Retail Sales for June Expected to Post Gains

Retailers are announcing June same-store sales figures today. Research firm Retail Metrics projected an overall gain of 3.9% year-over-year, compared with a 3.5% gain in May and a 2.8% gain in April. Retail sales gained just 0.2% in June of 2012.

Retail sales in June got a lift from the warmer weather, which drove sales higher heading into the important back-to-school season. The U.S. economy looks somewhat better as job growth continues, and gasoline prices have moderated somewhat as well. But as Family Dollar Stores Inc. (NYSE: FDO) demonstrated yesterday, consumers are being careful in their spending, focusing on consumables more than other goods.

Many retailers no longer report monthly same-store sales. These include Target Corp. (NYSE: TGT), Macy's Inc. (NYSE: M), Kohl's Corp. (NYSE: KSS), Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (NYSE: WMT), Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (NYSE: ANF) and American Eagle Outfitters Inc. (NYSE: AEO).

Here is a rundown:

Costco Wholesale Corp. (NASDAQ: COST) reported that same-store sales, including gasoline, for May rose 6% compared with the same month in 2012. That is above the Retail Metrics estimate for a gain of 5.3%, including gasoline sales.

L Brands Inc. (NYSE: LTD) said same-store sales for June were flat with last year. Retail Metrics estimate called for a rise of 2.3%.

The Buckle Inc. (NYSE: BKE) reported same-store sales for June rose 3.4% compared with the same period a year ago. The Retail Metrics estimate called for a rise of 3.4%. A year ago, The Buckle reported a same-store sales fell 2.5%.

Stein Mart Inc. (NASDAQ: SMRT) reported a 6.5% jump in same-store sales for June, well above the 4.5% estimate from Retail Metrics. In June of last year, sales fell 0.5%.

Zumiez Inc. (NASDAQ: ZUMZ) posted a same-stores sales rise of 1% for June, well below the 2.1% increase expected by Retail Metrics. In June 2012, the teen apparel store's sales jumped 8.2%.

Costco shares closed at $113.65 last night in a 52-week range of $93.11 to $115.77, and are inactive this morning.

L Brands' shares are down fractionally in premarket trading this morning, at $50.61 in a 52-week range of $42.49 to $53.33.

Stein Mart's shares closed at $13.76 last night in a 52-week range was $6.56 to $14.33.

Zumiez's shares closed at $31.06 last night in a 52-week range of $17.93 to $38.60.

The Buckle's shares closed at $54.96 last night in a 52-week range of $36.80 to $57.22.

Filed under: Retail Tagged: AEO, ANF, BKE, COST, KSS, LTD, M, SMRT, TGT, WMT, ZUMZ