Nordstrom, Inc. (NYSE:JWN)

JWN looks good for the next few weeks! Good earnings will shove this through the resistance that it has been up against, and this baby might test some new highs!

The stores are disgustingly full of holiday shoppers while Macy's was fairly empty. Nordstrom's must be doing something right.

Insider ownership of 22% is also a positive.

This stock has plumeted in the last month, presumably on fears that we're about to enter another recession and no one will shop there. Based on that, earnings estimates are averaging a paltry 6 percent growth over a year ago, in spite of much stronger growth in the past several years. I'm not as worried about that as some people. Maybe I'm just naive, but I think the economy's in better shape than the media makes it out to be. I don't think holiday sales will be down as much as expected, and that will give Nordstrom a boost.
But even if we do fall back into a recession, there's a lot to like about Nordstrom. They're not catering to main street. Their target is more upper-middle class, who are not as seriously affected by this economic climate. Moreover, they can weather the storm through efficiency. They have consistently had higher margins than competitors and - this is the big point - they turn over their inventory much faster.
They have room for growth if otner companies falter and have been growing faster than rivals for years.They continue to invest in growth and have increased their dividend twice in the past year and a half. This does not seem like a company on the brink of financial ruin.
So I like Nordstron a lot, at the very least in the next year but possibly far beyond. It's not as great a bargain as some retailers, but because it seems like a better company, that doesn't bother me.

Nordstrom has a very conservative management team and would not have given positive forward guidance if they didn't believe this to be true. on-line business is experiencing double digit growth, plus Nordstrom has no exposure to Europe which is a plus at this point.

good retailer

sell short nordstroms (JWN) & buy saks fifths (SKS)

158% gain this year is unrealistic, its going down, way down....

fool

from WF Advisors Focus Portfolio from 7/28/09
5yr EPS CAGR > 10%

going long term on Nordstrom. Solid Co., great dividend, volatile price I see in the short term though. Sell at $30-35

No one can top them when it comes to customer service.

GREAT STOCK

The worst is over. It's time for the Fat Cats to get all pretty again.

Will come out of the recession in much better position than competition.

Going to go down more before it comes up

a good company

dividend of 5% with payout of only 35%

Everyone wants to shop here

Consumer discretionary and it's pretty darn easy to trade down to a more moderately-priced department store. Nortstrom's is gonna get crushed in this recession.