Free shipping should boost sales

Article Excerpt

NORDSTROM INC. $55 (New York symbol JWN; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 207.9 million; Market cap: $11.4 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.1; Dividend yield: 2.0%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.nordstrom.com) is now offering free shipping for all purchases made at over 100 of its 225 upscale department stores; it already offers free shipping on online purchases. Free shipping adds to its costs, but Nordstrom feels this move will give it an edge over its main rivals. Meanwhile, Nordstrom’s sales rose 16.2% in February 2012, to $704 million from $606 million in February 2011. Same-store sales rose 10.2%. Nordstrom is a buy. buy…