phillips-Van Heusen (PVH).

Macy's (M) reported same store sales rose 4.8% during September, and JCPenney (JCP) reported same store sales rose 5.1% during the same period. This is music to Phillips-Van Heusen's ears because the company owns a large amount of floor space in both of these department stores.

Continue reading Ringing Up Profits for Phillips-Van Heusen

Ringing Up Profits for Phillips-Van Heusen originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 07 Oct 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Macy's: Uptrend Resumes After Summer Break

Macy's: Uptrend Resumes After Summer Break originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 06 Oct 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

On a down day for the markets, it's nice to see some strength. Macy's (M) is getting a healthy bid in response to the retailer's Q2 numbers. At least, that's what's happening at the time of this writing (hopefully, the stock can retain its green status through the closing bell). It's up over 4% to $20.23. Volume is rocking.

I'm wary of this equity, though. It fooled me the last time. After the Q1 report was released near the middle of May, I thought it might be an interesting trade idea. It has slid ever since, as the following chart indicates.

Continue reading Macy's Gets a Bid on Q2 News

Macy's Gets a Bid on Q2 News originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 11 Aug 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Goldman believes EOG Resources (EOG) can regain its premium multiple given its ability to find new horizontal liquids resource plays. The firm upgraded shares to conviction buy from buy and has a $129 price target on the stock.
• Deutsche Bank upgraded Macerich (MAC) to buy from hold following the company's Q2 results and raised its target for shares to $47 from $45.
• Needham upgraded QuinStreet (QNST) to strong buy from buy, citing the strong Q4 report and valuation, and has a $20 target on the stock.
• Macy's (M) was upgraded to buy from neutral at BofA/Merrill.
• Whole Foods (WFMI) was upgraded to buy from neutral at UBS.
• Texas Instruments (TXN) was upgraded to outperform from market perform at Raymond James.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: BBY, BWA, DGI, EOG, M, MAC, MR, NOC, TXN, WFMI ...

Analyst Calls: BBY, BWA, DGI, EOG, M, MAC, MR, NOC, TXN, WFMI ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 10 Aug 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Macy's Gets an Upgrade

Macy's Gets an Upgrade originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 01 Jun 2010 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Macy's Inc. (M) is trading higher today. With a little less than two hours to go before the close of the regular session, the retailer, whose competitors include The Gap Inc. (GPS) and Kohl's Corporation (KSS), was higher by 63 cents, or 2.6%, to $24.53. Volume was healthy.

The stock isn't far from the 52-week high of $25.25. The 52-week low is $10.27, so the equity has come a long way since it was stuck in the doldrums. The one-year chart shows a reasonably attractive uptrend. Earlier today, the company reported its Q1 numbers. How did they look?

Continue reading Macy's Improves in Q1: Is It a Buy?

Macy's Improves in Q1: Is It a Buy? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 12 May 2010 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Madonna Working a Deal with Macy's

Madonna Working a Deal with Macy's originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 23 Feb 2010 11:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

With reduced national income due to unemployment, reduced spending power due to tightened credit, reduced wealth due to falling home and stock market values and reduced confidence due to all of the above, we are seeing consumers take on new attitudes toward spending.

This "New Frugal" will not be a fad that passes quickly. U.S. consumers will continue to keep their purse strings tightened.

Continue reading Reason #3 to Short the U.S.: The 'New Frugal'

Reason #3 to Short the U.S.: The 'New Frugal' originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 31 Jan 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

I love my country: the chaos, the hurly-burly of democracy, the hard work of quiet people and the great, big heart as shown by our private donations to Haiti at a time of near 20% unemployment and underemployment. We forgive wayward politicians and athletes, let our children make more decisions than virtually any people on Earth and we stand for something -- a true city on a hill. But right now, that city is in political chaos ... and pretty broke.

Although, I don't like to say it, it is time to short the United States.

Continue reading Five Reasons to Short the U.S.

Five Reasons to Short the U.S. originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 30 Jan 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Goldman upgraded 3M Company (MMM) to conviction buy from buy, citing positive global industrial data, underappreciated organic growth and earnings momentum, among other reasons. The firm raised its target to $105 from $100.
• Citigroup upgraded Manpower (MAN) to buy from hold to reflect improvements in the temporary employment sector. The firm raised its target price on shares to $69 from $61.
• Baird upgraded Cerner (CERN) to outperform from neutral and raised its target to $104 from $89 based on Q4 bookings momentum, positive newsflow and reasonable valuation.
• Dow Chemical (DOW) was upgraded to overweight from equal weight at Barclays.
• Magna International (MGA) was upgraded to outperform from market perform at Wells Fargo.

Continue reading Analyst Upgrades, Downgrades and Initiations: AOL, DOW, KSS, LMT, MAN, MMM, SONC ...

Analyst Upgrades, Downgrades and Initiations: AOL, DOW, KSS, LMT, MAN, MMM, SONC ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 06 Jan 2010 11:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

From TheStreet.com Network

• Five Cheap Stocks With Room to Grow
• Wal-Mart Rivals Safety of U.S. Government

Continue reading Cramer on BloggingStocks: Macy's has undone mistakes of the past

Cramer on BloggingStocks: Macy's has undone mistakes of the past originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 08 Dec 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Macy's (M) reported third-quarter numbers on Wednesday, and although the bottom line beat estimates, shares of the retailer plunged over 8% on high volume. And I don't blame the market whatsoever for deciding to sell the company down.

Macy's said it lost, on an adjusted basis, 3 cents per share. The call was for a loss of 7 cents per share, according to Earnings.com. Okay, I guess we can say losing less money than expected is a good thing. However, looking at the sales numbers really makes me pause. Total sales declined 3.9%, and same-store sales contracted 3.6%.

Continue reading Macy's tops estimates, but market not impressed

Macy's tops estimates, but market not impressed originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 12 Nov 2009 10:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.