Investing IdeasBrowse All StocksMarkets
Have your own idea? Try our Stock Screener
Header cover image

U.S. Specialty Stores Industry Analysis

UpdatedMar 20, 2026
DataAggregated Company Financials
Companies158
  • 7D-1.6%
  • 3M-6.9%
  • 1Y10.0%
  • YTD-5.5%

Over the last 7 days, the Specialty Stores industry has dropped 1.6%, driven by a pullback from Home Depot of 3.2%. Meanwhile, Burlington Stores actually outperformed within the industry, gaining 6.5% in the last week. This takes the industry's 12 month performance to a gain of 10%. Earnings are forecast to grow by 9.3% annually.

Industry Valuation and Performance

Has the U.S. Specialty Stores Industry valuation changed over the past few years?

DateMarket CapRevenueEarningsPEAbsolute PEPS
Fri, 20 Mar 2026US$908.1bUS$748.7bUS$37.8b19.4x24x1.2x
Sun, 15 Feb 2026US$1.0tUS$737.0bUS$37.0b21.4x27.4x1.4x
Tue, 13 Jan 2026US$1.0tUS$735.9bUS$36.6b20.9x28.3x1.4x
Thu, 11 Dec 2025US$986.4bUS$742.2bUS$36.3b19.7x27.2x1.3x
Sat, 08 Nov 2025US$932.5bUS$736.3bUS$36.4b18.4x25.6x1.3x
Mon, 06 Oct 2025US$998.8bUS$733.8bUS$36.4b17.3x27.4x1.4x
Wed, 03 Sep 2025US$1.0tUS$739.7bUS$35.5b19.3x28.3x1.4x
Fri, 01 Aug 2025US$929.9bUS$735.1bUS$35.2b18.1x26.4x1.3x
Sun, 29 Jun 2025US$883.8bUS$733.1bUS$35.0b17.6x25.2x1.2x
Tue, 27 May 2025US$899.1bUS$732.3bUS$35.4b16x25.4x1.2x
Thu, 24 Apr 2025US$844.5bUS$725.5bUS$35.7b14.7x23.7x1.2x
Sat, 22 Mar 2025US$834.1bUS$725.0bUS$35.6b16.5x23.5x1.2x
Mon, 17 Feb 2025US$908.6bUS$705.3bUS$35.5b16.8x25.6x1.3x
Wed, 15 Jan 2025US$881.3bUS$701.4bUS$35.2b15.6x25x1.3x
Fri, 13 Dec 2024US$941.9bUS$706.4bUS$34.3b16.8x27.4x1.3x
Sun, 10 Nov 2024US$479.5bUS$549.3bUS$17.8b15.1x26.9x0.9x
Tue, 08 Oct 2024US$476.7bUS$548.9bUS$18.1b14.3x26.4x0.9x
Thu, 05 Sep 2024US$473.3bUS$552.5bUS$17.5b14.2x27x0.9x
Sat, 03 Aug 2024US$461.5bUS$551.0bUS$17.2b15.1x26.8x0.8x
Mon, 01 Jul 2024US$463.0bUS$551.7bUS$17.5b15.4x26.4x0.8x
Wed, 29 May 2024US$441.7bUS$552.9bUS$17.5b15.2x25.3x0.8x
Fri, 26 Apr 2024US$423.4bUS$554.9bUS$17.0b15.1x24.9x0.8x
Sun, 24 Mar 2024US$458.9bUS$546.6bUS$16.8b15.7x27.3x0.8x
Tue, 20 Feb 2024US$436.1bUS$556.0bUS$15.9b14.7x27.4x0.8x
Thu, 18 Jan 2024US$421.0bUS$574.3bUS$16.1b13.4x26.1x0.7x
Sat, 16 Dec 2023US$425.7bUS$574.8bUS$16.1b13.8x26.4x0.7x
Mon, 13 Nov 2023US$379.7bUS$574.5bUS$17.7b10.8x21.4x0.7x
Wed, 11 Oct 2023US$381.2bUS$566.5bUS$18.4b12.6x20.7x0.7x
Fri, 08 Sep 2023US$405.0bUS$571.3bUS$18.1b11.7x22.4x0.7x
Sun, 06 Aug 2023US$422.6bUS$571.5bUS$18.1b10.9x23.3x0.7x
Tue, 04 Jul 2023US$421.0bUS$572.6bUS$18.4b10.5x22.9x0.7x
Thu, 01 Jun 2023US$379.1bUS$574.6bUS$17.9b9.9x21.1x0.7x
Sat, 29 Apr 2023US$403.1bUS$575.1bUS$19.0b10.9x21.3x0.7x
Mon, 27 Mar 2023US$390.5bUS$577.5bUS$20.4b10.2x19.1x0.7x
Price to Earnings Ratio

19.1x


Total Market Cap: US$390.5bTotal Earnings: US$20.4bTotal Revenue: US$577.5bTotal Market Cap vs Earnings and Revenue0%0%0%
U.S. Specialty Stores Industry Price to Earnings3Y Average 25.3x202420252026
Current Industry PE
  • Investors are relatively neutral on the American Specialty Retail industry at the moment, indicating that they anticipate long term growth rates to remain steady.
  • The industry is trading close to its 3-year average PE ratio of 25.3x.
  • The 3-year average PS ratio of 1.0x is lower than the industry's current PS ratio of 1.2x.
Past Earnings Growth
  • The earnings for companies in the Specialty Retail industry have grown 23% per year over the last three years.
  • Revenues for these companies have grown 9.0% per year.
  • This means that more sales are being generated by these companies overall, and subsequently their profits are increasing too.

Industry Trends

Which industries have driven the changes within the U.S. Consumer Discretionary industry?

US Market-0.66%
Consumer Discretionary-0.95%
Specialty Stores-1.61%
Apparel Retail0.29%
Automotive Retail0.054%
Home Furnishing Retail-0.17%
Computer and Electronics Retail-1.84%
Home Improvement Retail-3.17%
Specialty Stores-3.92%
Industry PE
  • Investors are most optimistic about the Apparel Retail industry, which is trading close to its 3-year average PE ratio of 27.0x.
    • Analysts are expecting annual earnings growth of 7.9%, which is higher than its past year's earnings growth of 2.6% per year.
  • Investors are most pessimistic about the Computer and Electronics Retail industry, which is trading below its 3-year average of 31.2x.
Forecasted Growth
  • Analysts are most optimistic on the Automotive Retail industry, expecting annual earnings growth of 17% over the next 5 years.
  • This is better than its past earnings decline of 4.8% per year.
  • In contrast, the Home Improvement Retail industry is expected to see its earnings grow by 6.0% per year over the next few years.

Top Stock Gainers and Losers

Which companies have driven the market over the last 7 days?

CompanyLast Price7D1YValuation
BURL Burlington StoresUS$311.996.5%
+US$1.2b		31.9%PE31.8x
FIVE Five BelowUS$235.178.4%
+US$1.0b		209.0%PE36.2x
MUSA Murphy USAUS$480.275.5%
+US$461.2m		9.4%PE18.9x
GAP GapUS$24.084.1%
+US$368.8m		17.6%PE11x
W WayfairUS$76.273.4%
+US$330.8m		141.7%PS0.8x

Latest News

BBY
US$64.19
Best Buy
7D
2.5%
1Y
-12.6%
LOW
US$229.71
Lowe's Companies
7D
-4.1%
1Y
1.5%
GAP
US$24.08
Gap
7D
4.1%
1Y
17.6%
FIVE
US$235.17
Five Below
7D
8.4%
1Y
209.0%
ULTA
US$534.10
Ulta Beauty
7D
-14.5%
1Y
56.7%

ULTA: Mixed Margin Signals And New Initiatives Will Shape Future Upside Potential

The updated analyst price target for Ulta Beauty edges higher to about $504 from about $485, as analysts factor in slightly lower modeled revenue growth, a modestly higher profit margin profile, and a small adjustment in the future P/E and discount rate following recent research updates that balance mixed post earnings reactions with ongoing support for the business model. Analyst Commentary Recent Street research on Ulta Beauty reflects a mixed backdrop, with many firms adjusting models and price targets after the latest quarterly update and forward guidance.
HD
US$328.21
Home Depot
7D
-3.2%
1Y
-7.7%
AZO
US$3,341.58
AutoZone
7D
-7.5%
1Y
-6.5%

AZO: DIFM Momentum And Weather Recovery Are Expected To Drive Returns

AutoZone's updated fair value estimate edges up to $4,225.38 from $4,205.75. This reflects analysts' slightly higher long term profit margin and P/E assumptions, even as they weigh recent mixed same store sales trends and weather related volatility against improving DIFM momentum and easing cost pressures.
GME
US$23.23
GameStop
7D
-4.9%
1Y
-1.2%
W
US$76.27
Wayfair
7D
3.4%
1Y
141.7%

W: Store Expansion And Rewards Program Will Support Balanced Forward Outlook

Analysts have adjusted their price target for Wayfair to $80.00. The updated view reflects recalibrated assumptions for discount rate, revenue growth, profit margin, and future P/E, while keeping the fair value level unchanged at $80.00.
ORLY
US$87.91
O'Reilly Automotive
7D
-5.5%
1Y
-1.8%

ORLY: Store Expansion And Buybacks Will Support Future Upside Potential

Analysts have trimmed their price targets on O'Reilly Automotive by a few dollars, reflecting slightly adjusted assumptions on discount rate and future P/E, while keeping fair value essentially unchanged at $105.72. Analyst Commentary Recent Street research on O'Reilly Automotive centers on modest price target cuts and one downgrade, with most reports pointing to fine tuning of assumptions rather than a wholesale reset of the story.
BBWI
US$20.33
Bath & Body Works
7D
8.3%
1Y
-32.5%

Bath & Body Works is a dominant, high-quality consumer brand with near-perfect business economics, temporarily depressed by a demand trough

Most investors look at BBWI and see a mall candle retailer. That framing undersells it significantly.
MUSA
US$480.27
Murphy USA
7D
5.5%
1Y
9.4%
CVNA
US$294.18
Carvana
7D
0.5%
1Y
58.7%
BURL
US$311.99
Burlington Stores
7D
6.5%
1Y
31.9%

BURL: Store Expansion And Margin Outlook Support More Confident 2026 Earnings Path

The analyst price target for Burlington Stores has moved from about $343 to $371, as analysts point to a stronger Q4 performance, an improved margin outlook, and a more confident multi-year earnings path supported by store growth and the off-price model. Analyst Commentary Recent research updates cluster around a similar message: Q4 results came in ahead of expectations, and that is feeding into higher earnings estimates and meaningfully higher price targets for Burlington Stores.
TJX
US$154.68
TJX Companies
7D
-0.7%
1Y
33.1%

TJX: Off Price Execution And FY27 Guidance Will Shape Multi Year Outlook

The analyst price target for TJX Companies has moved higher, reflecting a fair value increase from $164.11 to $171.78. Analysts point to strong recent results, updated models, and sustained resilience in off-price retail as key supports for this change.
TSCO
US$46.18
Tractor Supply
7D
-4.0%
1Y
-10.9%

TSCO: Store Expansion And Capital Returns Will Drive Future Shareholder Upside

Analysts have modestly revised their price target on Tractor Supply, citing small adjustments to inputs such as discount rate, revenue growth, profit margin and future P/E assumptions. Together, these changes translate into a slightly different implied valuation from the prior $57.59 fair value estimate.