BloggingStocks http://www.bloggingstocks.com BloggingStocks http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/media/feedlogo.gif BloggingStocks http://www.bloggingstocks.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Williams-Sonoma's Bumpy Uptrend Continues]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2011/03/14/williams-sonomas-uptrend/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2011/03/14/williams-sonomas-uptrend/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2011/03/14/williams-sonomas-uptrend/#commentsFiled under:

Williams-Sonoma (WSM) logoThe shares of upscale retailer Williams-Sonoma (WSM), first discussed here on December 14, 2009, at a price of $22.00, continue to push toward $40 in early 2011. If you haven't already, now may be a good time to consider taking some profits if you're in near $22 with WSM.

However, other investors who can tolerate the risk can maintain their full position, as a push beyond $45 by WSM in 2011 would not be a stretch, but the sell/stop loss has been raised to $28 from $22 to lock-in some profits.

Continue reading Williams-Sonoma's Bumpy Uptrend Continues

Williams-Sonoma's Bumpy Uptrend Continues originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 14 Mar 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Pottery Barnretail stocksWillams-SonomaWSMMon, 14 Mar 2011 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Williams-Sonoma: Time to Take Some Profits?]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2011/01/10/williams-sonoma-time-to-take-some-profits/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2011/01/10/williams-sonoma-time-to-take-some-profits/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2011/01/10/williams-sonoma-time-to-take-some-profits/#commentsFiled under:

Upscale retailer Williams-Sonoma (WSM), first discussed here on December 14, 2009 at a price of $22.00, cleared $30 resistance last autumn and also tested $37 before pulling back some, and now may be a good time to consider taking some profits if you're in at/near $22.

Other investors who can tolerate the risk can maintain their full position, as a push to $40 by WSM in 2011 would not be a stretch, but there are risks.

Look for Sonoma's FY2012 sales to increase 6-8%, after a likely 10-12% surge (albeit against easy comparisons), in FY2011. Same store sales in FY2012 will probably rise 3-4%.

Continue reading Williams-Sonoma: Time to Take Some Profits?

Williams-Sonoma: Time to Take Some Profits? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 10 Jan 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>pottery barnretailWilliams-SonomaWSMMon, 10 Jan 2011 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Williams-Sonoma Popular with Investors After Q4 Report]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2010/03/22/williams-sonoma-popular-with-investors-after-q4-report/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2010/03/22/williams-sonoma-popular-with-investors-after-q4-report/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2010/03/22/williams-sonoma-popular-with-investors-after-q4-report/#commentsFiled under: ,

Williams-Sonoma (WSM), a retailer of high-end merchandise whose concepts include Pottery Barn and West Elm, reported results for the fourth quarter earlier today. If you were trading this name ahead of the numbers, you made out, because the market gave this stock a nice bid on the news.

On an adjusted basis, net income came in at 86 cents per share; the company made 31 cents per share in the comparable period on the same basis. According to our preview, the bottom line beat estimates by twelve pennies. Total sales revenue increased 8%. Same-store sales jumped a very attractive 7.6%; the metric was down double-digits last time around.

Continue reading Williams-Sonoma Popular with Investors After Q4 Report

Williams-Sonoma Popular with Investors After Q4 Report originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 22 Mar 2010 13:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BBBYbed bath and beyondBedBathAndBeyondpier 1 importsPier1ImportsPIRpottery barnPotteryBarnretailWest ElmWestElmwilliams-sonomaWSMMon, 22 Mar 2010 13:50:00 EST<![CDATA[Williams-Sonoma (WSM) may have found a bottom]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/01/02/williams-sonoma-wsm-may-have-found-a-bottom/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/01/02/williams-sonoma-wsm-may-have-found-a-bottom/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/01/02/williams-sonoma-wsm-may-have-found-a-bottom/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Back in late September, I suggested that investors should wait before investing in specialty retailer Williams-Sonoma Inc. (NYSE: WSM).

I argued then that the price tag for purchasing the company's goods was too high for most consumers in the current environment, as the days of easy money were over.

No more endless dollars from rising home values funding unlimited purchase of goods like furniture, beds and kitchen gadgets of the sort sold by WSM. This was evidenced by continuing declining earnings and same-store sales at the company.

In addition, I noted that Williams-Sonoma had any number of formidable competitors, which could put a strain on its profit margins. There will be a time to own this stock, I wrote, but that time hasn't arrived yet. I foresaw another 20% decline in the shares.

As it turned out, there was a lot more than 20% more downside to the stock -- more like 75% before the stock finally found a bottom as Thanksgiving approached. A brief rally ensued, but a miserable Black Friday sent most shares in the retail sector quickly south again.

Continue reading Williams-Sonoma (WSM) may have found a bottom

Williams-Sonoma (WSM) may have found a bottom originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 02 Jan 2009 11:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>consumer spendingConsumerSpendingdlugoschfeaturedpottery barnPotteryBarnretailretail stocksretailersRetailStockswilliams-sonomawsmFri, 02 Jan 2009 11:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Williams-Sonoma (WSM) drops 10% on reduced earnings guidance]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/01/15/williams-sonoma-wsm-drops-10-on-reduced-earnings-guidance/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/01/15/williams-sonoma-wsm-drops-10-on-reduced-earnings-guidance/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/01/15/williams-sonoma-wsm-drops-10-on-reduced-earnings-guidance/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Williams-Sonoma, Inc. (NYSE: WSM), parent of the eponymous chain for discerning chefs and the Pottery Barn brand of home furnishings and domestics, roared to a 10% drop in Tuesday's session after reducing its fourth-quarter and full-year earnings outlooks.

It appears as though the malaise that washed over American consumers in the 2007 holiday shopping season had an impact on WSM as well. Same-store sales in the nine-week holiday shopping period ended December 30 were down 0.4%, with notable weakness in the home-furnishings area. The company now expects same-store sales in the fourth quarter to be flat to down 1.5%, down from an earlier expectation for an increase of 0.5% to 2.5%. Reuters reported that company CEO, Howard Lester admitted "...the macro environment did weaken and traffic slowed even further than we anticipated" in the fourth quarter.

Naturally, sales numbers have a profound impact on the bottom line, so these sinking figures trickled down to effect per-share earnings expectations. WSM reduced its projected range for the fourth quarter to $1.11 to $1.14 per share, on revenue of $1.36 billion to $1.39 billion. This is below earlier expectations for per-share earnings of $1.19 to $1.25 on revenue of $1.39 billion to $1.42 billion. Based on these previous targets, analysts were estimating per-share results of $1.20 per share on $1.39 billion in sales, according to Reuters.

Continue reading Williams-Sonoma (WSM) drops 10% on reduced earnings guidance

Williams-Sonoma (WSM) drops 10% on reduced earnings guidance originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 15 Jan 2008 18:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>earningsguidancePottery barnPotteryBarnWSMTue, 15 Jan 2008 18:42:00 EST<![CDATA[Home decor stores a victim of their own success]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/03/25/home-decor-stores-a-victim-of-their-own-success/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/03/25/home-decor-stores-a-victim-of-their-own-success/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/03/25/home-decor-stores-a-victim-of-their-own-success/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

These are tough times for retail sellers of home furnishings and decorative products. Take a look at the five-year charts for Bombay Company Inc. (NYSE:BBA) and Pier 1 Imports (NYSE:PIR), two of the leaders in the category:

Continue reading Home decor stores a victim of their own success

Home decor stores a victim of their own success originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 25 Mar 2007 08:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Bombay CompanyBombayCompanyCharlie MungerHomegoodsPier 1 ImportsPier1ImportsPottery BarnPotteryBarnStephen HochStephenHochTargetTGTTJXWilliams-SonomaSun, 25 Mar 2007 08:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Target accused of stealing product designs from Williams-Sonoma]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/01/03/target-accused-of-stealing-product-designs-from-williams-sonoma/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/01/03/target-accused-of-stealing-product-designs-from-williams-sonoma/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/01/03/target-accused-of-stealing-product-designs-from-williams-sonoma/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Ah -- I was waiting for news like this. Target -- the trendy and large discount retailer that has stores all over the nation competing just fine with larger Wal-Mart -- has been accused by upscale (and sky-high priced) retailer Williams-Sonoma of copying product designs of everything from Christmas stockings to votive candle holders.

This is not the first time that Target Corporation (NYSE:TGT) has been accused of design poaching. Brand name retailers with insane margins have been known to target discount chains that have similar product offerings without the similar retail price tag. What else can they do? Protecting those fat margins has to be done somehow, so when a similar product is offered at a discount price and at a discount retailer, the lawyers (as always) lather up for a nice herbal bath of sorts.

The suit by Williams-Sonoma Inc. (NYSE: WSM) "suggests" Target hides behind its vendors, which might indemnify the corporation from such lawsuits, at the same time it specifies precisely what products look like. Hmm -- this sounds like just about every retailer I've ever studied. How a lawsuit can proceed on such a flimsy pretense is beyond me, but it will be interesting to see how Target settles here -- and it will settle -- it has before; often quietly and out-of-court. It's a shame Williams-Sonoma can't copyright the blue sky and snowflake designs on its overpriced Christmas merchandise. Dang.

Target accused of stealing product designs from Williams-Sonoma originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 03 Jan 2007 15:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Pottery BarnPotteryBarnTarget Corp.Target StoresTargetCorp.TargetStoresTGTWilliams-SonomaWed, 03 Jan 2007 15:46:00 EST