Indexes flat after corporate releases

This week continues to be plentiful of corporate releases,

while there was not a great deal of changes within most relevant benchmark indexes. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was flat, as was the Dax in Germany. Meanwhile, the French Cac-40 was lower.

Women's clothing and shoe retailer Charming Shoppes Inc (CHRS.O) posted a broader than expected loss for the last quarter, mainly due to increasing product costs and aggressive discounts at its Lane Bryant brand hurt margins, reported Reuters.
 
The plus-sized apparel retailer plans to close between 90 to 105 underperforming stores this year, after losing market share to rivals like Ann Inc (ANN.N) and Chico's FAS Inc (CHS.N), it said in a statement.
 
Still in Wall Street, the ‘Investor´s Business Daily’ highlighted three stocks that are under the limelight these days: Lululemon Athletica (LULU), Body Central (BODY), and Genesco (GCO).
Genesco (GCO), a specialty retailer of footwear, headwear and sports apparel, has seen strong growth in earnings (57%) and generally speaking for the fourth quarter (+48%).  Revenue jumped 33% and 29% respectively.

In the most recently reported quarter, after-tax margin was 6.6% — the best in at least 19 quarters. “The stock has been moving mostly sideways in recent weeks. With time, the pattern could develop into a base,” reported IBD.

Meanwhile, Body Central is finding support at its 10-week moving average. So far, the stock has not found volume on the bounce off the line. Earnings increased 111% and 52% in the past two quarters. Revenue rose 18% and 20% in the same period.

LULU is getting stronger as planning to add 37 stores this year to the 174 stores in the U.S., Canada, Australia and New Zealand at the end of fiscal Q4 in January. Earnings jumped 50% and 59% in the past two quarters as sales rose 31% and 51%. “The stock is near a new high but not near a legitimate buy point,” advance analysts gathered y IBD.