Supply Chain Research

U.S. apparel imports fell 2% in the fourth quarter after a 2.3% drop in December alone. Kids apparel did slightly better than adults, with ladieswear lines including dresses (which jumped 34%) and skirts (37% higher) performing best. The weak apparel imports may support analyst expectations that the revenues of the department stores, including Kohl’s and JC Penney, for the quarter through January 31 will be 0.5% lower than a year earlier. Yet, increased imports of other products that department stores stock, including handbags and furnishings, suggest some restocking of non-apparel lines...