The National Bureau of Economic Research announced that the nation has been in a recession since 2007 sending the markets tumbling during the midday with the Dow slumping 451 points to 8378. Nasdaq skidded 95 points to 1441.

Visit StreetInsider.com at http://www.streetinsider.com/news.php?st=p&id=4201755 for the full story.

Visit StreetInsider.com at http://www.streetinsider.com/news.php?st=p&id=4196270 for the full story.

Stocks In Focus For Wednesday

Chico's FAS is trading near cash value, but bargain hunting investors may get burned.

The S&P 500 index is perhaps the most widely-followed stock index in the world.  Because it is supposed to consist of “500 leading companies in leading industries of the U.S. economy,” (see fact sheet pdf) it is widely replicated by ETFs, passive mutual funds, and institutional investors.  According to the fact sheet, S&P 500 member [...]

Monday:
Economic: None
Earnings: American International Group (AIG), Carmike Cinemas (CKEC), Cinemark Holdings (CNK), Dish Network (DISH), Fuel Tech Inc (FTEK), Globalstar (GSAT), Nortel Networks (NT), Plug Power (PLUG), Sirius Satellite Radio (SIRI), Starbucks (SBUX), Tyson Foods (TSN), Virgin Mobile (VM)

Tuesday:
Economic: None (Veteran’s Day)
Earnings: Brooks Automation (BRKS), Energy Solutions (ES), Fossil (FOSL), Liz Clairborne (LIZ), Microsoft (MSFT), Petroleo Brasileiro (PBR), TJX Companies (TJX), Tyco International (TYC), Vodophone Group (VOD)

Wednesday:
Economic: MBA Purchase Applications, ICSC-Goldman Store Sales, Redbook
Earnings: Applied Materials (AMAT), Charlotte Russe Holding (CHIC), Computer Sciences Corp (CSC), Crocs Inc (CROX), ING Group (ING), JA Solar Holdings (JASO), Macy’s Inc (M), NetApp (NTAP), NetEase.com (NTES), The Progressive Corp (PGR)

Thursday:
Economic: International Trade ($-57.0B), Jobless Claims (482K), Treasury Budget ($-92.0B)
Earnings: Biofuel Energy (BIOF), Clean Energy Fuels Corp (CLNE), Compugen (CGEN), Dr Pepper Snapple Group (DPS), Image Entertainment (DISK), Keynote Systems (KEYN), Kohls Corp (KSS), Kulicke & Soffa (KLIC), Microsemi (MSCC), Nordstrom (JWN), Siemens (SI), Spire (SPIR), Urban Outfitters (URBN), Wal-Mart (WMT)

Friday:
Economic: Retail Sales (-1.9%), Import and Export Prices (-4.2%), Business Inventories (0.0%), Consumer Sentiment (56.0)
Earnings: Abercrombie & Fitch (ANF), Agilent (A), JCPenney (JCP)

Monday:
Economic: None
Earnings: American International Group (AIG), Carmike Cinemas (CKEC), Cinemark Holdings (CNK), Dish Network (DISH), Fuel Tech Inc (FTEK), Globalstar (GSAT), Nortel Networks (NT), Plug Power (PLUG), Sirius Satellite Radio (SIRI), Starbucks (SBUX), Tyson Foods (TSN), Virgin Mobile (VM)

Tuesday:
Economic: None (Veteran’s Day)
Earnings: Brooks Automation (BRKS), Energy Solutions (ES), Fossil (FOSL), Liz Clairborne (LIZ), Microsoft (MSFT), Petroleo Brasileiro (PBR), TJX Companies (TJX), Tyco International (TYC), Vodophone Group (VOD)

Wednesday:
Economic: MBA Purchase Applications, ICSC-Goldman Store Sales, Redbook
Earnings: Applied Materials (AMAT), Charlotte Russe Holding (CHIC), Computer Sciences Corp (CSC), Crocs Inc (CROX), ING Group (ING), JA Solar Holdings (JASO), Macy’s Inc (M), NetApp (NTAP), NetEase.com (NTES), The Progressive Corp (PGR)

Thursday:
Economic: International Trade ($-57.0B), Jobless Claims (482K), Treasury Budget ($-92.0B)
Earnings: Biofuel Energy (BIOF), Clean Energy Fuels Corp (CLNE), Compugen (CGEN), Dr Pepper Snapple Group (DPS), Image Entertainment (DISK), Keynote Systems (KEYN), Kohls Corp (KSS), Kulicke & Soffa (KLIC), Microsemi (MSCC), Nordstrom (JWN), Siemens (SI), Spire (SPIR), Urban Outfitters (URBN), Wal-Mart (WMT)

Friday:
Economic: Retail Sales (-1.9%), Import and Export Prices (-4.2%), Business Inventories (0.0%), Consumer Sentiment (56.0)
Earnings: Abercrombie & Fitch (ANF), Agilent (A), JCPenney (JCP)

Filed under: Earnings reports, Forecasts, Wal-Mart (WMT), Kohl's Corp (KSS), Crocs Inc (CROX), Urban Outfitters (URBN)

This week, some apparel and accessory producers and retailers offer a look at how they've been doing between early summer's economic stimulus spending and the coming holiday season. While Polo Ralph Lauren Corp. (NYSE: RL) reported higher earnings last week, Coldwater Creek Inc. (NASDAQ: CWTR), Eddie Bauer Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: EBHI), Kenneth Cole Productions Inc. (NYSE: KCP), and K-Swiss Inc. (NASDAQ: KSWS) all reported net losses as consumers pulled back on spending over the summer due to higher fuel prices and other economic worries. The expectations of analysts surveyed by Thomson Financial for such companies scheduled to report this week don't look much different; i.e., a bright spot or two among lower expectations overall.

Hip retailer Urban Outfitters Inc. (NASDAQ: URBN) is expected to post earnings 22.9% higher than a year ago, to $0.35 per share, on revenue of $475.9 million (+26.4%). The Philadelphia-based company already said that same-store sales in the quarter were 10% higher. Urban Outfitters has beat expectations in recent quarters, by 11.5% in the previous quarter, and analysts on average recommend buying URBN. Shares fell to a 52-week low of $16.61 per share on Friday, and are down 29.5% from a year ago. Other companies expected to report more modest earnings growth in the coming week include watch and accessory maker Fossil Inc. (NASDAQ: FOSL), retail giant Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (NYSE: WMT), and TJX Companies Inc. (NYSE: TJX), parent of such discount retail chains as T.J. Maxx and Marshalls. These three companies have tended to top analysts estimates in recent quarters, and Fossil and TJX ended the week near their 52-week lows.

While Los Angeles-based American Apparel Inc. (AMEX: APP) had a strong second quarter, the casual wear maker is expected to report $0.13 per share earnings for the third quarter, the same as in the year-ago period. And analysts anticipate that Kohl's Corp. (NYSE: KSS) will report that profits fell 16.4% to $0.51 per share on revenue of $3.9 billion (+1.9%). Though same-store sales for October fell 9%, the Menomonee Falls, Wis.-based company reaffirmed its third-quarter forecast. Kohl's has offered positive surprises in recent quarters, topping estimates by 5.6% in the previous quarter. The consensus recommendation remains to buy KSS. Shares have been climbing after reaching a 52-week low in late October, but are still down 32.8% from a year ago.

Continue reading The week in preview: Macy's, Nordstrom, Abercrombie, JCPenney, and Kohl's

The week in preview: Macy's, Nordstrom, Abercrombie, JCPenney, and Kohl's originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 09 Nov 2008 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We surveyed major department stores to investigate sales of Juicy Couture brand clothing. 61% of respondents reported that they sell more Juicy couture branded items than other similar brands. 48% of respondents report that sales of Juicy products are increasing, while 9% report sales are decreasing. 65% of stores say that they are not discounting any Juicy Couture products, while 35% said they are. Bloomingdale's, Macy's and Nordstrom's were the primary store chains surveyed.

30% of those polled in a recent survey stated that the weak housing market and economy are hurting their sales of Liz Claiborne clothing. Despite this fact, 13% characterized business as “Very Strong” and an additional 52% called business “Above Average”. 39% stated they have excess inventory of a brand or product which will be put on sale soon.

TickerMine polled department stores including Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdale's, Neiman Marcus, Macy's, and Nordstrom, as well as small boutiques, in our latest poll about Kate Spade clothing and shoes. Ninety-seven percent of stores polled carry Kate Spade shoes, and 85% carry Kate Spade clothing. Forty-two percent of respondents said sales of Kate Spade shoes and clothing are increasing; 55% said sales have remained consistent. Only three percent said sales are on the decline. Forty-two percent also said they're having clearance sales on Kate Spade clothing or shoes, or that they have excess inventory.

We surveyed 26 stores stocking the fabulous Lucky brand jeans, owned by Liz Claiborne, Inc., this week. This was after the LIZ brand launched in Abu Dhabi. We asked respondents whether they stocked the Lucky jean brand, do they stock apparel too, how does the respondent feel about the brand personally, are sales up or down and is the Lucky brand headed for the sale racks? Nordstrom’s, Macy’s, Bloomingdales and Lucky stores were consulted for the poll. All 26 stores or 100% of those interviewed stocked the Lucky brand. We found that five people or 19% of those interviewed did not sell any other Lucky apparel, beyond the jeans, but 21 people or 81% said other apparel was in stock. Lucky was thought to be "stylish," "well priced" and "good quality" by those we polled. Sales were the same to a year ago according to 18 people or 69% of those interviewed. Six people or 23% thought sales had increased and two people or 8% thought that sales were down. But the price tag stands firm. Twenty people or 77% of those interviewed said no stock was destined for the sale rack and no excess inventory exists. Only six people or 23% said it was sale time for Lucky soon.

Schaeffer's Laura Houser takes a look at activity on the Street after the market close