This holiday season, J.C. Penney (JCP) CEO and Chairman Myron E. Ullman III is armed with a lineup of exclusive fashion brands he helped bring to the department store chain, and he's ready to battle

The US Commerce Department said retail sales rose 1.4% in October, surpassing the forecast 0.9% increase, but look for downbeat numbers when Sears Holdings (SHLD) reports third-quarter earnings Thurs

While I still have at least one and a half feet placed firmly in the bull camp, I'm increasingly concerned with a number of signs from some key technical indicators.Near the top of my list of concern

Friday’s successful launch of Dollar General’s (DG) IPO suggests the recession is a good time for deep discounters, or stores that offer rock-bottom prices to cash-strapped shoppers.Dolla

This week’s review comes to you in a shortened format as I don’t have access to my normal research resources while on the road in Europe. Although very little commentary is provided, a fu

NPD reported that US video-game sales fell 19% in October as the industry suffered from tough comps and consumers pulled back from discretionary buys. It's not actually news, since we've recently see

The holidays are just around the corner and many retailers are hoping that consumers will feel a little more jovial (and a little more like spending) as the weather gets colder.A startlingly high une

It’s been quite some time since I remember opening up a Starbucks (SBUX) quarterly report with a smile. Thankfully last week’s fourth-quarter results finally helped me regain some of my f

This week’s review comes to you in a shortened format as I’m about to leave Cape Town for a visit to the colder environs of Switzerland and Slovenia. Although reduced commentary is provid

How is the consumer feeling?Not so great, it turns out.We learned this week that the Consumer Confidence Index (CCI) slipped to 47.7 this month from 53.4 last month. Consumers’ perceptions of c