Myer is Australia’s largest department store chain. The company is an old school bricks and mortar retailer with over 60 stores across Australia, mostly in prime locations. It does however have a growing but relatively small online presence. Myer sells a wide range of goods across 11 categories: womenswear; menswear; youth; childrenswear; intimate apparel; beauty, fragrance and cosmetics; homewares; electrical goods; toys; footwear, handbags and accessories; and general merchandise.
WHY IT'S WORTH WATCHING
This iconic Australian retailer’s shares are trading at around 10% of the price it was floated in 2006. Despite structural headwinds against bricks and mortar retailers from the growth in lower cost online competitors, we are not ready to say that department stores are dead. Embracing a scaled down store footprint, growing online presence, changing the product range and improving the value proposition for customers provides scope for improvement. If Myer can overcome its stretched financials and successfully evolve its business model under new management it can still have a future in the new world of retailing. And if there is a future, there could be big money to be made.
**FY21 Forecast