Brick-and-mortar retailers need a catalyst

Article Excerpt

Traditional retailers, such as the three we analyze below, continue to grapple with strong competition from online sellers. That has forced them to close stores and sell real estate. These companies still own some the best-known brands in the industry, which should help them survive. However, their shares will likely remain depressed for the next year or so as they continue to adapt to new shopping trends. MACY’S INC. $25 (New York symbol M, Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 304.6 million; Market cap: $7.6 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 0.3; Dividend yield: 6.0%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.macysinc.com) operates 700 Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s department stores. It also has 160 speciality outlets and sells goods online. The company is in the process of closing about 100 of its underperforming stores. It also aims to spur sales by opening more of its Backstage discount outlets. To strengthen its earnings from existing sales, Macy’s is adding more private label brands. They offer higher profit margins…