Big Lots (BIG) blows them away. A

big lots lot of people shopping and much improved.

One other I am looking at is Big Lots (BIG), which has been hit hard lately and which I find most intriguing here.

retail growth

Strong Buy - Price 26.91 on May 27
by Wedbush Morgan

Total Q1 sales were up 2.1%, to $1.14 billion. Our 31 target assumes BIG should trade at 17 times our 2008 EPS estimate of $1.84, or at a discount of 15% to our projected longer-term earnings-growth rate of 20%. We assign a discount to our growth assumption based on solid execution and outlook, but acknowledge that uncertainty remains surrounding the macroenvironment and the company's real-estate plans. Market cap: $2.5 billion.

Big lots recently invested in ERP software with deal with SAP. It's about time! Lack of current IT infrastructure was the #1 problem for this company.

20.3

Market Outperform - Price 30.96 on Sept. 25
by Avondale Partners
Reiterating Market Outperform and raising target from 31 to 34 following a day of travel with management of Big Lots [the U.S.'s largest broad-line closeout retailer; merchandise mix includes consumer products, home products, seasonal merchandise and toys.]. Our new target is 20 times our 2008 EPS estimate of $1.70 and reflects our increased confidence that Big Lots is capable of delivering annual EPS growth of 20% over the next two to three years through solid, low-single-digit same-store sales growth...and continued share buybacks.

mkt conditions, current price, favorable quarterly rept due in 2 days

% of portfolio: 5.0

worse place to shop

Can't trust the market on this one

overvalued

they need to shut that place down, it's filthy.