Retail shopping increased substantially this year with the reopening of the economy and the easing of the social distancing mandates. Also, with the winter nearing, retail stocks Columbia Sportswear (NASDAQ:COLM) and Canada Goose Holdings (NYSE:GOOS) should witness solid sales growth. But which of these stocks is a better buy now? Read more to find out.Columbia Sportswear Company (COLM) markets and distributes outdoor, active, and everyday lifestyle apparel, footwear, accessories, and equipment. The company offers a wide range of products for activities on snow and ice. On the other hand, Canada Goose Holdings Inc . (GOOS) designs, manufactures and sells performance luxury apparel and accessories for the fall, winter, and spring seasons.
People are already gearing up for the winter. According to a survey, 31% of U.S. consumers said they’ll begin shopping for the holidays before the end of October, while a cumulative 55% of consumers are expected to start shopping before Thanksgiving. In addition, one in four consumers is expecting to spend more on Christmas compared to last year. With significant progress on the vaccination front, outdoor activities have increased as consumers gained their confidence back. This should bode well for both COLM and GOOS in the coming months.
In terms of the past year’s performance, GOOS has gained 10.9% versus COLM’s 10.2% gain. Also, GOOS’ 19.8% gain year-to-date compares with COLM’s 9.7% return. Over the past six months, GOOS has slumped 10.2%, while COLM has slipped 10.7%.