At First Look, Impact of Sandy “Modest” on US Retail Sales

US retailers have yet to weigh up the full impact of Hurricane Sandy, which hit the US East coast earlier between the back-to-school spending rush and the all-important shopping fest that lies ahead. Indeed, despite estimates that US retailers were forced to close up to 10% of their stores as the Superstorm swept through, growth in US sales held up in October according to monthly figures released recently. The International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) said US chains posted a healthy 5.0% same-store sales gain in the month - compared with a 3.9% rise in September and 4.1% in October last year.  

Hurricane Sandy impacts were modest in October for overall industry, said Michael Niemira, Vice President of Research and Chief Economist for ICSC, adding: Easier comparison with October 2011 than with September results was helpful.

US retailers who seem to be on a roll include upscale department store operator Nordstrom, which booked a 9.8% jump in same-store sales, and off-price retailer TJX, which saw gains of 7%. Kohls beat estimates with a 3.3% rise. Macys, which posted a 4.1% rise, lifted its second-half sales outlook despite the interruption caused by Hurricane Sandy. The company is confident that we can make up some or most of the lost sales through the remainder of the quarter, said Chief Executive Terry Lundgren.

Elsewhere, despite a 4% rise in comparable sales thanks to continued momentum at its North American brands, Gap Inc failed to meet projections, while a rise of 3% at Limited Brands, owner of the Victorias Secret chain, also fell short. And while Target Corporation missed estimates with its 2.4% rise in October comparable-store sales, the discounter stayed positive. We feel good about our holiday season merchandising and marketing plans, a statement said. This years holiday season, which kicks off in just a few weeks time, already carried more uncertainties than usual - including the presidential election on 6 November, and the looming fiscal cliff of $500bn in automatic spending cuts to the federal budget and tax increases slated for 1 January 2013.

Add Hurricane Sandy to the mix, and its easy to see why retailers will be keen to recapture any lost sales.