MKM Partner's Quick Take On Holiday Traffic At Department Stores And Retailers

According to Courtney Dentch of MKM Partners, Kohl's KSS, Five Below FIVE, TJX Companies TJX along with Dollar Tree DLTR experienced customer traffic outpacing its peers. Dentch notes that traffic at Wal-Mart WMT and Target TGT have been “solid, not great” while Family Dollar FDO was observed as having the weakest traffic among checks. Overall, store traffic was in-line with the analyst's expectations despite declines in gasoline prices. However, the analyst may attribute the in-line results to higher levels of e-commerce sales, earlier than normal in-store promotions and consumer shift in spending towards cars and home improvements.