Retail Recap: Winners SHLD, PLCE, PIR, TGT, LTD, ZUMZ, KSS, CATO, JWN, TJX, M, ARO; Losers GME, BKS, HOTT

December same store sales were reported today and overall results were better than expected. A number of retail giants raised their EPS guidance as a results of the strong numbers.

Some Winners:

• Sears Holdings (NASDAQ: SHLD) Kmart December comps were up 5.3%, QTD was 2.6% higher, and YTD was down 0.7%. Sears Domestic had December comps of (4.3%), QTD comps down 6%, and YTD comps down 8.8%. Total December comps up 0.4%, QTD comps down 2%, and YTD comps down 5.2%. We currently expect net income attributable to Holdings' shareholders for the quarter ending January 30, 2010 will be between $385 million and $465 million, or between $3.36 and $4.06 per diluted share (cons is $2.65) Shares up 14%
  
• Children's Place Retail Stores, Inc. (NASDAQ: PLCE) Comparable retail sales, which include online sales, increased 4% in December 2009. Shares 7% higher
  
• Pier 1 Imports, Inc. (NYSE: PIR) December comparable store sales increased 8.6%. Shares up 7%
  
• Target (NYSE: TGT) reports a 1.8% rise in December comps. Sales for the month totaled $9.74 billion, up 5% from the same period last year. Sees Q4 EPS meeting or beating $1.11Shares up 1%
  
• Limited Brands (NYSE: LTD) Same store sales fell 2%. Raises its Q4 EPS guidance from $0.71-$0.86 to $0.92-$0.97. The Street consensus is currently $0.83. Shares up 3%
  
• Zumiez Inc. (NASDAQ: ZUMZ) comparable store sales increased 0.3% for the five-week period, versus a comparable store sales decrease of 12.3% in the year ago period. Shares up 14%
  
• Kohl's Corporation (NYSE: KSS) December comparable store basis increased 4.7%; raising Q4 EPS from $1.14 to $1.24 to $1.28 to $1.30 per diluted share. The consensus is $1.28. Shares flat
  
• Cato Corporation (NYSE: CATO) said December Same-store sales rose 7%. Now estimate fourth quarter earnings will be in the range of $0.20 to $0.22 per diluted share versus original guidance of $0.08 to $0.13 and $0.13 last year (cons $0.14). Indicated Higher
  
• Nordstrom, Inc. (NYSE: JWN) reported a 7.4 percent increase in December same-store sales. Nordstrom's quarter-to-date overall performance exceeded its expectations. As a result, the company anticipates earnings per share for fiscal year 2009 will exceed the previously announced outlook of $1.83 to $1.88. The consensus si $1.83. Shares up 3%
  
• The TJX Companies (NYSE: TJX) reports a 14% increase in December same store sales. Raises its Q4 EPS guidance to $0.82-$0.84, which compares to the Street estimate of $0.73. Shares up 4%
  
• Macy's, Inc. (NYSE: M) reports total sales for the month of November were $4.43 billion, up 0.7% from the same periTod last year. Same store sales up 1%. Raises its Q4 EPS guidance from $1.00-$1.05 to $1.14-$1.18, which compares to the Street estimate of $1.14. Shares up 2%
  
• Aeropostale, Inc. (NYSE: ARO) reports total sales for the month of November were $460.8 million, up 17% from the same period last year. Same store sales jump 10%. Raises its Q4 EPS guidance from $1.20-$1.24 to $1.33-$1.34, versus the consensus of $1.24. Shares up 2%

Some Losers:

• GameStop Corp. (NYSE: GME) December Comps down 8.6%. Lowers Q4 EPS to $1.25 to $1.29, versus the consensus of $1.57. Shares down 15%
  
• Barnes & Noble, Inc. (NYSE: BKS) store sales down 5%. Lowers Q4 EPS to 1.20 to $1.40, versus the consensus of $1.40. Shares down 4%
  
• Hot Topic, Inc. (Nasdaq: HOTT) Comps were down 4.6%. Lowers Q4 EPS to $0.18 to $0.20, from $0.23 to $0.26. Shares down 7%

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