Chico's FAS, Inc. (CHS) operates as an omnichannel specialty retailer of women's private branded casual-to-dressy clothing, intimates, and complementary accessories. It operates under the Chico's, White House Black Market, and Soma brands. On the other hand, Express, Inc. (EXPR) provides apparel and accessories for women and men under the Express brand for various occasions. The company sells its products through its e-commerce website, express.com; mobile app; and franchisees Express locations in Latin America.
Despite surging energy prices and related costs caused by Russia’s attack on Ukraine, consumer spending rebalanced to pre-pandemic levels in March, as overall retail sales excluding auto increased 8.4% year-over-year, according to a Mastercard Inc (MA) report. In addition, consumer confidence rebounded in March due to improving business and labor market conditions which position retailers well for solid sales growth. Moreover, the increasing in-store retail sales as consumer mobility increases and continued online buying trends should help retailers thrive in the upcoming months. According to a Research and Markets report, the global retail market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7.7% by 2025. Therefore, both CHS and EXPR should benefit.
