Monday, June 2, 2014

Time For Another Economic Catastrophe! – Q1-2014 Retail Sales Suck For Brick and Mortar Operations

Before we begin with the numbers, it has been 6-7 years since the shit hit the fan economically in 2007-2008. Investments lost, homes lost, careers destroyed but I digress.

The Q1 2014 numbers are in and the US economy shrank by approximately 1% in the first quarter of 2014. The official line if you believe gibberish is 3 down quarters equals an actual recession.

The recession is already here, the deniers are out in full force trying to kite some paper to cover up this mess that has been created. What else should we expect for an economy that is 60% or more based upon consumer purchases; in many cases requiring the purchaser to go into debt.

Housing sales have gone into the toilet but I will cover that in another segment.

Check out retail sales numbers, they are shocking to say the least.
Wal-Mart Profit Plunges By $220 Million as US Store Traffic Declines by 1.4%
Target Profit Plunges by $80 Million, 16% Lower Than 2013, as Store Traffic Declines by 2.3%
Sears Loses $358 Million in First Quarter as Comparable Store Sales at Sears Plunge by 7.8% and Sales at Kmart Plunge by 5.1%
JC Penney Thrilled With Loss of Only $358 Million For the Quarter
Kohl’s Operating Income Plunges by 17% as Comparable Sales Decline by 3.4%
Costco Profit Declines by $84 Million as Comp Store Sales Only Increase by 2%
Staples Profit Plunges by 44% as Sales Collapse and Closing Hundreds of Stores
Gap Income Drops 22% as Same Store Sales Fall
American Eagle Profits Tumble 86%, Will Close 150 Stores
Aeropostale Losses $77 Million as Sales Collapse by 12%
Best Buy Sales Decline by $300 Million as Margins Decline and Comparable Store Sales Decline by 1.3%
Macy’s Profit Flat as Comparable Store Sales decline by 1.4%
Dollar General Profit Plummets by 40% as Comp Store Sales Decline by 3.8%
Urban Outfitters Earnings Collapse by 20% as Sales Stagnate
McDonalds Earnings Fall by $66 Million as US Comp Sales Fall by 1.7%
Darden Profit Collapses by 30% as Same Restaurant Sales Plunge by 5.6% and Company Selling Red Lobster
TJX Misses Earnings Expectations as Sales & Earnings Flat
Dick’s Misses Earnings Expectations as Golf Store Sales Plummet
Home Depot Misses Earnings Expectations as Customer Traffic Only Rises by 2.2%
Lowes Misses Earnings Expectations as Customer Traffic was Flat

As they say, the middle class is on the ropes with no where to go but to take a beating. Again after 2007-2008.

You see, things never really recovered after the last bout of economic turmoil. Losses were papered over by the paper kiters and there was a lot of happy talk to sooth the masses.

I submit that there is more to this story as well. We are also witnessing the death of retail sales brick and mortar operations.

Take Amazon as an example. Amazon Q1 sales were up 32% compared to the same quarter 1 year ago. You can read about Amazon here:
EBay’s revenue grew 13.7% in Q1 of 2014 as compared to one year ago. You can read about it here:
On line sales are up and brick and mortar sales are down with stores closing and people looking for work.

Folks we are in another recession and this time it will be even worse than the last some 6-7 years ago to mark the beginning.

We are also witnessing the largest paradigm shift of our lifetimes. People are making many purchases on line and not shopping in the stores.

Next commercial real estate will tank; a process that started several years ago and will now accelerate.

Get yourself and your family a piece of land that your own. Put a house or structure on the land. Make sure you can grow at least some of your food. 

It is going to be a long and bumpy landing where things are going.

Mark your calendar for 2015.75. 

That is October 1st 2015. 

That is when officialdom will acknowledge all of this malfeasance and crap. 

Then we will be told that we are screwed and have to live with it.

Gas usage in USA is at Historic low for last 40 years while the price of gas is at a historic high.

USA Gas use is Tanking – Supply and Demand no longer relevant, only Price vs people with Jobs.
Gallons used in USA Per Day
Febuary
1983 48,906,100
1990 57,909,400
2000 59,107,200
2010 44,227,100
2013 27,952,000
2014 18,451.600
Latest Gasoline Usage
it is only logical that with the High price of 
Heating the homestead last winter,
and putting expensive Gas in the Car Since Obama took office
that people will shop less, buy less and store and restaurants will go out of business.
The Sad thing is all of this is being done by design by the New World Order


Nikola Tesla

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