There are retailers, and then there are retailers. 'Accessible luxury' retailer Coach Inc. (COH), once-again posted a strong earnings quarter despite challenging (to say the least) retail conditions, earning 50 cents per share in the third quarter, above Thomson/Reuters First Call third quarter EPS estimates of 46 cents per share.

Coach earned 36 cents per share a year ago, in the third quarter of fiscal 2009.

The company also said it would double its annual dividend to 60 cents per share starting in July, and added that its board has authorized the purchase of up to $1 billion in shares by June 30, 2012.

Coach Inc. (COH) is one of those plays that makes you smile, due to its sweet-spot market position, and it goes without saying that I'm reiterating my buy rating for the company's shares, first recommended on April 13, 2009, at a price of $18.22.

If you bought COH in April 2009, you're up an impressive 90%. If you didn't, don't fret: there's more upside ahead with Coach.

This post is one in a series on prominent company nicknames. See all 25, and share your thoughts and memories about Needless Markup below in the comments.

Neiman Marcus may be the most successful upscale retail department chain that selected shoppers love to hold a grudge against.

The chain caters to primarily female, upper-income and upper-middle shoppers, and features designer lines that rival boutique (and beyond) price levels.

Further, while some of the products are decidedly exclusive, some are not or appear to not be, according to shoppers, but the prices of these items remain in the stratosphere, and it is for this reason that the store was tagged with the nickname "Needless Markup."

Here's a classic example. About a year ago Marie Lang, sister of yours truly, was searching for a leather shoulder bag. She found a medium brown, designer bag she liked for $1,200 at Neiman Marcus. However, being a discerning/critical comparison shopper, Marie of course took a few days to scout the competition.

The result? She found a comparable shoulder bag at Bloomingdale's for $595. Had she been willing to take a slightly smaller bag, she could have secured one for $395.

Every so often, when time and the environment take their toll, my wife goes shopping for a new purse. Although she avoids heavily labeled items, she is occasionally tempted by the rows of fake Prada, Louis Vuitton, and Gucci purses offered by our local sidewalk-based merchant. While designers might disagree, my wife (like many others) sees cheap bags as a harmless bit of fun, a little bit of playful fake prestige that she can pick up for less than the price of a steak.

Last year, however, a Canadian con artist was accused of expanding the repertoire of imitation Guccis, offering fake stock options in the the Gucci Group. Claiming that he was a member of the Gucci board and was tasked with creating an influx of cash, Timothy Khan sold over $7 million in nonexistent Gucci stock in 1995. By 1996, the investor who had purchased the counterfeit stock was demanding that Khan sell it. Offering a variety of excuses, backed up by a variety of seemingly official documents, Khan held on to the investor's money for a further eleven years. On March 19, Khan pled guilty to two counts of securities fraud and wire fraud. Each count carries a maximum sentence of twenty years in jail, and Khan's sentencing is set for June and will be held in Manhattan federal court.

Suddenly, a $20 knockoff purse doesn't seem like such a big deal!

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.

Financial Data

An examination of the financial data indicates that Saks Inc. (NYSE: SKS), with a market capitalization of $2.2 billion, is up about 15% to $20.50 so far in 2007. Meanwhile, Nordstrom Inc. (NYSE: JWN) has not fared as well: Nordstrom, with a market capitalization of $10.9 billion, is up about 3% to $50.80.

Products

In general, Nordstrom appears to carry a wider product line than Saks. One example would be women's apparel, where Nordstrom's line was more-extensive. Nordstrom also offered cocktail dresses in the $140 to $160 range, whereas Saks did not. That said, Saks appeared to do a better job at dress line selection: their line of black dresses was exceptional, with both contemporary and modern styles displaying eye-catching, striking/confident characteristics. Further, Saks appeared to be willing to reach slightly into Nordstrom's zone by offering black dresses as low as $180 to $200. Otherwise, Saks remained in its price zone, which was substantially higher, across apparel lines, than Nordstrom.

And that's perhaps another distinguishing characteristic between the two upscale retailers. While both Saks and Nordstrom serve the high-end consumer, Saks stays there, while Nordstrom carries many lines for the "mid-range" high-end consumer. One example here would be women's handbags: Nordstrom had several lines and styles (including leather bags) in the $200 to $300 range, whereas Saks for the most part remained in the stratosphere, with handbags above $800. Further, bag prices at Saks quickly moved above $1,200. That said, Saks, again, appeared to best Nordstrom in women's handbags; their Dolce & Gabbana and Bottega Veneta lines offered contemporary-yet-functional characteristics for that smart and sophisticated professional look.

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.

Recently, someone told me that only 1% of all Louis Vuitton handbags in the world are authentic, which is quite surprising considering how many people, young and old, tote the luxury status symbols. I guess what most of them don't realize is that some of these bags are the real McCoy, while it seems a lot more are just reproductions. Several weeks ago, I posted Coach bags: You're just not worthy because Coach Inc. (NYSE: COH) was stepping up their luxury handbag game with a new, more exclusive line of bags priced from $10,000 to $500 and adding hoity-toity boutiques to bring in a more elite clientele.

While both Coach and Louis Vuitton (LVMH) (EPA: MC) already have classic and luxury goods status among many, it seems that both companies are grasping for the top rung of the handbag ladder. LVMH may seem to be ahead of the game, since A-list celebrities such as Uma Thurman, Naomi Campbell, Scarlett Johansson, and even rapper Snoop Dog often travel in style and are photographed with LV bags. In comparison, I can't even think of an instance where I've spotted a celebrity with a Coach bag. After a quick Google search, I did however find a picture of Jessica Alba holding a cute Coach Daphne Straw Top Handle Bag ($168), which surprised me because most women I see with Coach bags tend to be older and middle class. In fact, a budding fashionista once told me that Coach bags were "mom" bags. So then it's understandable that Coach would spring this new Legacy line on us in a not-so-veiled attempt to lose its "mom" status.

Well known as being on the affordable end of designer handbags, Coach has become almost iconic when it comes to women's accessories. Coach, Inc. (NYSE:COH), the leading marketer of modern classic American accessories, is making a bad move by going upscale with its bags, jewelry, sunglasses and more. Just earlier this month, it announced an increase of 36% in earnings, but with what I consider to be a wrong turn in marketing that might leave a bad taste in the mouth of loyal consumers, who knows what will happen next.

Coach is rolling out a more exclusive line, called "Coach Legacy" aimed at higher-end consumers. The Coach Legacy line includes an alligator bag (retailing at $10,000), and leather bags that range from $495-795. It also will open concept boutiques in LA and NYC that according to the press release will "feature cream and mahogany awnings with a new horse and carriage logo, unique to the concept store... will be about 1,200 square feet, on one floor with two entrances, and will feature original restored copper façade," in addition other high end "layering of stylized visual and decorative elements will also reinforce the lifestyling of the brand." Except that hasn't been the lifestyling of the brand until now.