Word: chukumba
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Dates: during 2009-2009
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...estate crash has been devastating to all home-furnishing retailers, but like Borders, Pier 1 wasn't performing well even before the collapse. "Merchandising was stale, they were relying too much on selling wicker furniture, the price points were probably too high and there was store saturation," says Anthony Chukumba, an equity analyst at FTN Midwest Securities Corp. (See pictures of Americans in their homes...
...company has reported just one profitable quarter over the past two years. The third quarter of 2008 was devastating: Pier 1 lost $36.9 million, or 41 cents per share, on $300.9 million in revenue. That loss far exceeded analysts' expectation of 26 cents per share. Chukumba says Pier 1 CEO Alex Smith has made some smart moves, like stocking shelves with small items, which consumers are more likely to buy on impulse. "Unfortunately, the macro economic environment more than overshadows that," he says...
...Chukumba thinks Pier 1 has enough cash and a small enough debt load to weather this recession for a couple of years at best. "But if things get worse real fast or the recession lasts for even a longer period of time, I have to call Pier 1's viability into question," he says...
...locations. The company will shut another 14 stores in 2009, while closing six of its 33 North American distribution facilities. Staples is now the dominant office supply brand. "Though Office Depot's situation is less dire than Pier 1 Imports, they are certainly on the ropes as well," says Chukumba. Office Depot's less capital-intensive contract business - which involves making deals with companies and governments to supply them with paper, pens and staplers - somewhat shields it from the more dire retail shocks. But the company is still in a dangerous spot. "With their leases and off-balance-sheet leverage...
...Chukumba suggests that Office Depot merge with competitor Office Max in order to bulk up for the battle against Staples. He believes cost-cutting has hurt service, a problem that should never be dismissed. (For example, poor service contributed to Circuit City's demise). "Every time I go into an Office Depot," says Chukumba, "I see out-of-stock merchandise. To me, that indicates you don't have enough people...
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