WTSLA - Sector: Services --- Industry: Retail (Apparel)

[jfra]

Yes, I've bought some here at $5.21..It looks constructive, that is, if the overall mkt. doesn't hit the skids....

[setravis]

Breakout from this Symmetrical Triangle (continuation) Pattern,
With follow through.

Wet Seal upgraded by Sanders Morris Harris........From Hold...To Buy.
Briefing.com (Fri 9:17am) 
Link.....   http://finance.yahoo.com/q/ud?s=WTSLA

Technicals
Last Price Quote is:
6.05%above 13-day EMA
9.44%above 50-day EMA
RS Rating: 54 

Fundamentals
Analyst Upgrade to Buy

Key Data:
Market Cap (M): $346.04 
P/E Ratio: NA 
PEG Ratio: N/A 
Next Earnings: 04/21/2006
Last Analyst Rating: Buy

[setravis]

 [audio] The Wet Seal, Inc. Earnings Conference Call (live tomorrow at 5:00 pm ET)

Link....... http://biz.yahoo.com/cc/1/66471.html

[setravis]

A lot of potential, good support.
Breakout of the Symmetrical Triangle (continuation)Pattern.

Technicals
Last Price Quote is:
8.07%above 13-day EMA
12.29%above 50-day EMA
RS Rating: 83 

Fundamentals
Earnings Expected on Mar 23

Key Data:
Market Cap (M): $341.64 
P/E Ratio: NA 
PEG Ratio: -0.832 
Next Earnings: 03/23/2006
Last Analyst Rating: Accumulate

[setravis]

Volume: 2,095,988
Avg Vol (3m): 966,203

Technicals
Last Price Quote is:
10.38%above 13-day EMA
17.12%above 50-day EMA
RS Rating: 90 

Fundamentals
Key Data:
Market Cap (M): $367.43 
P/E Ratio: NA 
PEG Ratio: -0.892 
Next Earnings: 05/26/2006
Last Analyst Rating: Accumulate

[setravis]

Motley Fool
Can Wet Seal Swim Again?
Friday March 24, 10:35 am ET
By Stephen D. Simpson, CFA (TMFWildWeasel)


What a difference a year and a half can make.
In the fall of 2004, teen retailer Wet Seal (Nasdaq: WTSLA - News) was flat on its back, briefly trading for less than a buck a share. The company had badly misjudged trends and tastes for several periods in a row, had turbulence within its management ranks, and had been all but abandoned by the "fashion forward" young ladies that its two concepts target.


Since then, the company has hired a well-regarded merchandising consultant, closed numerous stores, and managed to pull itself back from the brink of bankruptcy.

That's not to say that things are going swimmingly for this seal just yet. True, net sales for the fourth quarter were up almost 19%, atop a more-than-44% boost in same-store sales, but that was compared to a very low base indeed. And while the company is now profitable at the operating income line -- as well as the net income line, if you subtract out a sea of charges -- I wouldn't say that business is necessarily booming again.

Management has some interesting ideas about how to continue to right the ship. First, it's looking to boost imports as a percentage of its total merchandise. This is a good idea, since it will improve margins, but the company can probably only take it so far. Being "fashion forward" requires a level of responsiveness that isn't always compatible with relying upon imports.

The company is also focusing future store growth on what it calls type "B" and "C" malls. Intuitively, you'd think that you'd want to locate stores in the better malls (the "type As"), but management says it's had better success with the second- and third-tier locations. Given that the namesake Wet Seal chain is value-oriented (as opposed to Arden B, which competes more with the likes of bebe stores (Nasdaq: BEBE - News) and Guess? (NYSE: GES - News)), I suppose that makes a certain amount of sense. It can be relatively more difficult to do well with bargain merchandise in high-class shopping centers.

If you had the guts to buy this when it was circling the drain, I congratulate you. That said, while Wet Seal has made progress, it's still not even close to the level of Abercrombie & Fitch (NYSE: ANF - News), Aeropostale (NYSE: ARO - News), and the other teen-scene kings. It'll be interesting to see how Wet Seal performs this year when faced with tougher year-ago comps. It's never too late to turn yourself around in retail, but just remember that success is still far from a sure thing.

bebe stores is a Motley Fool Stock Advisor recommendation.

Fool contributor Stephen Simpson has no financial interest in any stocks mentioned (that means he's neither long nor short the shares).

[setravis]

Breakout with great follow through.
The Golden Cross has occurred.

Volume: 2,259,998
Avg Vol (3m): 966,203

Technicals
Last Price Quote is:
12.09%above 13-day EMA
19.89%above 50-day EMA
RS Rating: 93 

Fundamentals
Key Data:
Market Cap (M): $367.43 
P/E Ratio: NA 
PEG Ratio: -0.94 
Next Earnings: 05/26/2006
Last Analyst Rating: Accumulate

[setravis]

Moving on baby....

Volume: 2,475,602
Avg Vol (3m): 992,237

Technicals
Last Price Quote is:
13.80%above 13-day EMA
22.86%above 50-day EMA
RS Rating: 94 

Fundamentals
Key Data:
Market Cap (M): $367.43 
P/E Ratio: NA 
PEG Ratio: -0.968 
Next Earnings: 05/26/2006
Last Analyst Rating: Accumulate

[setravis]

Reuters
Back-to-school styles hit mall
Sunday July 23, 11:14 am ET
By Alexandria Sage


LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Steamy July temperatures, high gas prices and a slowing U.S. economy are all contributing to create a very different start to this year's back-to-school shopping season.
While school shopping was once solely a late August, early September boon for retailers, kids go back to school earlier now and stocks of sweaters and corduroys have been replaced by more warm weather offerings.


"Buy now, wear now" warm weather styles have hit the malls with a bang, but analysts are divided over how much economic pressures will keep young shoppers and their parents away.

On Monday, Target Corp.(NYSE:TGT - News) -- currently showcasing its back-to-school dorm room essentials -- lowered its July sales forecast.

And recent surveys give a mixed picture of consumer behavior. A National Retail Federation back-to-school report found that families will spend more this season than last, with apparel and electronics driving sales. But an America's Research Group survey found that nearly half of U.S. parents have convinced their children to wear last year's clothing this season.

"Everybody is down on the economy," said retail consultant Kurt Barnard. "Back-to-school is going to be very difficult and is going to be a period where a lot of retailers will look wistfully at what they did last year."

But Brean Murray, Carret analyst Eric Beder said that, after a relatively dull spring and summer, teens will welcome new styles at trendy retailers such as Wet Seal Inc. (NASDAQ:WTSLA - News) and Guess Inc. (NYSE:GES - News). And teens will continue to buy through September once they have seen what their peers are wearing, creating a double-edged sword for retailers.

"If you're fashion-right, your season will be longer and you'll take advantage of it," Beder said. "If you're not, you're in purgatory for a lot longer."

Analyst Marshal Cohen of NPD Group said consumers sense a lack of must-have items and there is a willingness to wait before buying. He expects that, as shoppers cut back on impulse buying, the winners will include J.C. Penney Co. Inc. (NYSE:JCP - News) and Kohl's Corp. (NYSE:KSS - News), while higher-end mall darlings such as Coach Inc. (NYSE:COH - News) will suffer.

"The end of the third quarter is where you'll see the absence of back-to-school. And it's a clear indication of what's going to happen for (the) holiday," Cohen said.

INSTANT GRATIFICATION

Teen retailers, who are usually insulated from economic pressures, may get a boost this year with the increased emphasis on apparel that can be worn right away, as opposed to later when the weather turns colder, some analysts say.

"People aren't willing to fund a wardrobe they don't wear for three months," Sanders Morris Harris analyst Liz Pierce said.

Youth retailers who succeed will be those such as American Eagle Outfitters Inc. (NASDAQ:AEOS - News), who create strategies to overcome consumers' resistance to buying, analysts say. Barnard also cited Federated Department Stores Inc. (NYSE:FD - News) as creating excitement in its new Macy's stores.

American Eagle, which introduced a large number of cold- weather styles last year, is giving customers free movie passes in exchange for trying on its new assortment of jeans.

"Kids will go as a destination to American Eagle," said The Doneger Group market analyst Tim Bess. "I think it will hurt the other guys."

That includes Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (NYSE:ANF - News), a winner in the last two back-to-school seasons that may now be hitting a snag.

Analysts have cited concerns Abercrombie's fall assortment includes too many heavy fabrics and distressed denim styles that do not gibe with today's pared-down look. On Tuesday, A.G. Edwards downgraded the stock, which has dropped 7 percent since the beginning of July, citing consumer spending concerns.

But struggling teen retailer Hot Topic Inc.(NASDAQ:HOTT - News), may get a boost from the skinny jeans trend, analysts say, as the look fits into the company's rocker sensibility.

(Additional reporting by Chelsea Emery in New York)

[setravis]

One to watch......
Way oeversold !

Technicals
Last Price Quote is:
0.29%above 13-day EMA
-5.65%below 50-day EMA
RS Rating: 14 

Fundamentals
Key Data:
Market Cap (M): $334.51 
P/E Ratio: NA 
PEG Ratio: 0.432 
Next Earnings: 09/04/2006
Last Analyst Rating: Hold

[setravis]

WetSeal ,trying to prove that they are turning things around.
50-day MA about to cross over the 200-day MA...The Golden Cross.....


Technicals
Last Price Quote is:
5.71%above 13-day EMA
15.18%above 50-day EMA
RS Rating: 96 

Fundamentals
Key Data:
Market Cap (M): $455.37 
P/E Ratio: NA 
PEG Ratio: -4000 
Next Earnings: 11/28/2006
Last Analyst Rating: Buy

[setravis]

Will drop the end of the day chart.....

[setravis]

Wet Seal of Approval......
Retail picking up before xmas season.

Support @ $5.97...5.70...5.20
Resistance @ $6.20...6.78

52wk Range: 4.15 - 6.83
Volume: 998,457
Avg Vol (3m): 648,338

Technicals
Last Price Quote is:
3.37%above 13-day MA
8.54%above 50-day MA
RS Rating: 92 

Fundamentals
Key Data:
Market Cap (M): $455.37 
P/E Ratio: NA 
PEG Ratio: -4000 
Next Earnings: 11/28/2006
Last Analyst Rating: 

HeadLine News Link......  http://finance.yahoo.com/q/h?s=WTSLA

Apparel Chain Sales Results
AP (Thu, Oct 5)

• Wet Seal Same-Store Sales Climb
AP (Thu, Oct 5)

• Wet Seal September same-store sales rise
at Reuters (Thu, Oct 5)

• Wet Seal September same-store sales rise 5.8%
at MarketWatch (Thu, Oct 5)

• The Wet Seal, Inc. Announces September Comparable Store Sales up 5.8%
Business Wire (Thu, Oct 5) 

[setravis]

The Wet Seal, Inc. Earnings Conference Call (Q3 2006)
Link......  http://biz.yahoo.com/cc/0/75040.html

Bouncing off a 38.2% Fib retrace.

52wk Range: 4.15 - 6.83
Volume: 269,861
Avg Vol (3m): 676,953

Technicals
Close Above the 13-day MA

Last Price Quote is:
1.27%above 13-day MA
3.14%above 50-day MA
RS Rating: 90 

Fundamentals
Earnings Expected on Nov 16

Key Data:
Market Cap (M): $455.37 
P/E Ratio: NA 
PEG Ratio: -4000 
Next Earnings: 11/28/2006
Last Analyst Rating: Buy

[setravis]

I haven't time for any comments...
I will leave today's closing chart........Nice Move!!

WET SEAL INC CL A (NasdaqGM:WTSLA) Delayed quote data 
After Hours: 6.97  0.20 (2.95%) .............................................

52wk Range: 4.15 - 6.85
Volume: 2,388,419 ..........................
Avg Vol (3m): 709,821