• Aeropostale (NYSE:ARO) posted fourth quarter earnings after the close, which were below Zacks estimates of $1 at 99 cents on a 16.1% rise in revenues to $801 million versus estimates of $794 million. The firm also announced a 3-for-2 stock split and an increase in fiscal first quarter guidance

• National Semiconductor (NYSE:NSM) reported a fiscal third quarter earnings and revenue beat after the close.  The company reported earnings of 22 cents, versus Zacks estimates of 18 cents as a 24% revenue gain drove sales to $362 million versus Zacks estimates of to $346 million

• Pall Corp (NYSE:PLL) posted a fiscal first quarter earnings miss after the close Thursday. Earnings of 42 cents were below Zacks estimates of 47 cents, as revenue of $560 million was below Zacks estimates of $592 million. The firm also provided fiscal 2010 earnings guidance

• Societe Generale started coverage of Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS) with a “buy" rating and a

...

Aeropostale Inc. (ARO) – a specialty retailer of casual apparel and accessories, targeting children, young men and women – recently raised its fourth quarter 2009 earnings outlook.   The mall-based retailer now expects fourth-quarter earnings in the range of $1.41 to $1.42 per share, up from its previous view of $1.33 to $1.34, which reflects an increase of 40% to 41% from $1.01 posted in the fourth quarter of last year.   The better-than-expected results for the four-week period ended Jan 30, 2010 have prompted management to boost its fourth-quarter earnings guidance.   Aeropostale’s comparable-store sales for January jumped 6%, compared to an increase of 11% in the same month a year ago. Year-to-date comps climbed 10%, compared to a rise of 8% posted in the same period last year.   New York-based Aeropostale said that total sales for January surged 15% to $111.2 million from $96.5 ...

Consumers Love This Trendy Teen Retailer… And Your Portfolio Will, Too

by Jeannette Di Louie, Investment U Research Friday, January 22, 2010

Investing in retail can be risky these days, unless you invest in clothing retailers, where it’s completely insane.

High jobless rates and continuing economic fears have Western consumers edgy. And since they’re tightening their belts, last year’s pair of slacks will work just fine, thank you very much.

Worse still for the retail sector…

The International Monetary Fund recently warned of a possible double-dip recession. Two months ago, the U.S. Federal Reserve admitted that unemployment should stay high through 2012.

Even if the U.S. economy did grow during the final quarter of 2009, consumers and investors alike are still apt to be cautious as 2010 unfolds. With finding winning stocks a much more tricky task these days, many investors are getting back to

...

Aeropostale Inc. (ARO) – a specialty retailer of casual apparel and accessories targeting young women, men and children – recently reported sales results for the five-week period ended January 2, 2010.   Aeropostale’s comparable-store sales for December climbed 10% compared to an increase of 12% posted in the same month last year. Year-to-date comps increased 10% compared to an increase of 8% in the same period last year.   Net sales for December jumped 17% to $460.8 million from $392.7 million delivered in the same month last year. Year-to-date net sales climbed 18% to $2,118 million from $1,789 million posted in the same period last year.   Aeropostale hinted that its merchandise margins for December have increased substantially compared to the same month last year, and inventories were well managed.   Better-than-expected results for the month have prompted management to raise its earnings guidance for the fourth quarter of ...

• Comcast/GE confirmed the $30 billion Universal deal, with Comcast (NASDAQ:CMCSA) owning and 49% General Electric (NYSE:GE) ownership

• Bank of America (NYSE:BAC) upgraded Weyerhaeuser (NYSE:WY) to "buy" from "neutral" with a price target of $47, up from $41

• Toll Brothers (NYSE:TOL) reported a third-quarter loss of 68 cents a share, wider than the expected 43 cent loss, as revenues of $486 million were ahead of estimates of $421 million

• Aeropostale (NYSE:ARO) earned 92 cents in the third quarter, one cent above Zacks estimates, on inline revenues of $568 million.  The firm said it expects fourth-quarter earnings of $1.20 to $1.24 a share

• Bank of America (NYSE:BAC) was upgraded by FBR, with the price target raised to $20 from $15

Zacks Investment Research

Companies featured in this edition of the newsletter: ACTC, ENZ, NWCI, OMCM, ONBI, PHC, XSNX

Markets continued to display strength early on during this holiday shortened week, only to be led lower on Friday by concerns stemming from the announcement that the UAE was attempting to restructure debt with potentially adverse effects on lenders, chiefly, European banks. All told, the Dow finished marginally in negative territory, losing 0.1% on the week, surrendering 8 points to close at 10309, up 17.5% on the year. The Nasdaq performed slightly worse, losing 0.4% to close at 2138, while the S&P 500 finished the week flat and the Russell 2000 lost 1.3% to put their yearly gains at 20.8% and 15.6% respectively.

Stronger than expected Existing Home Sales reported on Monday helped indices climb to their highest levels of the week, as sales in October rose 10.1% to 6.1 million homes, handily beating

...

Stocks broke a four-day losing streak, helped by better-than-projected August sales from retailers but the advance was lukewarm as investors chose to play it safe ahead of today’s non-farm payrolls report.  After touching their 2009 highs, stocks have drifted lower this week on concerns that a major correction is in the offing.  Sentiments are also shaky as September has historically been a rough month for stocks.  

Yesterday, the 30-stock Dow Jones industrial average finished higher by 63.94 points, or 0.69%, at 9,344.61.  The broad Standard & Poor's 500-stock index rose 8.49 points, or 0.85%, at 1,003.24, closing above 1,000 for the first time since Monday; the technology-laden Nasdaq composite index gained 16.13 points, or 0.82%, to 1,983.20.  Twenty two of the thirty DJIA components advanced.

Although stocks traded in a tight range yesterday, the final hour of trading witnessed activity as traders picked up technology and financial stocks.  Better-than-expected

...

We're going to stay in retail for a second straight day and highlight Brown Shoe Company, Inc. (BWS), which is up about 9% today.

< ?DART(15);?> This Zacks #1 Rank Top Performer from the retail - apparel/shoe industry comes a day after women's specialty retailer AnnTaylor Stores (ANN) was featured.

Retail is one of the better-represented spaces on the Zacks #1 Rank List at the moment. Including BWS, there are 7 other companies from the industry on the list: Aeropostale (ARO), Cato Corp. (CTR), Charlotte Russe (CHIC), Genesco (GCO), J. Crew Group (JCG), Men's Wearhouse (MW) and Stein Mart, Inc. (SMRT).

Earnings Estimates

Analysts currently expect a loss of 2 cents per share for this fiscal year, which ends January 2010. The result has narrowed significantly from a loss of 38 cents 2 months ago.

...

For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL - May 18, 2009 - Zacks.com releases the list of companies likely to issue earnings surprises. This week's list includes Deere & Co. (DE), Home Depot (HD), Lowe's (LOW), Target (TGT), Aeropostale (ARO) and Gap Inc. (GAP). To see more earnings analysis, visit http://at.zacks.com/?id=3207.

Every day, Zacks.com makes 4 stock picks available, free of charge. To see them, go to http://at.zacks.com/?id=3567.

The Week's Events

First-quarter earnings season nears an end with Deere & Co. (DE), Home Depot (HD), Lowe's (LOW) and Target (TGT) reporting. Joining them will be 15 other members of the S&P 500. In total, we have confirmed reports from 124 companies.

There is not much on the economic calendar, though the minutes from the

...

A.F. analysts clash… can the niche retailer survive the credit crunch?…Crisis begets steadfast citizens… Americans move about the country at lowest rate in 47 years…A long-term outlook on the American stock market…The latest sector to catch Chris Mayer’s attention…U.K. launches historic spending spree, hikes taxes to 50%..

If the credit-strapped suburban mall culture is truly on the rocks, how long do you think this can survive:

Lady Amaranth, Goth Temptress

Among our analysts, a debate brews at the heart of the current consumer conundrum: “Cutting-edge apparel retailer Hot Topic,” writes Wayne Burritt, about the purveyor of goth clothing and lip-piercing paraphernalia, “is loaded with attractive fundamentals and technicals, while its call options offer an oversized premium. Hot Topic is a mall and Web-based specialty retailer that has a proven track record in the often-fickle teen

...