Walmart(WMT) ZACKS·2025-01-22 08:11Retail Sector Performance - The retail sector concluded 2024 with robust consumer spending, as December retail sales rose 0.4%, building on November's upwardly revised 0.8% gain, reaching a total of $729.2 billion [2] - Categories such as miscellaneous stores, sporting goods and hobby stores, and furniture and home furnishings outlets showed standout performance [2] - Consumers defied challenges due to a resilient labor market and steady wage growth, with retailers capitalizing on promotional strategies to drive spending on big-ticket items and essentials [3] Retail Sales Breakdown - Motor vehicle & parts dealers saw a 0.7% month-on-month increase in sales [4] - Furniture & home furnishing stores and electronics & appliance outlets experienced sales increases of 2.3% and 0.4%, respectively [4] - Food & beverage stores and clothing & clothing accessories stores witnessed sales growth of 0.8% and 1.5%, respectively [4] - Sporting goods, hobbies, musical instruments & bookstores saw a 2.6% rise in sales, while gasoline stations reported a 1.5% increase [5] - Non-store retailers (primarily online) reported a 0.2% jump, and general merchandise stores experienced a 0.3% increase [5] - Miscellaneous stores registered growth of 4.3%, while building material, garden equipment & supplies dealers saw a 2% decline [5] - Health & personal care stores and food services & drinking places saw sales declines of 0.2% and 0.3%, respectively [5] Abercrombie & Fitch (ANF) - Abercrombie & Fitch excels in integrating digital and physical retail channels, driving higher customer satisfaction and loyalty [6] - The company revised its Q4 net sales outlook upward to a range of 7% to 8%, up from the prior forecast of 5% to 7%, due to a successful holiday sales season [7] - The company has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 14.8% on average, with Zacks Consensus Estimate suggesting 15.1% sales growth and 69.3% EPS growth for the current financial year [8][9] Amazon (AMZN) - Amazon's robust e-commerce platform and efficient delivery services continue to drive revenue growth, with Prime membership fostering customer loyalty and recurring revenues [10] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate suggests 10.9% sales growth and 82.4% EPS growth for the current financial year, with a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 25.9% on average [11] Costco (COST) - Costco's success is driven by strategic investments, a customer-centric approach, and a strong emphasis on memberships, with high renewal rates and efficient supply chain management [12] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate suggests 7.2% sales growth and 11.8% EPS growth for the current financial year, with a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 2% on average [13] Walmart (WMT) - Walmart is strengthening its market presence through strategic e-commerce initiatives, including acquisitions, partnerships, and improvements in delivery and payment systems [14] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate suggests 4.8% sales growth and 11.3% EPS growth for the current financial year, with a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 9.3% on average [15]