Introduction: Retail Download PDF
Retail is the business of selling goods made by others to individual consumers. It is a huge industry, dominated by Wal-Mart, which touches every corner of the globe. The future of the industry is positive, with retail establishments expected to see growth.
Risk Description
Retail
The marked slowdown in consumption by American household and the sharp decline in residential investment have been a drag on sector performance. That has already resulted in a number of bankruptcies particularly among retailers of household and clothing products. Small and medium-size chains have suffered most, especially those operating in regions highly affected by the crisis, like Florida and the Southwest, or in States affected by repercussions of the car industry's difficulties.
Conversely, the buying spree for consumer goods in emerging countries, especially those that produce raw materials, should continue unabated.
Main Sectors
The retail industry is the last step in the process of getting products to customers efficiently, and should not be confused with the wholesale activities which precede it. The difference between the two is that wholesalers are companies that sell their products to businesses, whereas in retail, the goods are sold directly to the consumer. Wholesale establishments play an important role for retail establishments, as they generally provide retailers with the resources they need to run their business in addition to the goods and products they sell.
Corporations (By Sales)
Sectoral Rankings
| Retail | World | North America | Japan | Western Europe | Central Europe | Emerging Asia |
Latin America | Middle East |
| April 2008 |
A- | B+ | A- | A- | B+ | A | A | A |