Retail Rundown: Most Comps Move Higher in January, Outlook Improving

As today was the first Thursday of the month, retailers issued their same store sales results this morning. Although most of these stocks are trading lower today (the SPDR S&P Retail ETF (NYSE: XRT) is down 1.4%), monthly sales results seem to be improving and, in fact, a number of retailers lifted guidance.

Below are some highlights from the January retail sales results:

• Target (NYSE: TGT) - comps up 0.5%. Stock down 4%
  
• Costco (Nasdaq: COST) - comps up 4%. Stock up 0.6%
  
• Macy's (NYSE: M) - same store sales up 3.4%. Q4 EPS guidance raised to $1.35-$1.37, FY09 guidance raised to $1.36-$1.38. Shares up 2.5%
  
• JCPenney (NYSE: JCP) - comps down 4.6%. Stock down 1.5%
  
• Gap (NYSE: GPS) - same store sales up 5%. Sees Q4 EPS of $0.49-$0.51. Stock up 3.3%
  
• Children's Place (Nasdaq: PLCE) - comps up 12%. Sees Q4 adj-EPS of $0.99-$1.04, and FY09 EPS of $2.61-$2.66. Shares up 3.8%
  
• Big Lots (NYSE: BIG) - comps up 5.1% in Q4. Stock up 2.1%
  
• Gymboree (Nasdaq: GYMB) - comps fell 2%, but raised its Q4 outlook to $1.08-$1.10. Sees FY09 EPS of $3.38-$3.40. Stock down 1.6%
  
• Wet Seal (Nasdaq: WTSLA) - comps down 3.7% but Q4 outlook raised to $0.08-$0.09. Stock up 7.7%
  
• Abercrombie & Fitch (NYSE: ANF) - comps up 8%. Shares up 5.4%
  
• American Eagle (NYSE: AEO) - same store sales up 8%. Stock down 1.8%
  
• Aeropostale (NYSE: ARO) - comps rose 11%. Q4 guidance raised to about $1.00. Stock down 7.1%
  
• Nordstrom (NYSE: JWN) - comps rose 14%. Shares down 0.4%
  
• Kohl's (NYSE: KSS) - comps up 6.5%. Raises Q4 EPS outlook to $1.36-$1.37. Stock down 3%

To track all the monthly retail sales results, stay tuned to StreetInsider.com's Retail Sales page.

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