Get 40% Off
🤯 This Tech Portfolio is up 29% YTD! Join Now to Get April’s Top PicksGet The Picks – Just 99 USD

The Zacks Analyst Blog Highlights: Amazon, Macy's, JC Penney's, Kohl's And Dillard's

Published 04/20/2017, 09:30 PM
Updated 07/09/2023, 06:31 AM

For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – April 21, 2017 – Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN Free Report ), Macy’s (NYSE: M Free Report ), JC Penney’s (NYSE: JCP Free Report ), Kohl’s (NYSE: KSS Free Report ) and Dillard’s (NYSE: DDS Free Report ).

Today, Zacks is promoting its ''Buy'' stock recommendations. Get #1Stock of the Day pick for free .

Here are highlights from Thursday’s Analyst Blog:

Amazon Has Patented On-Demands Clothing: Here's Why

Most of us are generally familiar with the concept of just-in-time inventory, but ecommerce giant Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN Free Report ) is now set to take that concept to a whole new level. At least as far as apparel/fashion is concerned.

This Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) company has won a patent for on-demand clothing that it applied for back in 2015.

Patent Details

Two of the inventors, Aaron Barnet and Nancy Liang are co-founders of the 3-D printing startup Mixee Labs that the company bought back in Feb 2015. So 3D printing will likely play a role.

The patent is essentially for an entire system of manufacturing apparel from the point of collecting orders by a “computing device”; deciding on the most efficient method of production based on geography, fabric type, assembly process or other criteria; printing the fabric, cutting and so forth.

The patent reads: “Once various textile products are printed, cut and assembled according to the orders, they can be processed through a quality check, photographed for placement in an electronic commerce system, shipped to customers and/or stored in a materials handling facility for order fulfillment. By aggregating orders from various geographic locations and coordinating apparel assembly processes on a large scale, the embodiments provide new ways to increase efficiency in apparel manufacturing.”

It’s also careful to mention that the technology won’t be limited to clothing alone but can be applied to fabric products, accessories (e.g., scarves, gloves, hats, bags, belts, etc.), footwear, bedding, curtains, towels, etc., in a wide variety of materials including, but not limited to paper, plastic, leather, rubber and other materials.

What Could Amazon Be Up To?

It’s exciting to think that we could choose our print, cut and make of clothing and then have somebody deliver our choice to our doorstep. But that is likely not Amazon’s intention because it won’t help drive efficiency or lower cost, and would most definitely be a very cumbersome project.

On the other hand, consider that Amazon already deals with a large number of third-party sellers that use its Fulfilled by Amazon (FBA) service. Amazon also said that active sellers in FBA grew 70% year-over-year in 2016 and fulfilled units (both FBA and otherwise) grew 40%. That means Amazon is stocking a steadily increasing amount of inventory at its warehouses to help it quickly handle both deliveries and returns. If it can collaborate with sellers to make the process more efficient, it could save costs while also increasing customer satisfaction.

The other possibility (a strong one) is that Amazon would like to further expand its own fabric categories from the eight it currently has and take its in-house brands to new fast-growing geographies.

Conclusion

What exactly Amazon intends to do with this technology is of course an open question right now. But a couple of years back, John Blackledge of Cowen & Co expected the company to become the largest clothing retailer by 2017-end, overtaking Macy’s (NYSE: M Free Report ) and also leaving other retailers like JC Penney’s (NYSE: JCP Free Report ), Kohl’s (NYSE:KSS Free Report ), Dillard’s (NYSE:DDS Free Report ) and Epic Stores in the dust. Amazon doesn’t break out these sales but patents like this one indicate that its plans are deep. So after books and electronics, apparel could really be the next big thing for the ecommerce giant.

You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here .

Zacks' 2017 IPO Watch List

Before looking into the stocks mentioned above, you may want to get a head start on potential tech IPOs that are popping up on Zacks' radar. Imagine being in the first wave of investors to jump on a company with almost unlimited growth potential? This Special Report gives you the current scoop on 5 that may go public at any time.

One has driven from 0 to a $68 billion valuation in 8 years. Four others are a little less obvious but already show jaw-dropping growth. Download this IPO Watch List today for free >>

Today, Zacks is promoting its ''Buy'' stock recommendations. Get #1 Stock of the Day pick for free .

About Zacks Equity Research

Zacks Equity Research provides the best of quantitative and qualitative analysis to help investors know what stocks to buy and which to sell for the long-term.

Continuous coverage is provided for a universe of 1,150 publicly traded stocks. Our analysts are organized by industry which gives them keen insights to developments that affect company profits and stock performance. Recommendations and target prices are six-month time horizons.

Strong Stocks that Should Be in the News

Many are little publicized and fly under the Wall Street radar. They're virtually unknown to the general public. Yet today's 220 Zacks Rank #1 "Strong Buys" were generated by the stock-picking system that has nearly tripled the market from 1988 through 2015. Its average gain has been a stellar +26% per year. See these high-potential stocks free >>.

Get the full Report on AMZN - FREE

Get the full Report on M - FREE

Get the full Report on JCP - FREE

Get the full Report on KSS - FREE

Get the full Report on DDS - FREE

Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/zacksresearch

Join us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/home.php#/pages/Zacks-Investment-Research/57553657748?ref=ts

Zacks Investment Research is under common control with affiliated entities (including a broker-dealer and an investment adviser), which may engage in transactions involving the foregoing securities for the clients of such affiliates.

Media Contact

Zacks Investment Research

800-767-3771 ext. 9339

support@zacks.com

https://www.zacks.com/

Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss. This material is being provided for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, accounting or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a security. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. It should not be assumed that any investments in securities, companies, sectors or markets identified and described were or will be profitable. All information is current as of the date of herein and is subject to change without notice. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the firm as a whole. Zacks Investment Research does not engage in investment banking, market making or asset management activities of any securities. These returns are from hypothetical portfolios consisting of stocks with Zacks Rank = 1 that were rebalanced monthly with zero transaction costs. These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit https://www.zacks.com/performance for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release.



Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN): Free Stock Analysis Report

Macy's Inc (NYSE:M): Free Stock Analysis Report

J.C. Penney Company, Inc. Holding Company (JCP): Free Stock Analysis Report

Kohl's Corporation (NYSE:KSS): Free Stock Analysis Report

Dillard's, Inc. (DDS): Free Stock Analysis Report

Original post

Zacks Investment Research

Latest comments

Risk Disclosure: Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.
© 2007-2024 - Fusion Media Limited. All Rights Reserved.