Closure of Toys “R” Us, Sears ‘Good News’ for Holiday Competitors: Analyst

This week Founder and CEO of Pro4ma, Liz Dunn, a retail analyst, told CNBC that the closure of Toys “R” Us (Wayne, N.J.) and Sears (Hoffman Estates, Ill.) would be a positive for many retailers this holiday season, citing investments from retailers looking to cash in on the void created by the closure of more than 800 U.S. stores this year.

Both Walmart Stores Inc. (Bentonville, Ark.) and Target Corp. (Minneapolis) have invested in the space, she said on CNBC’s “Power Lunch.” “Target is out saying there’s $100 billion up for grabs not just from Toys ‘R’ Us, but from all of these retailers that have gone out of business and closed their doors,” she said.

She cited soft-line goods brands Macy’s (Cincinnati) and TJX (Framingham, Mass.), and hard-line goods brands The Home Depot (Atlanta) and Walmart as companies that will benefit from the closure of Sears.

Out of all retailers competing for the space, she identified Target, Kohl’s Corp. (Menomonee Falls, Wis.), Ulta Beauty (Bolingbrook, Ill.) and TJX as the companies that will benefit most.