the National Retail Federation survey…
The National Retail Federation released the results of its annual Thanksgiving weekend shopping survey, consisting of interviews of 4300+ consumers, yesterday.
The headline results are: bigger crowds, $45 billion spent–up about 9% year on year.
The actual survey results, also available on the National Retail Federation site linked to above, contain more interesting information, namely:
–people traded up. Shopping at discount stores dropped from 34.2% of the respondents in 2009 to 40.3% this year. In contrast, department store shopping rose from 49.4% to 52.0%, and specialty retail store patronage grew from 22.9% to 24.4%.
–the types of gifts shifted from necessities to discretionary items. For example,
—–14.3% of respondents said they bought jewelry last weekend vs. a low of 9.6% in 2007, 10.9% in 2008 and 11.7% in 2009
—–33.6% bought books, CDs, videos or video games vs. 41.7% in 2007, a low of 39.0% in 2008 and 40.3% in 2009
—–24.7% bought gift cards/certificates vs. 21.0% in 2007, a low of 18.7% in 2008 and 21.2% in 2009
—–of economically sensitive spending areas, only housing-related (home decor and furniture) is a significant laggard. Among survey respondents, 20.2% are spending on this category this year vs. 19.6% in 2007, 20.3% in 2008 and 19.9% in 2009.
–a third of all purchases, by dollar value, were online, with 33.6% of respondents saying they had shopped on the internet.
Many news sources, the New York Times, for example, are reporting that shoppers were also buying things for themselves rather than just holiday gifts for others.
…adds to the evidence of a healthier consumer
Over the past several days, other positive consumer indicators have been announced. Last week, the Labor Department reportedThe Thompson Reuters/University of Michigan survey of consumer confidence hit a five-month high, although the release itself makes for pretty dismal reading. While respondents may be feeling more secure now than for almost half a year, they expect the unemployment rate to stay high and salary increases to stay low.
investment implications
For a long time, I’ve been writing that I think that the recovery of the US economy this time around would follow the pattern of the rest of the world (that is, industry improves first, consumer second) rather than the shape it has invariably had in the past, at least throughout my investment career (that is, consumer first, industry second).
Recent data, and especially the NRF survey, seem to me to be in accord with my view. I read them as saying that finally, almost eighteen months after the economy low, the US consumer is beginning to perk up again.
Ex discount stores like WMT and TGT and home improvement outlets like HD and LOW, this suggests retailers with significant US exposure may be becoming more profitable than the consensus expects. Stocks whose main virtue is that the vast majority of their sales are outside the US, in contrast, may begin to lose their allure in Wall Street’s eyes.
It’s relatively easy to check any stock’s geographical revenue breakout (and maybe operating profit, as well, depending on the company). It should be in the firm’s annual 10-K filing with the SEC, available on the agency’s Edgar website.