In the big picture, the department store has a lot more to worry about than bows, raffia, ribbons and perfectly creased edges. Macy's is still trying to smooth out the wrinkles from industry consolidation, and the long awaited benefits of its My Macy's initiative — an effort to tailor merchandise to local markets — haven't quite materialized yet. Add to that a more financially finicky consumer and gift wrapping seems the least of Macy's concerns. "Post recession consumers now are much more value conscious and increasingly trading down to discount department stores," Deutsche Bank analyst Bill Dreher said recently. For the gift wrapping challenged, though, there are always neighborhood nooks like The Paper Source in Virginia Highland or the gift bags at The Dollar Tree. 
Share:  In the big picture, the department store has a lot more to worry about than bows, raffia, ribbons and perfectly creased edges. <span class="company">Macy</span>'s is still trying to smooth out the wrinkles from industry consolidation, and the long awaited benefits of its My <span class="company">Macy</span>'s initiative — an effort to tailor merchandise to local markets — haven't quite materialized yet. Add to that a more financially finicky consumer and gift wrapping seems the least of <span class="company">Macy</span>'s concerns.<span class="sent"> "Post recession consumers now are much more value conscious and increasingly trading down to discount department stores," Deutsche Bank analyst <span class="analyst">Bill Dreher</span> said recently.</span> For the gift wrapping challenged, though, there are always neighborhood nooks like The Paper Source in Virginia Highland or the gift bags at The Dollar Tree. Tweet this 

Retail shares are edging higher on signs of growth in the services sector of the U. S economy. Costco and its smaller rival BJ's are among the biggest movers with both stocks falling on downbeat quarterly results. MarketWatch's Andria Cheng reports."What's getting investors excited is despite these apparent headwinds, sales are holding up," said Deutsche Bank analyst Bill Dreher in an interview, adding his coverage universe of department stores and other general merchandise retailers will likely meet or exceed expectations. "Consumer spending is beginning to accelerate. 
Share:  Retail shares are edging higher on signs of growth in the services sector of the U. S economy. Costco and its smaller rival <span class="company">BJ</span>'s are among the biggest movers with both stocks falling on downbeat quarterly results. MarketWatch's Andria Cheng reports."What's<span class="sent"> getting investors excited is despite these apparent headwinds, sales are holding up," said Deutsche Bank analyst <span class="analyst">Bill Dreher</span> in an interview, adding his coverage universe of department stores and other general merchandise retailers will likely meet or exceed expectations.</span> "Consumer spending is beginning to accelerate. Tweet this 

Retail shares are edging higher on signs of growth in the services sector of the U. S economy. Costco and its smaller rival BJ's are among the biggest movers with both stocks falling on downbeat quarterly results. MarketWatch's Andria Cheng reports."What's getting investors excited is despite these apparent headwinds, sales are holding up," said Deutsche Bank analyst Bill Dreher in an interview, adding his coverage universe of department stores and other general merchandise retailers will likely meet or exceed expectations. "Consumer spending is beginning to accelerate. 
Share:  Retail shares are edging higher on signs of growth in the services sector of the U. S economy. Costco and its smaller rival <span class="company">BJ</span>'s are among the biggest movers with both stocks falling on downbeat quarterly results. MarketWatch's Andria Cheng reports."What's<span class="sent"> getting investors excited is despite these apparent headwinds, sales are holding up," said Deutsche Bank analyst <span class="analyst">Bill Dreher</span> in an interview, adding his coverage universe of department stores and other general merchandise retailers will likely meet or exceed expectations.</span> "Consumer spending is beginning to accelerate. Tweet this 

But we're planning to grow the business at both Macy's and Bloomingdale's, and we'll continue to fuel our online business, and we're beginning an outlet strategy at Bloomingdale's as I think you know. So, why, after all the optimism about My Macy's, does Lundgren suddenly admit that, amidst the biggest downturn since the Great Depression, the economy could be a problem ? . Perhaps for two reasons. First, and despite the generally good response to its fourth quarter financials, he knew Macy's recent results would disappoint shareholders. In fact, Deutsche Bank analyst Bill Dreher downgraded Macy's stock earlier in the month, saying the company had not benefited from department store consolidation as much as he would have liked and because, as he was quoted as saying, the My Macy's "decentralization initiative is developing awkwardly and will likely need years of refinement…" . 
Share:  But we're planning to grow the business at both <span class="company">Macy</span>'s and Bloomingdale's, and we'll continue to fuel our online business, and we're beginning an outlet strategy at Bloomingdale's as I think you know. So, why, after all the optimism about My <span class="company">Macy</span>'s, does Lundgren suddenly admit that, amidst the biggest downturn since the Great Depression, the economy could be a problem ? . Perhaps for two reasons. First, and despite the generally good response to its fourth quarter financials, he knew <span class="company">Macy</span>'s recent results would disappoint shareholders.<span class="sent"> In fact, Deutsche Bank analyst <span class="analyst">Bill Dreher</span> downgraded <span class="company">Macy</span>'s stock earlier in the month, saying the company had not benefited from department store consolidation as much as he would have liked and because, as he was quoted as saying, the My <span class="company">Macy</span>'s "decentralization initiative is developing awkwardly and will likely need years of refinement…" .</span>...Perhaps for two reasons. First, and despite the generally good response to its fourth quarter financials, he knew <span class="company">Macy</span>'s recent results would disappoint shareholders.<span class="sent"> In fact, Deutsche Bank analyst <span class="analyst">Bill Dreher</span> downgraded <span class="company">Macy</span>'s stock earlier in the month, saying the company had not benefited fro Tweet this 

LOS ANGELES – Three of the nation's largest retailers saw earnings rise significantly in the fourth quarter and said Tuesday that they expected continued improvement this year even against a slow industry recovery. For the quarter that ended Jan 30, department store giant Macy's Inc swung to a $466 million profit after losing billions of dollars in the year earlier period; discounter Target Corp said profit rose 54 percent, and Sears Holdings Corp posted its best quarterly profit in three years "It's very clear, looking at the economic environment as well as the retailers' businesses, that the environment is dramatically better from where it was a year ago," said Bill Dreher, senior retail analyst at Deutsche Bank Securities who follows all three companies Still, he said sales results weren't as encouraging as profitability 
Share:  LOS ANGELES – Three of the nation's largest retailers saw earnings rise significantly in the fourth quarter and said Tuesday that they expected continued improvement this year even against a slow industry recovery. For the quarter that ended Jan 30, department store giant Macy's Inc swung to a $466 million profit after losing billions of dollars in the year earlier period; discounter <span class="company">Target</span> Corp said profit rose 54 percent, and Sears Holdings Corp posted its best quarterly profit in three years<span class="sent"> "It's very clear, looking at the economic environment as well as the retailers' businesses, that the environment is dramatically better from where it was a year ago," said <span class="analyst">Bill Dreher</span>, senior retail analyst at Deutsche Bank Securities who follows all three companies</span> Still, he said sales results weren't as encouraging as profitability Tweet this 

LOS ANGELES – Three of the nation's largest retailers saw earnings rise significantly in the fourth quarter and said Tuesday that they expected continued improvement this year even against a slow industry recovery. For the quarter that ended Jan 30, department store giant Macy's Inc swung to a $466 million profit after losing billions of dollars in the year earlier period; discounter Target Corp said profit rose 54 percent, and Sears Holdings Corp posted its best quarterly profit in three years "It's very clear, looking at the economic environment as well as the retailers' businesses, that the environment is dramatically better from where it was a year ago," said Bill Dreher, senior retail analyst at Deutsche Bank Securities who follows all three companies Still, he said sales results weren't as encouraging as profitability 
Share:  LOS ANGELES – Three of the nation's largest retailers saw earnings rise significantly in the fourth quarter and said Tuesday that they expected continued improvement this year even against a slow industry recovery. For the quarter that ended Jan 30, department store giant Macy's Inc swung to a $466 million profit after losing billions of dollars in the year earlier period; discounter Target Corp said profit rose 54 percent, and <span class="company">Sears</span> Holdings Corp posted its best quarterly profit in three years<span class="sent"> "It's very clear, looking at the economic environment as well as the retailers' businesses, that the environment is dramatically better from where it was a year ago," said <span class="analyst">Bill Dreher</span>, senior retail analyst at Deutsche Bank Securities who follows all three companies</span> Still, he said sales results weren't as encouraging as profitability Tweet this 

LOS ANGELES – Three of the nation's largest retailers saw earnings rise significantly in the fourth quarter and said Tuesday that they expected continued improvement this year even against a slow industry recovery. For the quarter that ended Jan 30, department store giant Macy's Inc swung to a $466 million profit after losing billions of dollars in the year earlier period; discounter Target Corp said profit rose 54 percent, and Sears Holdings Corp posted its best quarterly profit in three years "It's very clear, looking at the economic environment as well as the retailers' businesses, that the environment is dramatically better from where it was a year ago," said Bill Dreher, senior retail analyst at Deutsche Bank Securities who follows all three companies Still, he said sales results weren't as encouraging as profitability 
Share:  LOS ANGELES – Three of the nation's largest retailers saw earnings rise significantly in the fourth quarter and said Tuesday that they expected continued improvement this year even against a slow industry recovery. For the quarter that ended Jan 30, department store giant <span class="company">Macy's</span> Inc swung to a $466 million profit after losing billions of dollars in the year earlier period; discounter Target Corp said profit rose 54 percent, and Sears Holdings Corp posted its best quarterly profit in three years<span class="sent"> "It's very clear, looking at the economic environment as well as the retailers' businesses, that the environment is dramatically better from where it was a year ago," said <span class="analyst">Bill Dreher</span>, senior retail analyst at Deutsche Bank Securities who follows all three companies</span> Still, he said sales results weren't as encouraging as profitability Tweet this 

Discounter Target Corp said profit rose 54 percent and Sears Holdings Corp posted its best quarterly profit in three years while announcing 21 store closings, including 13 at Kmart that included locations in Cleveland, Dayton, Eastlake, Milford and Wadsworth ''It's very clear, looking at the economic environment as well as the retailers' businesses, that the environment is dramatically better from where it was a year ago,'' said Bill Dreher, senior retail analyst at Deutsche Bank Securities, who follows all three companies Still, he said sales results weren't as encouraging as profitability Macy's sales in the fourth quarter declined 11 percent, to $785 billion from $793 billion in the year earlier period 
Share:  Discounter Target Corp said profit rose 54 percent and Sears Holdings Corp posted its best quarterly profit in three years while announcing 21 store closings, including 13 at <span class="company">Kmart</span> that included locations in Cleveland, Dayton, Eastlake, Milford and Wadsworth<span class="sent"> ''It's very clear, looking at the economic environment as well as the retailers' businesses, that the environment is dramatically better from where it was a year ago,'' said <span class="analyst">Bill Dreher</span>, senior retail analyst at Deutsche Bank Securities, who follows all three companies</span> Still, he said sales results weren't as encouraging as profitability Macy's sales in the fourth quarter declined 11 percent, to $785 billion from $793 billion in the year earlier period...Discounter Target Corp said profit rose 54 percent and Sears Holdings Corp posted its best quarterly profit in three years while announcing 21 store closings, including 13 at <span class="company">Kmart</span> that included locations in Cleveland, Dayton, Eastlake, Milford and Wadsworth<span class="sent"> ''It's very clear, looking at the economic environment as well as the retailers' businesses, that the environment is dramatically better from where it was a year ago,'' said <span class="analyst">Bill Dreher</span>, senior retail analyst at Deutsche Bank Securities, who follows all three companies</span> Still, he said sales results weren't as encouraging as profitability Macy's sales in the fourth quarter declined 11 percent, to $785 billion from $793 billion in the year earlier period Tweet this 

Discounter Target Corp said profit rose 54 percent and Sears Holdings Corp posted its best quarterly profit in three years while announcing 21 store closings, including 13 at Kmart that included locations in Cleveland, Dayton, Eastlake, Milford and Wadsworth ''It's very clear, looking at the economic environment as well as the retailers' businesses, that the environment is dramatically better from where it was a year ago,'' said Bill Dreher, senior retail analyst at Deutsche Bank Securities, who follows all three companies Still, he said sales results weren't as encouraging as profitability Macy's sales in the fourth quarter declined 11 percent, to $785 billion from $793 billion in the year earlier period 
Share:  Discounter <span class="company">Target</span> Corp said profit rose 54 percent and Sears Holdings Corp posted its best quarterly profit in three years while announcing 21 store closings, including 13 at Kmart that included locations in Cleveland, Dayton, Eastlake, Milford and Wadsworth<span class="sent"> ''It's very clear, looking at the economic environment as well as the retailers' businesses, that the environment is dramatically better from where it was a year ago,'' said <span class="analyst">Bill Dreher</span>, senior retail analyst at Deutsche Bank Securities, who follows all three companies</span> Still, he said sales results weren't as encouraging as profitability Macy's sales in the fourth quarter declined 11 percent, to $785 billion from $793 billion in the year earlier period...Discounter <span class="company">Target</span> Corp said profit rose 54 percent and Sears Holdings Corp posted its best quarterly profit in three years while announcing 21 store closings, including 13 at Kmart that included locations in Cleveland, Dayton, Eastlake, Milford and Wadsworth<span class="sent"> ''It's very clear, looking at the economic environment as well as the retailers' businesses, that the environment is dramatically better from where it was a year ago,'' said <span class="analyst">Bill Dreher</span>, senior retail analyst at Deutsche Bank Securities, who follows all three companies</span> Still, he said sales results weren't as encouraging as profitability Macy's sales in the fourth quarter declined 11 percent, to $785 billion from $793 billion in the year earlier period Tweet this 

Discounter Target Corp said profit rose 54 percent and Sears Holdings Corp posted its best quarterly profit in three years while announcing 21 store closings, including 13 at Kmart that included locations in Cleveland, Dayton, Eastlake, Milford and Wadsworth ''It's very clear, looking at the economic environment as well as the retailers' businesses, that the environment is dramatically better from where it was a year ago,'' said Bill Dreher, senior retail analyst at Deutsche Bank Securities, who follows all three companies Still, he said sales results weren't as encouraging as profitability Macy's sales in the fourth quarter declined 11 percent, to $785 billion from $793 billion in the year earlier period 
Share:  Discounter Target Corp said profit rose 54 percent and <span class="company">Sears</span> Holdings Corp posted its best quarterly profit in three years while announcing 21 store closings, including 13 at Kmart that included locations in Cleveland, Dayton, Eastlake, Milford and Wadsworth<span class="sent"> ''It's very clear, looking at the economic environment as well as the retailers' businesses, that the environment is dramatically better from where it was a year ago,'' said <span class="analyst">Bill Dreher</span>, senior retail analyst at Deutsche Bank Securities, who follows all three companies</span> Still, he said sales results weren't as encouraging as profitability Macy's sales in the fourth quarter declined 11 percent, to $785 billion from $793 billion in the year earlier period...Discounter Target Corp said profit rose 54 percent and <span class="company">Sears</span> Holdings Corp posted its best quarterly profit in three years while announcing 21 store closings, including 13 at Kmart that included locations in Cleveland, Dayton, Eastlake, Milford and Wadsworth<span class="sent"> ''It's very clear, looking at the economic environment as well as the retailers' businesses, that the environment is dramatically better from where it was a year ago,'' said <span class="analyst">Bill Dreher</span>, senior retail analyst at Deutsche Bank Securities, who follows all three companies</span> Still, he said sales results weren't as encouraging as profitability Macy's sales in the fourth quarter declined 11 percent, to $785 billion from $793 billion in the year earlie Tweet this