- While retail sales fell 0.3% from December's reading, nearly all categories showed positive growth on a year-over-year basis as part of a 3.9% increase.
- The 3.9% Y/Y growth is roughly in line with the National Retail Federation's forecast for 2018 growth. After backing out auto, retail sales were flat from December and up 4.2% Y/Y.
- The most surprising category might have been the health and personal care stores group (ULTA, SBH, WBA, RAD), which fell 1.2% in January from December and were only up 0.5% from a year ago.
- Interestingly, department store sales (JCP, M, KSS, JWN, DDS) rose 0.8% in January from December in what could be an indication of a different promotional cadence than from a year ago.
- Previously: Retail sales fall unexpectedly (Feb. 14)
- ETFs: XLP, XLY, VDC, XRT, VCR, IBUY, RTH, RHS, RETL, FSTA, PBJ, FDIS, FXG, IYK, FXD, MENU, IYC, PEJ, PSL, EMTY, BITE, SCC, PSCC, RCD, UCC, PMR, UGE, CLIX, PSCD, PEZ, SZK, CNDF, FTXD, CNSF, JHMS, JHMC, XS, XD, FTXG.
- Now read: Walgreens And AmerisourceBergen (NYSE:ABC): Proposed Acquisition And Funding Techniques
Original article