Go for the luxury stores like Nordstrom or Neiman Marcus, because they’re likely to win over more customers as the economy improves, says Jason Asaeda of Standard & Poor’s. Discounters like Wal-Mart and Target have done well, but their stocks are pricey.
Keep your eyes open while you’re out shopping this season: if a chain looks as if it’s bustling, it probably is. Buy companies that show steady revenue growth in their existing stores. And don’t procrastinate next year: if you really want to profit from the holiday wave, start shopping for these stocks in September.
