As the days begin to get a little shorter, people head out of town for August vacations, and summer internships come to an end, this can only mean one thing: It’s almost time to go back to school. As many parents go to great lengths to make sure their children don’t want for anything, a number of retailers stand to benefit from increases sales, and it presents a timely investment opportunity as well.
One area in which stand to gain is in clothing retailers, as everyone wants a new wardrobe before they go back to school. JC Penny (JCP) is one company that hopes to recover from a freefall as they have recently revamped their business model. Beyond that, people are still on the lookout for value at every turn, and this presents and opportunity for the companies under Urban Outfitters’ (URBN), Gap (GPS) and TJX (TJX) among others. Although in recent years these brands have been in and out of vogue, they believe they are currently well positioned to present consumers with value opportunities.
While kids certainly want to look good come September, they also need notepads to write on and computers to type. Leading the field in this sector is Staples (SPLS), and they should be helped by the fact that about ninety percent of shoppers said they plan to spend as much if not more than they did last year on back-to-school supplies. More people also said that they plan to spend on more expensive items like computers than they have in the past. Staples, along with competitors like OfficeMax (OMX) and Office Depot (ODP), could profit off of these trends.
Business Section: Investment Ideas
Will you be spending the more on back-to-school than you did last September, and do you expect the rest of America to as well? We have assembled a list of some of the hottest back-to-school stocks worth keeping an eye on in the coming weeks. Use this to start your research.
Interactive Chart: Use the Compar-O-Matic to compare analyst ratings for the stocks mentioned below:
1. J. C. Penney Company, Inc. (JCP, Earnings, Analysts, Financials): J. C. Penney Company, Inc., through its subsidiary, J. C. Penney Corporation, Inc., operates department stores in the United States and Puerto Rico. Market cap at $4.68B, most recent closing price at $21.40.
2. Gap Inc. (GPS, Earnings, Analysts, Financials): Operates as a specialty retailing company. Market cap at $16.95B, most recent closing price at $34.64.
3. The TJX Companies, Inc. (TJX, Earnings, Analysts, Financials): Operates as an office products company. Market cap at $9.19B, most recent closing price at $13.33.
4. Staples, Inc. (SPLS, Earnings, Analysts, Financials): Operates as an office products company. Market cap at $9.19B, most recent closing price at $13.33.
5. OfficeMax Incorporated (OMX, Earnings, Analysts, Financials): Distributes business-to-business and retail office products. Market cap at $455.36M, most recent closing price at $5.26.
6. Office Depot, Inc. (ODP, Earnings, Analysts, Financials): Office Depot, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, supplies office products and services. Market cap at $462.63M, most recent closing price at $1.63.
Written by Dan Connelly
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Dig Deeper: Access Company Snapshots, Charts, Filings
- J. C. Penney Company, Inc. (JCP, Chart, Download SEC Filings)
- Gap Inc. (GPS, Chart, Download SEC Filings)
- The TJX Companies, Inc. (TJX, Chart, Download SEC Filings)
- Staples, Inc. (SPLS, Chart, Download SEC Filings)
- OfficeMax Incorporated (OMX, Chart, Download SEC Filings)
- Office Depot, Inc. (ODP, Chart, Download SEC Filings)
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