Cramer said Big Lots (BIG) is definitely in the running for the title of "discount king" given how upbeat the company's management was on its conference call. He said unlike fellow discounter TJX Companies (TJX), Big Lots does not focus on apparel but has a broad mix of products from consumables to electronics to seasonal items.

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

worse place to shop

Can't trust the market on this one

overvalued

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