Tomorrow's Headliners: Same-Store Sales

Retail stocks will be in focus Thursday as chain stores will report comparable store sales for May, which are expected to show the consumer is still struggling as weak economic conditions persist.

The monthly results will come in fast and furious ahead of the opening bell, and the outlook isn't rosy. Only eight of 30 retailers are expected to report growth in May sales at stores open at least a year, according to Thomson Reuters. Same-store sales are expected to fall 4% last month from a year earlier, Thomson Reuters said. By comparison, same-store sales rose 1.1% in May 2008.

Wal-Mart (WMT Quote) will be absent from the fury on Thursday, though. Last month, the world's largest retailer said it would no longer report sales on a monthly basis. Instead, Wal-Mart said it will provide comparable-store sales results on a 13-week basis, along with guidance for the upcoming quarter. ...