Topic: Growth Stocks

Stock Pickers Digest Hotline – Friday, November 28, 2014

Article Excerpt

REITMANS (CANADA) LTD., $5.94, symbol RET.A on Toronto, is shutting down its underperforming Smart Set chain. Over the next 18 months, it will close 31 locations and convert the other 76 to other banners, including Reitmans or Penningtons (plus-sizes). The closures will result in a $2.2-million charge in the current quarter. To put that in perspective, Reitmans earned $9.6 million, or $0.15 a share, in the three months ended August 2, 2014. That was down 5.9% from $10.2 million, or $0.16, a year earlier. Reitmans had tried rebranding Smart Set, which was selling lower-priced, fashionable clothing to young women, but its efforts were unsuccessful. Its plan involved shifting the stores toward women in their late 20s and early 30s, as well as raising prices. Earlier this year, Reitmans shut down its 169 Thyme Maternity boutiques in U.S. Babies “R” Us stores. The company’s willingness to close unprofitable stores and discontinue unpopular banners to boost its future profits bodes well for its long-term success. However,…