Consumers are Stocking Up on New Clothes

• LikeFolio data confirms that the foretold "reopening" surge in economic activity has arrived.
• We're seeing consumer Demand return to a variety of sectors (travel, dining, and indoor recreation to name a few), and apparel has been leading the charge.

Consumer Mentions of buying new clothes or updating their wardrobe have gained +11% YoY (30-day moving average).

Clothes shopping has ignited as things return to normal in the US. And, the desire to update wardrobes has translated to near-term Demand growth for a variety of apparel retailers:

• American Eagle (AEO) is experiencing a strong surge in Purchase Intent due to rising Demand for Denim. Demand growth for Aerie is slowing but the brand maintains an incredibly high level of happiness: >90% positive.
• Abercrombie (ANF) shows continued strength after a strong Holiday quarter.
• Old Navy (GPS) is outperforming The Gap in terms of Demand growth and volume. This is nothing new, as the company had plans to spinoff Old Navy as recently as last year. Athleta Purchase Intent Mentions have not maintained the explosive growth seen last year, but Consumer Happiness remains incredibly high.
• Lululemon (LULU) suffers a slowdown as consumers prioitize comfort less.