Good Earnings for RAIL

Another of my companies had good earnings today. RAIL chugged ahead over 8% on this dreary day based on their release (FreightCar America, Inc. Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year Results). They actually increased their backlog for the first time since I owned the stock. Still lean times I think. So I guess my stocks are on a mini-roll with decent earning, though largely expectations are extremely lowered.

AEO announced their same store sales for January (American Eagle Outfitters Reports January Sales of $163.9 Million; Same Store Sales Decrease 7%). I had to read the release several times to decide if this was good or bad.

• At first I thought it as bad, heck a 7% decrease just seems bad.
• But then they said this as last year there were 5 weeks in January: Excluding sales from the extra week in the fiscal 2006, total sales increased 4% compared to the corresponding four week period last year. Hmm maybe that is good. 4% increase seems good.
• Due to the 53^rd week in fiscal 2006, January 2008 comps are compared to the four week period ended February 3, 2007. On this basis, comparable store sales were down 7%, compared to a 12% increase for the same period last year. That sounded not so good.

The stock did trade up after hours a bit. I think because the affirmed their earnings.

TZOO is a stock I was very glad I didn't buy back in the fall. I feel the pain of readers that own TZOO as it tanked 31% today (UPDATE - Travelzoo Q4 earnings fall sharply, shares down). I do wonder if it is now an extremely good buying opportunity as travel seems to me to be a seasonal business. But I have enough pans on the fire right now, I can't take in another homeless orphan.