Dick's Sporting Goods Inc. (DKS): Today's Featured Specialty 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

Dick's Sporting Goods ( DKS) pushed the Specialty Retail industry higher today making it today's featured specialty retail winner. The industry as a whole closed the day up 1.3%. By the end of trading, Dick's Sporting Goods rose $1.15 (2.3%) to $51.09 on light volume. Throughout the day, 1,175,936 shares of Dick's Sporting Goods exchanged hands as compared to its average daily volume of 1,722,200 shares. The stock ranged in a price between $49.96-$51.14 after having opened the day at $50.06 as compared to the previous trading day's close of $49.94. Other companies within the Specialty Retail industry that increased today were: Lentuo International ( LAS), up 25.1%, MarineMax ( HZO), up 10.6%, Bluefly ( BFLY), up 7.2% and Hastings Entertainment ( HAST), up 6.5%.

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Dick's Sporting Goods, Inc. operates as a sports and fitness retailer primarily in the Eastern United States. The company provides hardlines, including sporting goods equipment, fitness equipment, golf equipment, and hunting and fishing gear products; apparel; and footwear products. Dick's Sporting Goods has a market cap of $5.0 billion and is part of the services sector. The company has a P/E ratio of 21.5, above the S&P 500 P/E ratio of 17.7. Shares are up 9.8% year to date as of the close of trading on Monday. Currently there are 18 analysts that rate Dick's Sporting Goods a buy, no analysts rate it a sell, and 5 rate it a hold.

TheStreet Ratings rates Dick's Sporting Goods as a buy. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its growth in earnings per share, revenue growth, largely solid financial position with reasonable debt levels by most measures, notable return on equity and increase in net income. We feel these strengths outweigh the fact that the company has had lackluster performance in the stock itself.

• You can view the full Dick's Sporting Goods Ratings Report.

On the negative front, TravelCenters of America ( TA), down 10.2%, Vitamin Shoppe ( VSI), down 8.3%, Mecox Lane ( MCOX), down 4.8% and Netflix ( NFLX), down 2.1% , were all laggards within the specialty retail industry with Office Depot ( ODP) being today's specialty retail industry laggard.

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

• Find other investment ideas from our top rated ETFs lists.

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