Hot Retail Companies To Watch In Right Now

Congratulations,�Target (NYSE: TGT  ) shareholders! Your company just gave you a 19% raise.

More specifically, the company's board of directors last week declared a quarterly dividend of $0.43 per share of Target stock, representing a 19.4% increase from the previous quarterly dividend of $0.36. In addition, the folks at Target were happy to point out that this quarter's payout will mark the company's 184th consecutive dividend since it went public in October 1967. What's more, this is the 42nd time during those 46 years that Target stock has raised its dividend for patient investors.

But with the stock up 18% year to date and trading just 4% below its 52-week high, is it still worth buying today?

The risks
To be sure, while Target's past share price appreciation and dividend history make it look like the poster child for stability, just a few weeks ago I outlined three big risks facing Target stock today.

The largest of those risks, however, lies in the fact that Target not only must compete with deep-pocketed brick-and-mortar rivals like Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT  ) and its army of nearly 11,000 retail stores around the world, but is also facing incredible competition from online-only retail behemoths like�Amazon.com (NASDAQ: AMZN  ) .

Hot Transportation Stocks For 2015: Sears Holdings Corporation(SHLD)

Sears Holdings Corporation operates as a specialty retailer in the United States and Canada. The company?s Kmart segment operates stores that sell merchandise under Jaclyn Smith and Joe Boxer labels; and Sears brand products, such as Kenmore, Craftsman, and DieHard. This segment?s stores provide consumer electronics, seasonal merchandise, outdoor living, toys, lawn and garden equipment, food and consumables, and apparel, as well as operate in-store pharmacies. Its Sears Domestic segment operates stores that sell merchandise under the Kenmore, Craftsman, DieHard, Lands? End, Covington, Apostrophe, and Canyon River Blues brand names. This segment?s stores provide appliances, consumer electronics, tools, sporting goods, outdoor living, lawn and garden equipment, home fashion products, automotive products, apparel, footwear, jewelry, accessories, health and beauty products, pantry goods, household products, and toys. The Sears Domestic segment also provides clothing, acces sories, footwear, and soft luggage; appliances and services to commercial customers in single-family residential construction/remodel, property management, multi-family new construction, and government/military sectors; premium appliance and plumbing fixtures to architects, designers, and new construction or remodeling customers; parts and repair services for appliances, lawn and garden equipment, consumer electronics, floor care products, and heating and cooling systems; and home improvement services. The company?s Sears Canada segment engages in the retail of apparel and other softlines. Sears Holdings Corporation operates approximately 2,172 full-line stores and 1,338 specialty retail stores in the United States; 500 full-line and specialty retail stores in Canada, as well as operates 17 floor covering stores, 1,734 catalog pick-up locations, and 108 travel offices; and kmart.com and sears.ca Websites. The company was founded in 1899 and is based in Hoffman Estates, Illi nois.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Sears (SHLD) is sagging once again after the shrinking retailer reported financial results this morning.

  Associated Press

  Sears reported a loss of $402 million, much bigger than the year-ago loss of $279 million, while revenue declined to $7.88 billion, which beat analyst forecasts of $7.71 billion. Gross margins fell to 23.2% from 25.5%, while same-store sales rose 0.2%.

  Credit Suisse analysts Gary Balter and Andrew Kinder tries to give Sears the benefit of the doubt:

  Some investors…believe that we are too negative on Sears Holdings’ outlook…So let�� accept their math and take the low end of their assumed improvements. Based on that, we would add $1 billion to EBITDA from initiatives, which adding to trailing twelve months would give them positive EBITDA (yes you read that right) of $300 million. Here is the problem. The bulls on Sears argue for the most part that the value is in the real estate and brand names. If Mr. Lampert is trying to make it as an operator we should value them as such, but that’s a bigger problem. Using a positive $300 million EBITDA, that would imply a multiple of 29.5x lets say in 2017 to give them time for the turnaround. That would place their multiple well above anything we cover, including our best growth names such as The Container Store (TCS), Tractor Supply (TSCO)…Lumber Liquidators (LL), and CarMax (KMX). So if one accepts the turnaround and we give them an eight multiple of EBITDA three years out, a somewhat generous multiple for a non-top-line grower, then the value of the equity would be negative. H��mm. Maybe the company should explore the asset sale. Said another way, this remains a significantly overvalued stock and while we are not moving to a negative target price, we maintain our $20 price target.

  Shares of Sears have dropped 3.9% to $5.13 at 10:14 a.m., while the Container Store has gained 0.8% to $25.60, Tractor Supply has ticked up 0.2% to $64.07, Lumb

Hot Retail Companies To Watch In Right Now: Viad Corp(VVI)

Viad Corp, together with its subsidiaries, operates in exhibition and events, and travel and recreation industries primarily in North America, the United Kingdom, Germany, and the United Arab Emirates. The company?s Marketing & Events Group segment designs, plans, and produces face-to-face events for show organizers, corporate brand marketers, and retail shopping centers. It offers general event management, planning and consultation, concept design, exhibition layout and design, graphics and design, show traffic analysis, carpeting and flooring, decorating products and accessories, custom graphics, overhead rigging, and cleaning services, as well as temporary electrical, lighting, and plumbing services. This segment also provides custom exhibit design and construction; portable and modular exhibits and design; integrated marketing, including pre- and post-event communications and customer relationship management; multimedia services; event surveys; return on investment an alysis; attendee and exhibit booth traffic analysis; staff training; online management tools; logistics and freight-forwarding, storage, and refurbishment of exhibits; booth furnishings, carpeting, and signage; in-house installation and dismantling; and various other show services. In addition, the segment offers various entertaining attractions and brand-based experiences, sponsored events, mobile marketing and other branded entertainment, and face-to-face marketing solutions for clients and venues, including movie studios, leading consumer brand marketers, shopping malls, museums, and casinos. Its Travel & Recreation Group segment provides tourism products, including attractions, transportation services, inbound package tour operations, hotel operations, and corporate and event management; operates five lodges, three motor inns, and one resort hotel; and engages in food and beverages, and retail and concession businesses. Viad Corp was founded in 1914 and is headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Calling all cash flows
  When you are trying to buy the market's best stocks, it's worth checking up on your companies' free cash flow once a quarter or so, to see whether it bears any relationship to the net income in the headlines. That's what we do with this series. Today, we're checking in on Viad Corp (NYSE: VVI  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

Hot Retail Companies To Watch In Right Now: J.C. Penney Company Inc. Holding Company(JCP)

J. C. Penney Company, Inc., through its subsidiary, J. C. Penney Corporation, Inc., operates department stores in the United States and Puerto Rico. The company sells family apparel and footwear, accessories, fine and fashion jewelry, beauty products, and home furnishings. It also provides various services, such as styling salon, optical, portrait photography, and custom decorating. The company also sells its products through its Internet Web site, jcp.com. J. C. Penney Company, Inc. has strategic alliance with Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc. As of December 7, 2011, it operated approximately 1,100 department stores. The company was founded in 1902 and is based in Plano, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rick Aristotle Munarriz]

  AP From a struggling department store chain finally turning things around to a video store calling it quits, here are the big wins and losses of the business world this week. J.C. Penney (JCP) -- Winner One of the ugliest streaks in retail is dead. J.C. Penney posted a 0.9 percent increase in same-store sales for the month of October, snapping an horrible streak of 21 consecutive negative months. J.C. Penney's fall from grace began when a new CEO attempted a radical makeover that eliminated sales in favor of everyday low pricing. Shoppers didn't like that, and the CEO was eventually shown the door. J.C. Penney still has a long way to truly bounce back. That 0.9 percent increase in store-level sales didn't even keep up with inflation over the past year. However, at a time when many were starting to write the chain off as dead, J.C. Penney is starting to recover, and pick up momentum heading into the crucial holiday shopping season. Blockbuster -- Loser DISH Network (DISH) is closing the last 300 Blockbuster stores that were still open in this country. It will also shutter its distribution centers and wind down its DVDs-by-mail service next month. The country's second-largest provider of satellite television service seemed to be scooping up the video rental chain at a bargain price out of bankruptcy two years ago. However, DISH Network failed to take the steps that would have been necessary to turn the struggling chain around. Instead of weaning customers off the fading DVD platform, DISH Network stuck to optical discs and used the stores to promote its flagship pay-TV service. That was never going to work. "Star Wars" Fans -- Winners Disney (DIS) posted record results on Thursday afternoon, but the real nugget of news out of the entertainment giant is that Episode VII of the ballyhooed "Star Wars" franchise will be released on Dec. 18, 2015. Reports had indicated that there was a disagreement about the release date. Disney's top brass was hoping for a su

• [By Jon C. Ogg]

  J.C. Penney Co. Inc. (NYSE: JCP) was reinstated as a Neutral by Goldman Sachs.

  Lululemon Athletica Inc. (NASDAQ: LULU) was reiterated as Neutral and noted cautiously with lowered earnings estimates by Sterne Agee until the new CEO situation and board room uncertainty is resolved.

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  It’s getting ugly for J.C. Penney (JCP). The beaten-down retailer has dropped 6.2% to $7.89 at 12:44 p.m., which would be its lowest closing price since Mar. 9, 1982.

  What more can you say about the train wreck JC Penney has become? It said it didn’t need to raise capital, and then diluted its shareholders by selling stock. Goldman Sachs raised questions about JC Penney’s debt, and credit-default swaps appear to confirm the investment bank’s view. Not even the launch of Disney (DIS) stores within JC Penney locations have been able to boost its shares, as if Mickey Mouse could lift anything with those string-bean arms.

  Unfortunately, I can’t get a chart going back 30-years, so this one will have to do. It show’s JC Penney’s 67% plunge during the past 12 months. Enjoy!

Hot Retail Companies To Watch In Right Now: Matahari Department Store Tbk PT (LPPF)

PT Matahari Department Store Tbk operates as a multi-format retailer. The Company, based in Indonesia, operates as the Department Store division of Matahari Putra Prima. The Matahari Group is Indonesia's multi-format retailer with core retail businesses in fashion and household groceries businesses targeted for middle - upper middle consumers throughout the country. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Emma O��rien]

  PT Matahari Department Store (LPPF), Indonesia�� largest retailer, climbed 7.7 percent to 14,000 rupiah after the stock was added to the MSCI Emerging Markets Index.

Hot Retail Companies To Watch In Right Now: Rex Trueform Clothing Company Ltd (RTO)

Rex Trueform Clothing Company Limited is a South Africa-based company engaged in the manufacturing and marketing of clothing. The Company operates under two segments: Retail segment, the Company, through its ownership of Queenspark Limited, which operates a nationwide chain of Queenspark and J CREW stores, has a interest in the retailing of men�� and women�� clothing and related accessories. Through Property segment, Rex Trueform and its subsidiary have a direct investment in a portfolio of properties located in and around Cape Town. These properties are held either for the purpose of operations or for investment purposes. As of June 30, 2012, the Company operated 55 stores. In September 2012, the Company launched its newest brand Cath.Nic, a new fashion label exclusive to Queenspark. During the fiscal year ended June 30, 2012, the Company opened three new stores. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Corinne Gretler]

  Rentokil Initial Plc (RTO) climbed 3.1 percent to 106 pence as Bank of America Corp. upgraded the U.K. pest-control and hygiene-services company to buy from neutral. The brokerage predicted that cash flow will improve in 2014 and 2015.

• [By Sofia Horta e Costa]

  Rentokil Initial Plc (RTO) rose the most in almost eight weeks after a report that private-equity investor Clayton Dubilier & Rice LLC is considering combining the company�� office-maintenance unit with that of Balfour Beatty Plc. Cobham Plc dropped 4.6 percent as a shareholder sold a 3.6 percent stake in the maker of defense and aerospace equipment.

Hot Retail Companies To Watch In Right Now: Coach Inc (COH)

Coach, Inc. (Coach), incorporated in June 2000, is a marketer of fine accessories and gifts for women and men. Coach�� product offerings include women�� and men�� bag, accessories, business cases, footwear, wearables, jewelry, sunwear, travel bags, watches and fragrance. The Company operates in two segments: Direct-to-Consumer and Indirect. Accessories include women�� and men�� small leather goods, novelty accessories and women�� and men�� belts. Women�� small leather goods, which coordinate with its handbags, include money pieces, wristlets, and cosmetic cases. Men�� small leather goods consist primarily of wallets and card cases. Novelty accessories include time management and electronic accessories. Key rings and charms are also included in this category. Men�� handbag collections include business cases, computer bags, messenger-style bags and totes. Footwear is distributed through select Coach retail stores, coach.com and about 1,000 United States department stores. Wearables category is comprised of jackets, sweaters, gloves, hats and scarves, including both cold weather and fashion.

The Company�� Jewelry category is comprised of bangle bracelets, necklaces, rings and earrings offered in both sterling silver and non-precious metals. Marchon Eyewear, Inc. (Marchon) is the Coach�� eyewear licensee. Coach sunglasses are sold in Coach retail stores and coach.com, department stores, select sunglass retailers and optical retailers in major markets. The travel collections are comprised of luggage and related accessories, such as travel kits and valet trays. Movado Group, Inc. (Movado) is the Company�� watch licensee, which develops a collection of watches.

Estee Lauder Companies Inc. (Estee Lauder), through its subsidiary, Aramis Inc., is Coach�� fragrance licensee. Fragrance is distributed through Coach retail stores, coach.com and about 4,000 United States department stores and 500 international locations. Coach offers four women�� fragrance col! lections and one men�� fragrance. The women�� fragrance collections include eau de perfume spray, eau de toilette spray, purse spray, body lotion and body splashes.

Direct-to-Consumer Segment

The Direct-to-Consumer segment consists of channels that provide the Company with immediate, controlled access to consumers: Coach-operated stores in North America; Japan; Hong Kong, Macau, and mainland China, Taiwan, Singapore and the Internet. This segment represented approximately 89% of Coach�� total net sales during the fiscal year ended June 30, 2012 (fiscal 2012), with North American stores and the Internet, Coach Japan and Coach China contributing approximately 63%, 18% and 6% of total net sales, respectively. Coach stores are located in regional shopping centers and metropolitan areas throughout the United States and Canada. The retail stores carry an assortment of products. Its stores are located in locations, such as New York, Chicago, San Francisco and Toronto.

Coach�� factory stores serve as a means to sell manufactured-for-factory-store product, including factory exclusives, as well as discontinued and irregular inventory outside the retail channel. These stores operate under the Coach Factory name. Coach�� factory store design, visual presentations and customer service levels support. Coach views its Website as a key communications vehicle for the brand to promote traffic in Coach retail stores and department store locations. Its online store provides a showcase environment where consumers can browse through a selected offering of the latest styles and colors.

Coach Japan operates department store shop-in-shop locations and freestanding flagship, retail and factory stores, as well as an e-commerce Website. Flagship stores offer an assortment of Coach products that are located in select shopping districts throughout Japan. Coach China operates department store shop-in-shop locations, as well as freestanding flagship, retail and factory sto! res. Flag! ship stores, which offer an assortment of Coach products, are located in select shopping districts throughout Hong Kong and mainland China. Coach Singapore and Taiwan operate department store shop-in-shop locations as well as freestanding flagship, retail and factory stores. Flagship stores, which offer a range of assortment of Coach products, are located in select shopping districts in Singapore and Taiwan.

The Reed Krakoff brand represents New American luxury primarily for handbags, accessories and ready-to-wear. Reed Krakoff operates department store shop-in-shop locations, freestanding flagship stores, as well as an e-commerce Website at reedkrakoff.com. Flagship stores, which offer an assortment of Reed Krakoff products, are located in select shopping districts in the United States and Japan.

Indirect Segment

The Indirect segment represented approximately 11% of total net sales in fiscal 2012, with United States Wholesale and Coach International representing approximately 6% and 4% of total net sales, respectively. The Indirect segment also includes royalties earned on licensed product. U.S. Wholesale channel offers access to Coach products to consumers who prefer shopping at department stores. Coach products are also available on macys.com, dillards.com, bloomingdales.com, lordandtaylor.com, belk.com, vonmaur.com and nordstrom.com. Coach�� products are sold in approximately 990 wholesale locations in the United States and Canada. Its U.S. wholesale customers are Macy�� (including Bloomingdale��), Dillard��, Nordstrom, Lord & Taylor, Carson�� and Saks Fifth Avenue.

Coach International channel represents sales to international wholesale distributors and authorized retailers. Coach has developed relationships with a select group of distributors who sell Coach products through department stores and freestanding retail locations in over 20 countries. Coach�� network of international distributors serves various markets: South Korea, US & T! erritorie! s, Taiwan, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Japan, Australia, Singapore, UAE, France, China, Macau, Indonesia, Kuwait, Bahamas, Aruba, Vietnam, New Zealand, Bahrain, India and Brazil.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Chris Hill and Jason Moser]

  Shares of Coach (NYSE: COH  ) rose on Tuesday after the retailer reported a 6% increase in third-quarter profits. Coach also increased its dividend by 13%. Does Coach have even more upside? To what extent is�Michael Kors (NYSE: KORS  ) a threat to Coach? In this installment of MarketFoolery, our analysts discuss the future of Coach.

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Coach (COH) is the worst performing stock in the S&P 500 this year–and Credit Suisse doesn’t see much hope for its shares despite the beaten down luxury retailer making all the right moves.

  Credit Suisse analysts�Christian Buss and Phan Le share their hopes and fears for Coach:

  We now believe that Coach is on the right track following introduction of its brand transformation initiative, but remain concerned with respect to shares, given our view that earnings power will be delayed into late FY16 at the earliest. We are impressed by Coach’s plans to: 1) close 70 underperforming stores; 2) roll out a new store design concept and devote more resources to flagships; 3) create brand presence in department stores; 4) focus and intensify its marketing message; 5) reduce flash sale events (to 3 per month from 3 per week); and 6) improve product and seasonal flow in the outlet channel. We view these initiatives as necessary for long-term brand survival among increasing competition but expect returns to be delayed in late FY16, suggesting a multiple discount relative to peers remains in order…

  Outlet And Full Price Store Balance Still A Cause For Concern. We believe Coach’s outlet business has reached a saturation point, likely weakening brand image in North America and adding to the deterioration of full price sales. Coach reiterated they believe they have the right mix of outlet versus full price stores and plan to close a moderate net total of 5 outlets in FY15 (opening 10 duel gender outlets while closing 2 locations and consolidating 13 men’s outlet locations into women’s stores). While they are invested in improving product (less logos and more leather) and limiting promotions to increase average transaction dollars, we view the surplus of outlet locations as dilutive to the brand and remain cautious on this strategy going forward…

  We reiterate our Neutral rating, lower our FY15 EPS

• [By Ted Cooper]

  Investors could be forgiven for writing off Coach (NYSE: COH  ) as a lost cause. The designer-handbag retailer has struggled to regain its footing in the U.S., and the market has all but given up on its hopes of ever recovering. However, investors who dismiss Coach as a has-been category leader may be ignoring a potentially good investment. Although far from guaranteed, there are three good reasons why Coach's stock could rise.

• [By Grace L. Williams]

  It�� hard to say where this rollercoaster will head to next, but investors seem to agree with Siegel today and are lining their closets with Kors. Its shares have gained 2.4% to $74.87 at 3:32 p.m. today, staying one step ahead of Kate Spade (KATE), which has gained 2% to $26.38 and Coach (COH), which is up 0.7% at $35.41.