KSS

Many of America's best-known retailers, including Walmart, Home Depot and JCPenney, will be stepping into the earnings spotlight this week. Their reports come on the heels of disappointing January retail sales numbers from the Commerce Department.

The nation's three biggest department-store operators have been disproportionately pinched by the downturn in consumer spending. That's what happens when you're stuck in the middle of the retail-price spectrum during a period of sagging home values and lofty unemployment. [Video]

An improvement in sales at Kmart and cost-cutting overall helped Sears Holdings Corp. (SHLD) show better results in the third quarter. The parent of Sears and Kmart stores posted a net loss of $127 million, less than the $146 million it posted the same time last year. That translates to $1.09 per...

Back in August, I discussed my amazement at the performance of shares of Abercrombie & Fitch (ANF). The stock just didn't seem to reflect the fundamentals of the company's business. Well, my amazement continues, because shares of the retailer are up 9% on Friday on the latest earnings report -a...

The global recession may turn out to be a boon for Kohl's Corp. (KSS), the nation's fourth-largest department store chain. Kohl's opened 37 stores Wednesday, mostly in California, bringing its 2009 total to 56 new locations. Expansion might seem like an odd strategy for a retailer right now, with...

Aloha, Target (TGT). In an exceedingly rare bit of good news, the discount retailer announced earlier this week that it is celebrating the opening of 27 new stores on Sunday, including its first locations in Hawaii, as well as stores all over the continental US, including Rogers, Arkansas; Santa...

Citigroup (C) shares are in a free fall in pre-market, diving about 45% after the U.S. government did a deal to convert $25 billion of its preferred stock in the beleaguered bank to common stock, giving it a stake of up to 36 percent in the bank. Other banks are dropping on Citi news: Bank of...

Anytime investors think that things could not get worse for retailers, more news emerges that confirms their darkest fears about the sector. Lowes Cos. (LOW), the number two home improvement chain, reported results that were simply dreadful. Net income plunged 60.3 percent to $162 million, or 11...