US Census Bureau and NRF Report Holiday Sales Increase, but Analysts Aren't Jolly

Despite bump in sales, analysts focus on profit margins

Both the U.S. Census Bureau and the National Retail Federation reported that holiday sales increased year-over-year, but analysts and consultants remain wary of calling the season a success.

The numbers appear promising: Retail and food service sales for December increased by 5.8% to nearly $530 billion over the same period a year earlier, according to advance estimates provided by the U.S. Census Bureau. For November, the agency’s figures show that retail sales edged higher 0.3% to almost $528 billion.

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