Maven: Weather-Related Ridiculousness

Starbucks (SBUX), long a quality operation, reported disappointing sales and had a weather-related explanation that twisted anyone who listened into a nasty knot. In sum: The hot weather hurt sales because it helped sell more cold drinks, which take longer to make than hot ones. Lines grew too long for the cold, hurting the hot.

If I missed anything, please don't blame me. Only a Mensa member could follow this logic train. That's when CNBC went out with a camera and its tongue planted firmly in cheek to time how long it takes to make cold drinks. Lo and behold it does take longer. So could that really have hurt sales that much? (I think rising costs caused people to cut back on $9 Joes.) Well, maybe. Who knows?

But the point is, rather than parroting management's claim, they put it to some sort of test and, heaven forbid, had a little fun in the process. And they didn't try to put a one-size fits all explanation (heat helped, heat hurt) onto what is becoming increasingly clear with retail stocks: In a more challenging though not disastrous environment, if you hit the mark with your goods (Wal-Mart (WMT), Children's Place (PLCE), etc.) you can still do OK. Look adrift, like Gap (GPS), and -- well, not a lot of customers will come, whatever the temperature.

And with that, I'll flounce off into the heat.

>To order reprints of this article, click here: Reprints