Retail Stocks to Watch as Trading Activity Picks Up

February 24, 2012

Kohls Corporation (NYSE:KSS) reported its results for the fourth quarter. Net income for the department store fell to $455 million ($1.81 per share) vs. $494 million ($1.66 per share) a year earlier. This is a decline of 7.9% from the year-earlier quarter. Revenue fell 0.3% to $6.02 billion from the year-earlier quarter. Kohls Corporation was about in line with expectations as the mean analyst estimate of $1.80 per share. Analysts were expecting revenue of $6.07 billion.

Competitors to Watch: J.C. Penney Company, Inc. (NYSE:JCP), Sears Holdings Corporation (NASDAQ:SHLD), Macy’s, Inc. (NYSE:M), The Bon-Ton Stores, Inc. (NASDAQ:BONT), Dillard’s, Inc. (NYSE:DDS), Saks Incorporated (NYSE:SKS), Nordstrom, Inc. (NYSE:JWN), Wal-Mart (NYSE:WMT), Nordstrom (NYSE:JWN), The TJX Companies (NYSE:TJX), Target Corporation (NYSE:TGT), Overstock.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:OSTK), and QKL Stores Inc (NASDAQ:QKLS).

OfficeMax Incorporated (NYSE:OMX) reported a lower net income in fourth quarter, missing analysts’ estimates. Net income for the specialty retail company fell to $3.4 million (3 cents per share) vs. $12.7 million (14 cents per share) a year earlier. This is a decline of 73.2% from the year-earlier quarter. Revenue rose 3.9% to $1.84 billion from the year-earlier quarter. OfficeMax Incorporated fell short of the mean analyst estimate of 16 cents per share. Analysts were expecting revenue of $1.8 billion.

“We closed out a challenging 2011 by continuing to streamline our operations and strengthen the core business,” said Ravi Saligram, President and CEO of OfficeMax. “We are making progress in executing the strategic plan we announced in November.”

Competitors to Watch: Staples, Inc. (NASDAQ:SPLS), Office Depot, Inc. (NYSE:ODP), China Stationery and Office Supply, Inc. (CSOF), Paper Warehouse Inc. (PWHSQ), United Stationers Inc. (NASDAQ:USTR), Stamps.com Inc. (NASDAQ:STMP), Tiimari Oyj (TII1V), and Papelaria Fernandes – Indust. e Comer.SA (PFEAP).

To contact the reporter on this story: Derek Hoffman at staff.writers@wallstcheatsheet.com

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Damien Hoffman at editors@wallstcheatsheet.com