Reuters
- Signs of a looming global recession are springing up as major economies post slower economic growth, and as geopolitical uncertainty weighs on corporate spending.
- The US-China trade war has beaten down American retailers over the last year, but some stores appear to be bucking the trend.
- Wedbush Securities analyzed search data and earnings reports across the retail industry and found an upward trend in demand in August thanks to strong consumer spending.
- Here are 11 retailers that posted double-digit growth in search traffic, according to Wedbush.
- Visit the Markets Insider homepage for more stories.
Recessions signals are popping up all over the globe, but American consumers are still showing signs of health.
Retailers are showing an upward trend in demand for the month of August, according to a Wedbush Securities analysis of search-traffic data and recently reported revenue numbers.
“We reaffirm our preference for U.S. focused retailers as good options in a year of a strong dollar, as bright U.S. prospects fuel domestic spending in discretionary, and shares attract overseas investors seeking high dollar denominated returns,” Wedbush said in the report.
The success of American retailers has been brought into focus over the last year as President Trump’s trade war with China cast uncertainty across supply chains and weighed on international demand. While other investors and analysts are warning of the pending trouble for American retail, Wedbush believes the impact of the trade war is being overstated.
“We think much of retail has been oversold owing to US-China trade tensions and concerns over a weakening US consumer, while our data shows the US consumer is strong in August,” the firm said in its report.
Here are 11 retailers Wedbush says saw a double-digit jump in search traffic in August, ranked in increasing order:
11. BJ’s Wholesale Club
Business Insider/Jessica Tyler
Ticker:BJ
Price: $21.68
Year-over-year increase in online search traffic: 10.26%
Source: Wedbush Securities
10. Victoria’s Secret
L Brands
Year-over-year increase in online search traffic: 11.25%
Source: Wedbush Securities
9. Abercrombie & Fitch
Reuters/Benoit Tessier
Ticker:ANF
Rating: Neutral
Price: $15.17
Price target: $18.00
Year-over-year increase in search traffic: 13.59%
Source: Wedbush Securities
8. Old Navy
Noam Galai/Getty Images
Year-over-year increase in search traffic: 15.43%
Source: Wedbush Securities
7. Athleta
Bethany Biron/Business Insider
Year-over-year increase in search traffic: 18.62%
Source: Wedbush Securities
6. American Eagle Outfitters
AP Photo/Mark Lennihan
Ticker: AEO
Rating: Neutral
Price: $14.79
Price target: $20.00
Year-over-year increase in search traffic: 23.40%
Source: Wedbush Securities
5. lululemon Athletica
Bethany Biron/Business Insider
Ticker:LULU
Rating: Neutral
Price: $175.44
Price target: $175
Year-over-year increase in search traffic: 24.59%
Source: Wedbush Securities
4. Gilly Hicks
Shoshy Ciment/Business Insider
Year-over-year increase in search traffic: 26.09%
Source: Wedbush Securities
3. Zumiez
Getty Images
Ticker: ZUMZ
Rating: Underperform
Price: $22.61
Price target: $17.00
Year-over-year increase in searchtraffic: 29.41%
Source: Wedbush Securities
2. The Children’s Place
AP
Ticker:PLCE
Rating: Outperform
Price: $77.86
Price target: $130
Year-over-year increase in search traffic: 36.43%
Source: Wedbush Securities
1. Aerie
Business Insider/Mary Hanbury
Year-over-year increase in search traffic: 49.29%
Source: Wedbush Securities
