Retail sales in the United States rose in March for the second straight month. Although the pre-tariff buying partly triggered sales, the retail sector has been trying to stage a solid rebound amid high inflation.
Given this situation, it would be ideal to invest in retail stocks. We have selected five retail stocks, namely, eBay Inc. EBAY, JD.com, Inc.JD, The Gap, Inc. GAP, The Kroger Co. KR and Tapestry, Inc. TPR for investors.
These stocks have seen positive earnings estimate revisions in the past 60 days, carry a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) or 2 (Buy), and are set for solid returns. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
Retail sales rose 1.4% sequentially in March after increasing 0.2% in February and surpassing the consensus estimate of a rise of 1.2%, the Commerce Department said on Wednesday. The monthly gain was the biggest since January 2023.
Year over year, retail sales grew 4.6% in March. Excluding autos, retail sales jumped 0.5% month over month, beating analysts’ expectations of a rise of 0.3%. Sales rose across a variety of sections, with sporting goods, hobby and music stores climbing 2.4%. Sales at food and drinking places rebounded 1.8% in March. Economists consider eating out at restaurants a key indicator of household finances.
Consumers are worried that the sweeping tariffs announced by President Donald Trump will not only make commodities expensive but also escalate global tension and push the economy into a recession.
Trump announced a hefty 25% import duty on foreign-made cars and auto parts, besides announcing a 10% baseline tariff on all trading partners of the United States. Wall Street lost $6.2 trillion in just two days after the announcement. However, Trump announced a 90-day halt on the reciprocal tariffs, which has since lifted markets.
Retail sales saw a strong recovery in the latter half of 2024 after the Federal Reserve began cutting interest rates. However, the Fed paused further rate cuts in January due to rising inflation. February again saw inflation slowing, before it declined in March for the first time since May 2020.
This definitely bodes well for the retail sector as the Fed has already said that it will resume rate cuts once officials are confident that inflation is declining steadily.
eBay Inc. operates an online shopping platform, which provides sellers the tools to build online store formats, making it easier for customers to browse by brands. Over the years, EBAY has evolved from a relatively small community user-based auction site to a worldwide commercial behemoth. eBayis well-positioned in the online marketplace space.
eBay’s expected earnings growth rate for the current year is 8.4%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for current-year earnings has improved 1.1% over the past 60 days. EBAY currently carries a Zacks Rank #2.
JD.com operates as an online direct sales company in China. JD, through its website www.jd.com and mobile applications, offers a selection of authentic products.
JD.com’s expected earnings growth rate for the current year is 11.3%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for current-year earnings has improved 6.3% over the past 60 days. JD currently has a Zacks Rank #1.
The Gap is a premier international specialty retailer offering a diverse range of clothing, accessories, and personal care products. GPS offers products for men, women and children under the Old Navy, Gap, Banana Republic, Athleta, Intermix and Hill City brands.
The Gap’s expected earnings growth rate for next year is 7.7%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for current-year earnings has improved 10.2% over the past 60 days. GPS currently has a Zacks Rank #1.
The Kroger Co., which operates in the thin-margin grocery industry, has been undergoing a complete makeover, not only with respect to products but also in terms of how consumers prefer shopping for groceries. KR is focusing on plant-based products and eyeing technological expansion.
The Kroger Co.’s expected earnings growth rate for next year is 6%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for current-year earnings has improved 0.4% over the past 60 days. KR currently has a Zacks Rank #2.
Tapestry is the designer and marketer of fine accessories and gifts for women and men in the United States and internationally. TPR offers lifestyle products, which include handbags, women’s and men’s accessories, footwear, jewelry, seasonal apparel collections, sunwear, travel bags, fragrances and watches.
Tapestry’sexpected earnings growth rate for the current year is 14.7%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for current-year earnings has improved 0.2% over the past 60 days. TPR presently carries a Zacks Rank #2.
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