Update Nov. 26, 2008: See all 2008 Black Friday deals.

Hip retailer Urban Outfitters Inc. (NASDAQ: URBN) is expected to post earnings 22.9% higher than a year ago, to $0.35 per share, on revenue of $475.9 million (+26.4%). The Philadelphia-based company already said that same-store sales in the quarter were 10% higher. Urban Outfitters has beat expectations in recent quarters, by 11.5% in the previous quarter, and analysts on average recommend buying URBN. Shares fell to a 52-week low of $16.61 per share on Friday, and are down 29.5% from a year ago. Other companies expected to report more modest earnings growth in the coming week include watch and accessory maker Fossil Inc. (NASDAQ: FOSL), retail giant Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (NYSE: WMT), and TJX Companies Inc. (NYSE: TJX), parent of such discount retail chains as T.J. Maxx and Marshalls. These three companies have tended to top analysts estimates in recent quarters, and Fossil and TJX ended the week near their 52-week lows.

While Los Angeles-based American Apparel Inc. (AMEX: APP) had a strong second quarter, the casual wear maker is expected to report $0.13 per share earnings for the third quarter, the same as in the year-ago period. And analysts anticipate that Kohl's Corp. (NYSE: KSS) will report that profits fell 16.4% to $0.51 per share on revenue of $3.9 billion (+1.9%). Though same-store sales for October fell 9%, the Menomonee Falls, Wis.-based company reaffirmed its third-quarter forecast. Kohl's has offered positive surprises in recent quarters, topping estimates by 5.6% in the previous quarter. The consensus recommendation remains to buy KSS. Shares have been climbing after reaching a 52-week low in late October, but are still down 32.8% from a year ago.

Continue reading The week in preview: Macy's, Nordstrom, Abercrombie, JCPenney, and Kohl's

The week in preview: Macy's, Nordstrom, Abercrombie, JCPenney, and Kohl's originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 09 Nov 2008 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MOST NOTEWORTHY:

• Citigroup downgraded shares of BEA Systems (NASDAQ: BEAS) to Hold from Buy on valuation following the $17/share offer by Oracle (NASDAQ: ORCL) as they think a public bidding war for the company is unlikely.
  
• ABN Amro downgraded shares of Nokia Corporation (NYSE: NOK) to Hold from Buy on valuation and believes above consensus Q3 results are already priced into shares.
  
• Wachovia downgraded Medco Health Solutions (NYSE: MHS) to Market Perform from Outperform on valuation.
  
• The firm also downgraded Quest Diagnostics (NYSE: DGX) to Market Perform from Outperform, as they believe the prospects from stabilizing volumes and cost savings are reflected in valuation and Street estimates.
  
• Credit Suisse downgraded shares of PetSmart (NASDAQ: PETM) to Neutral from Outperform citing aggressive pricing at Petco, accelerating growth initiatives, limited visibility around expense management, and lack of consistent results.

• Methanex Corporation (NASDAQ: MEOH) was downgraded to Sector Underperformer from Sector Performer at CIBC.
  
• Rochdale downgraded Heico Corporation (NYSE: HEI) to Neutral from Buy.
  
• JP Morgan downgraded BankUnited Financial Corp (NASDAQ: BKUNA) to Neutral from Outperform and removed Qwest Communications (NYSE: Q) from its Focus List.
  
• Goldman removed MetLife (NYSE: MET) from its Conviction Buy List.
  
• Coldwater Creek (NASDAQ: CWTR) was downgraded to Hold from Buy at Standford and at Stifel.

Analyst downgrades: BEAS, NOK, MHS, DGX and PETM originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 15 Oct 2007 11:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Quickly, now, name three states where upscale women's clothing retailers are headquartered. Was Idaho one of them? No? It should have been.

Coldwater Creek (NASDAQ: CWTR) is a specialty retailer of women's apparel, accessories, jewelry and gift items. The merchandise is directed toward the 35 and over group, through some 250 U.S. retail stores. The Sandpoint, Idaho firm also publishes four catalogs and operates a web site. Competitors include Jones Apparel Group (NYSE: JNY) and Liz Claiborne (NYSE: LIZ).

The firm pleased investors last week, when it reported Q1 EPS of 13 cents and revenues of $281.3 million. Analysts had been looking for 9 cents and $264.5 million. Management also boosted Y07 EPS guidance from 55-63 cents to 61-67 cents and FY07 revenues from $1.23-1.27 billion to $1.26-1.28 billion. Two Wall Street brokerages subsequently declared the stock a "strong buy" and three others called it a "buy".

Continue reading Coldwater Creek: High fashion for boomers

Coldwater Creek: High fashion for boomers originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 04 Jun 2007 10:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Last night after the closing bell, Coldwater Creek (NASDAQ: CWTR) released its earnings for the first quarter. Net income rose 4% at the women's apparel retailer, hitting $12 million, or 13 cents per share. Revenue, meanwhile, spiked 31% to $281.3 million. Both of these figures topped analysts' expectations; the consensus estimate called for per-share results of eight cents on $264.5 million in revenue.

Same-store sales were 7.3% higher, while total sales jumped 44% to $184.9 million. Catalog net sales were off 1.7%, but internet sales jumped up 18.5%.

CWTR shares surged in after-hours trading, jumping more than 13% to overcome the $23.50 mark. Should this move materialize in today's market action, it would effectively lift the stock to a new five-month high, closing the bear gap created in mid-January. A move above the 23 region would also force the shares above their 10-month and 20-month moving averages, trendlines that have acted as technical resistance during the past five months.

Beth Gaston Moon is an analyst at Schaeffer's Investment Research.

Coldwater Creek beats the Street originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 30 May 2007 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Cramer's 2 Retail Picks originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 18 Dec 2006 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

• Citing tough comps and slowing consumer spending for their neutral stance, The Walt Disney Co. (NYSE:DIS) was initiated with a Sector Performer at Pacific Crest.
• Prudential initiated International Business Machines Corp (NYSE:IBM) with a Neutral rating and $100 target, and explained that Service bookings growth for the year will likely be negative and backlog growth continues to be stuck in neutral.
• Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (NYSE:AMD) was started with a Sell rating and $13 target at Nollenberger, as they believe shares are "vulnerable" in 2007 in terms of CPU/GPU market share and ASP declines;
• additionally, Nollenberger started Texas Instruments Inc. (NYSE:TXN) with a Buy rating and $34 target, as they believe Texas Instruments should continue to be able to gain market share in all of its markets.

• Cowen resumed coverage of Urban Outfitters Inc. (NASDAQ:URBN) with a Neutral rating; they would look to buy shares on a modest pullback.
• Lehman Brothers initiated shares of Coldwater Creek Inc. (NASDAQ:CWTR) with an Overweight rating and $29 target.

Analyst initiations 12-18-06: DIS, IBM, AMD, TXN originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 18 Dec 2006 11:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Jo-Ann Stores and Lowe's rock Black Friday, dollar stores don't originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 27 Nov 2006 13:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Cramer recommends Coldwater Creek originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 13 Nov 2006 19:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.