Although we don't believe in timing the market or panicking over market movements, we do like to keep an eye on big changes -- just in case they're material to our investing thesis.

What: Shares of large-scale department store Dillard's (NYSE: DDS) are popping 11% today after reporting better-than-expected fourth-quarter results.

So what: For the quarter, Dillard's posted a profit of $2.21, excluding one-time items, on a 3% rise in same-store sales. This compares favorably to Wall Street's consensus EPS estimate of $2.02 for the quarter.

Now what: Everything seems to be clicking for Dillard's, which saw gross margin expand for the year. It also repurchased $98.8 million worth of its shares during the fourth quarter. Interestingly enough this strength doesn't extend to the entire sector, because rival Kohl's (NYSE: KSS) missed the mark with its fourth-quarter earnings results this morning. While not exactly inexpensive, Dillard's appears to have all of the tools in place to keep its momentum moving in the right direction.

Craving more input? Start by adding Dillard's to your free and personalized watchlist so you can keep up on the latest news with the company.