Forecasts Down after Gloomy September for Retailers

Nordstrom et al. may have a blue, blue Xmas
By Sam Gale Rosen,  Newser Staff
Posted Oct 11, 2007 12:00 PM CDT
Forecasts Down after Gloomy September for Retailers
Shoppers leave a GAP store in this Sept. 6, 2007 file photo, at the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minn. Lingering summer weather and an uncertain economy kept consumers out of malls and stores in September, leaving many of the nation's big retailers with disappointing sales for the month and forcing...   (Associated Press)

Gloomy September reports led retailers to lower third-quarter forecasts, the New York Times reported today. With the exception of Wal-Mart—which raised profit forecasts slightly—big chain stores performed below expectations in September. Among the culprits are the credit crunch, warm weather and unflattering comparisons to last September. Even Wal-Mart says, “customers remain concerned about their finances, especially the cost of living.”

Things are unlikely to get rosier before the holiday shopping season, which, the Times reports, might exhibit the slowest growth in five years. The 1.6% increase for stores in September was well below estimates of 2.3%, according a research firm. More than a dozen stores—including Target, Nordstrom, and J.C. Penney—say forecasts will drop. (More retail sales stories.)

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