Gas Down, Stocks Up, Good Weather: Retailers Will Have No Excuse

The retail sector got pummeled last winter by terrible weather (although this is a common excuse used by companies) and an economic recovery that had still barely touched the middle class, which should set them up for easier year-on-year comps when they start reporting holiday sales figures as early as this week. But a moderately good showing may not be enough to justify recent price moves.

“With gas prices down, equity markets up, and mother nature playing nice, retailers will have no excuses when results start pouring in,” write Sterne Agee analysts Charles Grom, Renato Basanta and John Parke in a January 6 report. “4Q comps will need to be noticeably stronger than market expectations, in our view, as the...