Blue Horseshoe: APP, URBN | Retail Focus

American Apparel, Inc. APP

APP is the first of a pair of retail stocks that we are bringing to your attention today in anticipation of the end of summer and upcoming retail season. Kids going back to school, as well as the rush of holiday buying that begins each fall and lasts into winter as folks gear up to celebrate the holidays has been a source of significant opportunity for us in the past. .

In the case of APP, we have a stock that we last mentioned this past fall, with great success. We timed an alert on this play in November ’12 which coincided with the company’s Q3 financials, and were rewarded handsomely for our efforts. At the time, the stock was trading below 1.00 per share, and before winter was over, the stock price had traveled as high as 2.40.

This time, we are revisiting APP before the busy season kicks in, in an attempt to monitor for, and properly time a bottom on the current pullback which started at the end of July. A sharp eye could lead to some serious recovery-profits when we see a reversal and subsequent bounce, so we’re going to be on the lookout for that.


Urban Outfitters, Inc. URBN

In the same vein as APP, we have well-known retail clothing brand, Urban Outfitters. We are bringing this stock into today’s retail discussion as well, mentioning it for the first time.

Earlier this month, URBN gapped up significantly off of an earnings release, an event which was followed by a consolidation which partially filled that gap. Over the past two sessions, the stock has posted higher highs and higher lows, a signal of a potential turnaround, so we are going to be monitoring URBN closely heading into week’s end for a possible confirmation of an uptrend.

It’s also worth mentioning that the company announced the initiation of a share buyback program, which you can read about in the following PR:

PHILADELPHIA, August 28, 2013 – Urban Outfitters, Inc. (URBN), a leading lifestyle specialty retail company operating under the Anthropologie, BHLDN, Free People, Terrain and Urban Outfitters brands, today announced that its Board of Directors has authorized the repurchase of 10 million common shares under a share repurchase program. >>>FULL RELEASE