October offers mixed bag for apparel retailers

The low single-digit apparel-and-accessories comps increase Target reported in October put the company squarely in the middle of the pack with department store and specialty apparel competitors.

Winners during the month were The Buckle, up 8.7%, and Dillard’s, up 8.7%, followed by Nordstrom, with a 5.4% increase, Limited, up 6%, and Ross Stores, up 5%. Target reported an overall increase of 3.3%, and while it didn’t provide a specific figure for apparel and accessories the company did say the category was up in the low single-digit range, led by a high single-digit increase in the intimate, hosiery and performance segments with the softest performance coming in jewelry and accessories.

Other retailers who generate a larger percentage of their sales from apparel in the low single-digit territory were Kohl’s at 3.9%, TJX at 3% and Macy’s at 2.2%. The biggest loser of the month was Bon-Ton stores, which reported a 10.2% decline. Gap reported a decline of 6%, and JCPenney saw its October comps decline 2.6%.