The resiliency of the affluent consumer is unparalleled as of late. Shoppers were once again out in force during the holiday season for upscale department store Nordstrom
For the quarter, same-store sales rose an impressive 7.1% while overall earnings jumped a more modest 1.7% to $1.11. One of the reasons Nordstrom is able to continuously surpass analysts' estimates is its ability to sell merchandise at full price. According to statements released from the company last night, the amount of merchandise being sold at full price is back to pre-recession levels.
The same can't be said for some of Nordstrom's mall-based rivals. J.C. Penney
Higher-end teen retailer Abercrombie & Fitch
The thing to keep in mind is that Nordstrom's success isn't hinged only on its ability to sell at full price. The company is innovating as well and making it easier for its customers to stay on top of the latest fashion trends. Nordstrom is in the process of increasing the selection of its online inventory. More importantly, the company has linked its in-store inventory for its online customers so they can see where particular merchandise is located.
This hits a very key point of today's consumers: It's not just the right price, but the right time that can sometimes be the most important factor to creating a sale. Consumer Reports recently surveyed 55,000 customers' shopping experiences both in store and online, and Wal-Mart
Although Nordstrom wasn't included in this Consumer Reports survey, it's clear it's doing something right. Online sales for the quarter jumped 35% and the company expanded its free shipping to all price-points (the previous threshold was spending $200 or more).
For fiscal 2012 Nordstrom forecast same-store sales growth of 4% to 6% with EPS in the range of $3.30 to $3.45. Wall Street didn't take kindly to the EPS guidance, which is slightly below the consensus estimate for $3.59.
Despite this "miss," I feel Nordstrom has taken the necessary steps to keep both its in-store and online customers shopping, and its guidance is nothing short of solid in my book. Even though I am currently down by 4% on my CAPScall of outperform on Nordstrom, I see no reason not to continue being optimistic on its long-term outlook.
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