J.C. Penney Co Inc (JCP): Today's Featured Retail Winner

Editor's Note: TheStreet ratings do not represent the views of TheStreet's staff or its contributors. Ratings are established by computer based on metrics for performance (which includes growth, stock performance, efficiency and valuation) and risk (volatility and solvency). Companies with poor cash flow or high debt levels tend to earn lower ratings in our model.

J.C. Penney ( JCP) pushed the Retail industry higher today making it today's featured retail winner. The industry as a whole closed the day up 0.1%. By the end of trading, J.C. Penney rose $1.79 (9.3%) to $21.01 on heavy volume. Throughout the day, 17.5 million shares of J.C. Penney exchanged hands as compared to its average daily volume of 10.4 million shares. The stock ranged in a price between $19.28-$21.12 after having opened the day at $19.50 as compared to the previous trading day's close of $19.22. Other companies within the Retail industry that increased today were: SUPERVALU ( SVU), up 6.3%, Brazilian Distribution Company ( CBD), up 3.4%, Citi Trends ( CTRN), up 3.1%, and Sears Hometown & Outlet Stores ( SHOS), up 3.1%.
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J. C. Penney Company, Inc., through its subsidiary, J. C. Penney Corporation, Inc., operates department stores in the United States and Puerto Rico. The company sells family apparel and footwear, accessories, fine and fashion jewelry, beauty products, and home furnishings. J.C. Penney has a market cap of $4.24 billion and is part of the services sector. Shares are down 1.8% year to date as of the close of trading on Monday. Currently there are two analysts that rate J.C. Penney a buy, four analysts rate it a sell, and 10 rate it a hold.

TheStreet Ratings rates J.C. Penney as a sell. The company's weaknesses can be seen in multiple areas, such as its disappointing return on equity, poor profit margins, generally disappointing historical performance in the stock itself and feeble growth in its earnings per share.

On the negative front, Overstock.com ( OSTK), down 6.1%, RadioShack ( RSH), down 5.9%, Amazon.com ( AMZN), down 5.7%, and HHGregg Incorporated ( HGG), down 3.9%, were all laggards within the retail industry with AutoZone ( AZO) being today's retail industry laggard.

For investors not wanting singular stock exposure, ETFs may be of interest. Investors who are bullish on the retail industry could consider SPDR S&P Retail ETF ( XRT) while those bearish on the retail industry could consider ProShares Ultra Sht Consumer Goods ( SZK).

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