Ronald Friedman, Co-Leader, Retail/Consumer Products Industry Group, Quoted in Los Angeles Times Article "Best Buy Stock Leaps 16% on Holiday-Season Results"
Los Angeles Times
By Shan Li
Excerpt:
Shares of Best Buy Co. jumped more than 16% after the electronics giant had a better-than-expected showing during the crucial holiday season.
Although results for the entire fourth quarter are not expected to be released until Feb. 28, analysts say strong online sales and better traffic into its U.S. stores during the holiday season are positive signs for the struggling retailer.
Wall Street responded by sending shares of Best Buy up $2, or 16.4%, to $14.21.
Still, some results from Best Buy were below those for the same period a year earlier. For the nine weeks that ended Jan. 5, the Minneapolis company posted revenue of $12.8 billion, down from $12.9 billion.
Sales at stores open at least a year, considered a key gauge of a retailer’s health, dropped 1.4%, which was better than expected. International comparable-store sales plunged 6.4%, and domestic sales were flat.
Online revenue over the holidays jumped 10% year over year. Best Buy said categories such as tablets, cellphones and e-readers enjoyed the strongest results, while sales fell in televisions and entertainment.
“That tells me Best Buy is making the transition they need to make in order to compete as an online retailer instead of being a showroom,” said Ron Friedman, a retail expert at advisory and accounting firm Marcum in Los Angeles. “Best Buy did pretty good, all things considered.”
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