Ken Perkins
Ken Perkins
cold consumer experience good likely oil price prices remains sign spending winter
If the price of oil remains between $45 to $50 a barrel, that's not a good sign especially if we experience a very cold winter. Heating oil prices will go up and that's likely to dampen consumer spending during the winter months.
consumers felt gas growth higher job pinch prices
Consumers really felt the pinch of higher gas prices and job growth is stagnant.
earnings less order strong tech
Earnings are going to have to really go up in order for valuations to look attractive. Tech earnings are going to be strong but it's already more or less priced into the stocks,
apparel august bulk consumers indication month positive provide sales showing signs spending strongest
August is the big month because that's when the bulk of the back-to-school revenues are generated, ... But we got some very positive signs in July, especially with apparel sales showing the strongest monthly gains. Apparel sales are important because they provide the first indication of how consumers are spending their discretionary income.
built carry despite everybody holiday momentum next tough waiting whether year
Everybody is waiting to see whether they can carry the momentum they've built this year into next year despite the tough holiday period.
growth market prospects shape terrible
The market is in terrible shape and the prospects for growth are not good,
april december easter gain last low percent prior pushed sales time year
The last time Wal-Mart had a monthly same-store sales gain that low was back in December of 2000, with a 0.3 percent rise. Prior to that was in April of 1996, with a 0.2 percent gain. That was probably another year when Easter got pushed into April.
came carried marketing retailers sales strength
Sales really carried through at the end of the season, particularly for the mall-based stores. Some of the strength probably came from retailers really aggressively marketing and being really promotional.
concerned earnings hit investors sales unless
That's a pretty long stretch, and investors are concerned that earnings could take a hit unless sales improve.
complete egg laid
It was a complete egg that was laid there. By all accounts, they got killed in apparel.
began compared couple department group improving november percent performance positive profits quarters rise rose sales seen since stores tracking year
We haven't seen this kind of positive sales performance since we began tracking the group in November 2000. Fourth-quarter profits for department stores rose 5 percent compared to a 1 percent rise a year ago. We've now has a couple of quarters of improving trends.
opinion thrilled vote
We don't have an opinion or more importantly a vote one way or another. We're not thrilled with it ... but it's essentially up to the analysts.
both difficult facing form gain hurdle last limited percent retailers seen september year
We've already seen some big disappointments in both Limited and Ann Taylor. Up front, retailers are also facing their most difficult hurdle of the year in the form of a 6.1 percent gain racked up in September last year.
effect energy higher prices
We are going to see the effect of higher energy prices trickle up to the middle-income consumers.