On this week’s podcast, Tematica’s mixologists, Lenore Hawkins and Chris Versace, take a thematic deep dive on the September Retail Sales Report. With the consumer directly or indirectly accounting for nearly two-thirds of the domestic economy and the average consumer spending 31% of his or her paycheck on retails goods, this monthly report is one worth monitoring closely. As with any economic data point, putting it into context provides a clearer perspective and that means examining more than just the September figures.

In doing just that thematically, while headline September Retail Sales missed expectations, digging into the meat of the report uncovered a number of confirming data points for several of our investing themes – Digital Lifestyle, Middle-Class Squeeze, and Living the Life among others – and companies that we have identified as Thematic Leaders. Comparing and contrasting the different sub-categories with third party data and company comments shared thus far during the September quarter earnings season offer an additional perspective, including why the sharp year over year pick up in restaurant sales paired with food price deflation should be a positive for restaurant stocks.

As we discuss on the podcast, those same restaurant stocks are also benefitting from certain aspects of our Digital Lifestyle investing theme. We also share some data that keeps us bullish on Amazon and why the company has much more room to run even as it knocks the stuffing hard out of one retail sales category in particular.

Have a topic we should tackle on the podcast, email me at [email protected]

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Resources for this podcast:

• Chris Versace –@_ChrisVersace
• Lenore Hawkins –@EllesEconomy
• Tematica Research – https://www.tematicaresearch.com
• Themes Report: https://www.tematicaresearch.com/whatisthematicinvesting