(The following statement was released by the rating agency)
NEW YORK, November 23 (Fitch) Increasing online sales, shifting consumer
spending habits, and limited replenishment purchases in apparel will eat into
in-store bricks-and-mortar sales growth, according to Fitch Ratings' 2016 U.S.
retail outlook. Fitch expects in-store sales will grow just 1.5%-2% next year,
below the 3%-4% expected for the U.S. retail industry overall.
'The growth of e-commerce will be the great differentiator for many retailers-
an opportunity for some and a threat to others,' says David Silverman, Senior
Director. 'It has fundamentally changed the way retailers think about their
operations, investments and branding.'
Fitch expects e-commerce will account for 15% of total retail sales and 50% of
growth in total retail spending in 2016. This will continue to erode in-store
traffic and spending, necessitating investments in real estate, product
distribution, inventory, and IT infrastructure, among other things, that may
pressure margins in the near term. Department stores will remain the
most-pressured segment, with additional store closings possible.
Other themes that will continue to play out in 2016 include:
--Bifurcation of consumer spending: Mid-price brands, mostly in the apparel
space, may get stuck in the middle of the price spectrum as consumers find value
at the low end and their aspirations at the high end;
--Challenges among single-category retailers: Low-priced general merchants are a
continued threat, except for retailers with significant inventory depth,
convenience or customer loyalty;
--Acquisition- and buyback-driven EPS growth: Retail's mature business model has
forced retailers to seek growth in inorganic ways, especially as activists have
raised their presence in the industry.
Fitch's retail sector outlook remains stable, with continued wage growth
constraints or an unexpected economic downturn being the two largest threats.
However, even in those scenarios mass downgrades in Fitch's portfolio would be
unlikely, given most retails have enough cushion in their current ratings to
withstand a downturn.
The full report, '2016 Outlook: U.S. Retailing,' is available at
www.fitchratings.com or by clicking on the link.
Contact:
David Silverman
Senior Director
+!-212-908-0840
Fitch Ratings, Inc.
33 Whitehall Street
New York, NY 10004
Media Relations: Brian Bertsch, New York, Tel: +1 212-908-0549, Email:
brian.bertsch@fitchratings.com.
Additional information is available at 'www.fitchratings.com'.
2016 Outlook: U.S. Retailing (Organic Growth Narrows)
https://www.fitchratings.com/creditdesk/reports/report_frame.cfm?rpt_id=874082
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