Best Retail Stocks To Buy For 2014

You can be forgiven if you've never heard of Fairway Group Holdings (NASDAQ: FWM  ) . The company is responsible for Fairway Market, a small chain of high-end grocery stores currently in and around the greater New York City metropolitan area.

Back to the beginning
Fairway dates back to the 1930s, when it started out as a small local market, and today it still maintains its small footprint with only 12 stores in what's estimated to be a $30 billion food retail market in the greater New York City metropolitan area; however management has some big growth plans in mind. This probably helps explain its recent IPO in April of this year. And since then, the stock has been on a tear, rising 58% and counting.

Is opportunity knocking?
While Fairway is tiny today, management sees the Northeast market (from New England to the District of Columbia) ultimately supporting up to 90 stores along with an additional 300 nationwide. So is it reasonable to believe that the market can support 400 or so Fairway stores? Possibly. Let's take a look at some other well-known names to see how they stack up:

Top 10 High Dividend Companies To Own For 2015: Bed Bath & Beyond Inc.(BBBY)

Bed Bath & Beyond Inc., together with its subsidiaries, operates a chain of retail stores. It sells a range of domestic merchandise, such as bed linens and related items, bath items, and kitchen textiles; and home furnishings, including kitchen and tabletop items, fine tabletop, basic housewares, general home furnishings, consumables, and certain juvenile products. The company also offers giftware, household products, and health and beauty care items; and infant and toddler merchandise. It operates stores under the names of Bed Bath & Beyond (BBB), Christmas Tree Shops (CTS), Harmon and Harmon Face Values (Harmon), and buybuy BABY. As of August 27, 2011, the company had a total of 1,155 stores, including 986 BBB stores, 70 CTS stores, 54 buybuy BABY stores, and 45 Harmon stores in 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and Canada. It also operates two stores under the name of Home & More in the Mexico City through a joint venture. Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. was foun ded in 1971 and is based in Union, New Jersey.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Wallace Witkowski]

  Bed Bath & Beyond (BBBY) �fell 8.5% to $72.95 on heavy volume after the company reported fiscal�third-quarter earnings of $1.12 a share on revenue of $2.87 billion. Analysts surveyed by FactSet expected $1.15 a share on revenue of $2.88 billion.

• [By Anora Mahmudova]

  Bed, Bath & Beyond Inc. (BBBY) �shares fell 6.2% after the houseware retailer�� forecast for the current quarter fell short of forecasts, and it posted a profit and revenue decline for the fiscal fourth quarter.

• [By Teresa Rivas]

  On Thursday, Bed, Bath & Beyond (BBBY) after its earnings forecast disappointed. Citigroup�� Kate McShane also downgraded the stock from Buy to Neutral on the news, lowering her target price from $85 to $72.

  McShane writes that excluding the effect of her conservative assumptions for share repurchases, earnings per share growth looks to be virtually flattish for the next two years. The announcement Thursday night indicates that ��he company is facing a 2nd straight year of top-line deceleration driven by both slowing new store openings and modest comp growth.��Moreover, she writes, she doesn�� see an inflection point for gross margin in the next year, as she had previously thought possible, and she is concerned about the ��ngoing increasing negative impact from couponing.��/p>

  She notes that while investments in technology may improve Bed, Bath�� omni-channel experience, this strategy will continue to weigh on EPS, and she now likes Williams Sonoma (WSM) as a better way to get exposure to favorable trends in home furnishings.

  Her new estimates:

  Lowering our FY15 EPS from $5.36 to $5.04 ��e are taking down our EPS estimates on a slower comp environment over the next few years which will make it more difficult to leverage expenses, especially in light of continued investments in the omni-channel experience. Plus, the mix shift toward lower margin products may persist and the couponing reliance appears to be a permanent overhang. Lastly, the square footage expansion story for FY15 was less than we had expected and the opportunity to get a sales lift from square footage growth may be waning.

   

• [By Laura Brodbeck]

  Earnings Expected: Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. (NASDAQ: BBBY), Ruby Tuesday, Inc (NYSE: RT), Progressive Corporation (NYSE: PGR), Constellation Brands (NYSE: STZ)

Best Retail Stocks To Buy For 2014: West Marine Inc (WMAR)

West Marine, Inc., incorporated in September 1993, is a specialty retailer of boating supplies and accessories. The Company offers an assortment of merchandise for the boat and for the boater. It operates in three segments: Stores, Port Supply and Direct-to-Customer. The Company sells to both retail and wholesale customers in its Stores segment. In addition, the Company has three franchised stores in Turkey. The Company�� Port Supply segment is its wholesale segment. The Company�� Direct-to-Customer, which includes e-commerce, catalog and call center transactions. During the year ended December 31, 2011, Stores segment generated approximately 90% of its net revenues. During 2011, products shipped to Port Supply customers directly from its warehouses represented approximately 4% of its net revenues.

During 2011, its Direct Sales segment offered customers around the world more than 75,000 products and accounted for the remaining 6% of its net revenues. Private label products, which the Company sells under the West Marine, Black Tip, Third Reef, Pure Oceans, Lifesling, SeaVolt and Seafit brand names, usually are manufactured in Asia, the United States and Europe.

Stores Segment

During 2011, the Company opened six stores while closing 14 stores. In December 2011, it opened its Fort Lauderdale Boating Superstore, a 50,000 square foot flagship. Its flagship stores ranging in size from 21,000 to 50,000 square feet, offering an array of merchandise typically about 16,000 items, as well as displays designed to help customers make informed product selections. It also operates large format stores, standard-sized stores and smaller Express stores. Its large format stores range from 13,000 to 19,000 square feet and carry about 11,000 items. The standard-sized stores typically range from 6,000 to 12,000 square feet and carry over 6,000 items. Express stores typically range from 2,500 to 3,000 square feet and carry over 4,000 items, mainly hardware and other supplies needed! for day-to-day boat maintenance and repairs.

Port Supply Segment

Port Supply customers include businesses involved in boat sales, boat building, boat commissioning and repair, yacht chartering, marina operations and other boating-related activities. In addition, Port Supply sells to government and industrial customers who use its products for boating and non-boating purposes. Port Supply, the Company�� wholesale segment, serves wholesale customers seeking convenience and a larger assortment of products than those carried by typical distributors.

Direct-to-Customer Segment

The Company�� e-commerce Website provides its customers with access to a selection of approximately 75,000 products, product advisor tips and technical information, over 450 product videos and customer-submitted product reviews. This segment also provides customers with access to knowledgeable technical advisors who can assist its customers in understanding the various uses and applications of the products it sell. It operates a virtual call center from which its associates assist its customers by taking calls from their homes or from its support center in Watsonville, California. Its virtual call center supports sales generated through its e-commerce Website, catalogs and stores and provides customer service offerings.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Interactive Buyside]

  West Marine (Nasdaq: WMAR) is an undervalued retailer.  The company is going through a change in focus from a bricks and mortar boat product retailer to a fully integrated retail and wholesale business through bricks and clicks, targeting the boating and water enthusiast customer.   Recent results have been affected by a severe rainy and cool spring which hurt boat usage and delayed the start of the season.  The company has accelerated cash investments to build larger more productive stores and expand its ecommerce abilities, consequently affecting free cash flow short term.  The stock lacks sponsorship as there is only one research report written on the company by a small boutique firm.  The stock trades at only book value despite the company being the leading industry player with a solid balance sheet and significant net cash position. 

Best Retail Stocks To Buy For 2014: Big Lots Inc (BIG)

Big Lots, Inc., incorporated in May 2001, through its wholly owned subsidiaries, is a North America's closeout retailer. At January 28, 2012, the Company operated a total of 1,533 stores in two countries: the United States and Canada. The Company operates in two segments: U.S. and Canada. The merchandising categories include Consumables, Furniture, Home, Seasonal, Play n' Wear, and Hardlines & Other. The Consumables category includes the food, health and beauty, plastics, paper, chemical, and pet departments. The Furniture category includes the upholstery, mattresses, ready-to-assemble, and case goods departments. The Home category includes the domestics, stationery, and home decorative departments. The Seasonal category includes the lawn and garden, Christmas, summer, and other holiday departments. The Play n' Wear category includes the electronics, toys, jewelry, infant accessories, and apparel departments. The Hardlines & Other category includes the appliances, tools, paint, and home maintenance departments. On July 18, 2011, the Company acquired Liquidation World Inc. During the fiscal year ended January 28, 2012 (fiscal 2011), the Company opened 92 stores, acquired 89 stores and closed 46 stores.

All of the Company�� stores are located in North America and has an average store size of approximately 29,900 square feet, of which an average of 21,600 square feet is selling square feet. The 54 owned stores are located in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Louisiana, New Mexico, Ohio and Texas. At January 28, 2012, the Company owned or leased approximately 9.4 million square feet of distribution center and warehouse space. The Company leases and operates two regional distribution centers in Canada located in British Columbia and Ontario. Of its 1,533 stores, 33% operate in four states California, Texas, Ohio, and Florida, and net sales from stores in these states represented 36% of its fiscal 2011 net sales.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Brian Pacampara]

  What: Shares of discount retailer Big Lots (NYSE: BIG  ) sank 10% today after its current-quarter and full-year guidance disappointed Wall Street.

• [By Paul Ausick]

  Big Lots Inc. (NYSE: BIG) reported earnings last Thursday night, turning in adjusted EPS of $0.31 on revenue of $1.23 billion, beating the consensus EPS estimate but slightly low on revenue. Big Lots lowered its full-year earnings and revenue guidance. Third-quarter guidance was lowered from an expected EPS loss of $0.01 to a loss of $0.05 to $0.13 and same-store sales to be flat to down 2% as the stores build inventory for the holiday season. Still, the stock price rose 2.25% on Friday.

• [By Alyce Lomax]

  Of course, the fact that Costco shares trade at such a premium to those of similar retailers has always been a factor that investors have grappled with and often disagreed on. Costco currently trades at 22 times forward earnings. That's a far cry from Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT  ) and Target (NYSE: TGT  ) , both of which trade at 13 times forward earnings. Big Lots (NYSE: BIG  ) trades even cheaper, at 10 times forward earnings.�

Best Retail Stocks To Buy For 2014: AutoNation Inc (AN)

AutoNation, Inc. (AutoNation), incorporated on May 30, 1991, is an automotive retailer in the United States. As of December 31, 2011, the Company had three operating segments: Domestic, Import, and Premium Luxury. As of December 31, 2011, it owned and operated 258 new vehicle franchises from 215 stores located in the United States, predominantly in metropolitan markets in the Sunbelt region. Its stores sell 32 different brands of new vehicles. The core brands of vehicles that it sells, representing approximately 90% of the new vehicles that it sold during the year ended December 31, 2011, was manufactured by Ford, Toyota, Nissan, General Motors, Honda, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Chrysler. The Company offers a diversified range of automotive products and services, including new vehicles, used vehicles, parts and automotive repair and maintenance services , and automotive finance and insurance products, which includes the arranging of financing for vehicle purchases through third-party finance sources. The Company retailed approximately 400,000 new and used vehicles through its stores in 2011. It acquired one automotive retail franchise and related assets during 2011.

Domestic segment consists of retail automotive franchises that sell new vehicles manufactured by General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler. Its Import segment is comprised of retail automotive franchises that sell new vehicles manufactured primarily by Toyota, Honda, and Nissan. Its Premium Luxury segment is consists of retail automotive franchises that sell new vehicles manufactured primarily by Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Lexus. The franchises in each segment also sells used vehicles, parts and automotive repair and maintenance services, and automotive finance and insurance products. For the year ended December 31, 2011, Domestic revenue represented 34% of total revenue, Import revenue represented 37% of total revenue, and Premium Luxury revenue represented 28% of total revenue. Corporate and other is consist of its other businesses, incl! uding collision centers, e-commerce activities, and an auction operation, each of which generates revenues, as well as unallocated corporate overhead expenses and retrospective commissions for certain financing and insurance transactions that it arranges under agreements with third parties.

The Company�� stores acquires vehicles for retail sale either directly from the applicable automotive manufacturer or distributor or through dealer trades with other stores of the same franchise. it acquires used vehicles from customer trade-ins, auctions, lease terminations, and other sources. It recondition used vehicles acquired for retail sale at its stores��service facilities and capitalize costs related thereto as used vehicle inventory. Through its VVOs, which are located on existing store facilities, it sells vehicles that it would have traditionally wholesaled with an average retail price lower than that of used vehicles it typically retail. Used vehicles that the Company do not sell at its stores or VVOs generally are sold at wholesale prices through auctions.

The Company offers a variety of automotive finance and insurance products to its customers. The Company arranges for its customers to finance vehicles through installment loans or leases with third-party lenders, including the vehicle manufacturers��and distributors��captive finance subsidiaries, in exchange for a commission payable to the Company. It also offers its customers various vehicle protection products, including extended service contracts, maintenance programs, guaranteed auto protection (GAP, this protection covers the shortfall between a customer�� loan balance and insurance payoff in the event of a casualty), tire and wheel protection, and theft protection products. The vehicle protection products that its stores offers to customers are underwritten and administered by independent third parties, including the vehicle manufacturers��and distributors��captive finance subsidiaries. The Company sells t! he produc! ts on a straight commission basis; however, it also participate in future underwriting profit for certain products pursuant to retrospective commission arrangements. Commissions that it receives from these third-party providers may be subject to chargeback, in full or in part, if products that it sells, such as extended service contracts, are cancelled. Its stores also provide a range of vehicle maintenance, repair, paint, and collision repair services, including warranty work that can be performed only at franchised dealerships and customer-pay service work. The Company has entered into framework agreements with vehicle manufacturers and distributors. It operates each of its new vehicle stores under a franchise agreement with a vehicle manufacturer or distributor.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Monica Gerson]

  AutoNation (NYSE: AN) is projected to report its Q3 earnings at $0.77 per share on revenue of $4.44 billion.

  Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) is expected to post its Q1 earnings at $0.54 per share on revenue of $17.79 billion.

Best Retail Stocks To Buy For 2014: Restoration Hardware Holdings Inc (RH)

Restoration Hardware Holdings, Inc. (Restoration Hardware Holdings), incorporated on August 18, 2011, is a holding company. The Company is merchants of home furnishings. Restoration Hardware Holdings offers merchandise assortments across a number of categories, including furniture, lighting, textiles, bath ware, decor, outdoor, garden, and baby and child products. The Company�� business is integrated across its multiple channels of distribution, consists of its stores, catalogs and Websites. As of July 28, 2012, the Company�� operated a total of 73 retail stores, consisted of 71 Galleries and two full line Design Galleries, and 10 outlet stores throughout the United States and Canada. RH is a brand in the home furnishings. During the fiscal year ended January 28, 2012 (fiscal 2011), the Company opened five stores and closed 22 stores. In fiscal 2011, the Company distributed approximately 26.1 million catalogs, and its Websites logged over 14.3 million visits.

Restoration Hardware Holdings operates a Website for its Baby & Child brand at www.rhbabyandchild.com. The Company opened its two full line Design Galleries in Los Angeles in, June 2011 and Houston in November 2011. In May 2011, the Company launched catalog applications for Apple�� iPad and iPhone that enable customers to view and purchase its product assortment. Restoration Hardware Holdings operates three store types: the Company's full line Design Gallery format, approximately between 22,000 and 28,000 gross square feet; its Gallery format of approximately 7,000-15,000 gross square feet, and its Baby & Child Gallery format of approximately 2,000-3,000 gross square feet.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Brian Nichols]

  Restoration Hardware (NYSE: RH  ) reported earnings recently and its revenue growth showed a significant deceleration in comparison to what investors have come to expect. Nonetheless, for investors with a long-term outlook, Restoration Hardware has a plan in place to keep growth robust, thus allowing for long-term stock gains.

• [By Lisa Levin]

  Restoration Hardware Holdings (NYSE: RH) shares moved up 12.82% to $80.50. The volume of Restoration Hardware shares traded was 1093% higher than normal. Restoration Hardware reported stronger-than-expected first-quarter earnings. The company's adjusted earnings came in at $0.18 per share, topping analysts' expectations of $0.11 per share.

• [By Eric Volkman]

  Restoration Hardware (NYSE: RH  ) has appointed a familiar figure to be one of its co-CEOs. Gary Friedman, who formerly occupied the position and was prominent in much of the company's marketing, has been named chief executive once again. He'll fill that role as part of a team with Carlos Alberini, who has served as CEO since 2001. Alone, Friedman will take up the post of chairman.

• [By Jon C. Ogg]

  Before you consider this just to be a bit of IPO pondering, take a step back and understand that some of this list membership already has�filed to come public or actually has�made it public recently. Boise Cascade Co. (NYSE: BCC), CDW Corp. (NASDAQ: CDW), Coty Inc. (NYSE: COTY), Global Brass and Copper Holdings Inc. (NYSE: BRSS), Noodles & Company (NASDAQ: NDLS), Restoration Hardware Holdings Inc. (NYSE: RH), Sprouts Farmers Market Inc. (NASDAQ: SFM) and many others are on the list and have made it to the post-IPO stage in the stock market.

Best Retail Stocks To Buy For 2014: ALCO Stores Inc (ALCS)

Alco Stores, Inc., incorporated on June 2, 1915, is engaged in the business of retailing general merchandise throughout the central portion of the United States of America through a range of department store outlets. The Company�� ALCO stores offer a range of merchandise consisting of approximately 35,000 items, including automotive, commodities, crafts, domestics, electronics, furniture, hardware, health and beauty aids, housewares, jewelry, ladies�� men�� and children�� apparel and shoes, pre-recorded music and video, sporting goods, seasonal items, stationery and toys.

As of February 3, 2013, the Company operated 217 stores in 23 states located in mostly smaller communities in the central United States. The stores average approximately 21,000 square feet of selling space, with an additional 5,000 square feet utilized for merchandise processing, temporary storage and administration.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Monica Gerson]

  ALCO Stores (NASDAQ: ALCS) is projected to post its Q2 earnings.

  Digital Cinema Destinations (NASDAQ: DCIN) is estimated to post a Q4 loss at $0.11 per share on revenue of $11.17 million.