In contrast to previous sessions, J C Penney Company Inc (NYSE:JCP) has surged 6% this afternoon as retailers rally on improved sentiment and on the back of today’s L Brands Inc (NYSE:LB)’s March sales data. Although L Brands’ net sales for the period fell 7% year-over-year and its comparable sales fell 10% (with perhaps 2-3% due to the later Easter in 2017), the company’s overall results may have been better than some bearish expectations. Due to how beaten-up the sector has been in recent weeks (many long term investors fear the secular rise of Amazon.com, particularly now with emerging technologies such as virtual reality/augmented reality that could eventually deliver a more authentic shopping experience online, and drones that could eventually deliver products within several hours of an order), today’s somewhat better-than-expected L Brands data may have triggered some short covering in the broader sector and J C Penney Company Inc (NYSE:JCP) is a beneficiary of that. Although Amazon’s rise is a threat in the long run, there is still value to be had in the retail sector for many bulls.
What Does The Smart Money Sentiment Say?
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The smart money was slightly more optimistic in terms of the number of funds long JCP in Q4. According to our database of 742 top institutions, the number of elite funds with holdings in J C Penney Company Inc (NYSE:JCP) rose by 2 quarter-over-quarter to 34 at the end of December. Steven Boyd‘s Armistice Capital was one of the new holders, initiating a stake of 700,000 shares.
The Bottom Line
J C Penney Company Inc (NYSE:JCP) shares have rallied due to improved sector sentiment/potential short covering. For more reading, check out ‘21 Cheapest Online Shopping Sites With Free Shipping‘.
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