Two niche retailers with investor appeal

Article Excerpt

Many traditional bricks-and-mortar retailers continue to struggle against the pandemic-spurred onslaught of online shopping and the impact of past inflation on consumer spending. Still, we believe the unique markets of TJX and North West offer you the possibility of strong gains ahead. THE TJX COMPANIES, $117.25, (New York symbol TJX; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average) (tjx.com; Shares o/s: 1.1 billion; Market cap: $132.2 billion; Yield: 1.3%), is a leading off-price retailer of clothing, accessories and home fashions. Off-price retailers purchase merchandise at below-wholesale prices and charge less than retail prices. Through their shares, investors tap a network of stores. In the U.S., TJX operates 1,326 T.J. Maxx locations, 1,204 Marshalls, 930 HomeGoods, 101 Sierra Trading Post outlets and 62 HomeSense locations. In Canada, it has 304 Winners outlets, 160 HomeSense locations and 108 Marshalls stores. TJX also operates in Europe, with 645 TK Maxx and 77 Homesense stores; and in Australia, with 84 TK Maxx outlets. Overall revenue in the quarter ended August 3, 2024, rose…