Updating L Brands Inc. and Google Inc.

Article Excerpt

L BRANDS INC. $69 (www.lb.com) reported that its sales rose 8.6% in September 2014, to $853.5 million from $786.0 million in September 2013. Overall same-store sales gained 6%. Thanks to strong demand for its Pink brand, which targets college-age women, Victoria’s Secret same-store sales rose 4% during the month, while its online and catalogue sales improved 5%. Bath & Body Works’ same-store sales jumped 10%. However, the stock is expensive in relation to earnings. Hold. GOOGLE INC. $533 (www.google.com) continues to expand its Google Express e-commerce service, which lets users buy goods from 37 merchants such as Target, Staples and Toys R Us and have them delivered on the same day or the next day. It now offers this service in northern California, as well as major cities like Los Angeles, New York, Boston, Chicago and Washington, D.C. This should help Google compete with Amazon.com, which is expanding into Internet search. Best Buy. Buy…