Using Alternative Data for an Early Read on Back-To-School Performance

The back-to-school shopping season is one of the major consumer events of the year for retailers and provides a window into U.S. consumer spending trends. In 2023, the back-to-school season unfolded amid the slowdown in U.S. headline inflation, but also a prolonged period of price increases. How did this backdrop affect the sales performance of retailers this season? How has this changed the shopping trends of U.S. consumers? Join us to see how you can use the new Bloomberg Terminal® function, ALTD, to get an early read on company performance around key retail events. More specifically, conduct peer analysis to understand the competitive landscape within industries known for back-to-school shopping such as apparel and off-price retail, gain intra-quarter insights ahead of earnings announcements, and dive into consumer trends through breakouts.

The ALTD function provides insights on company performance using alternative data such as consumer transaction data and foot traffic data analytics. These analytics and insights are now available on the Bloomberg Terminal® alongside news, financials, estimates, research, and more. 

Discussion topics:

• Which companies within various industries are experiencing the most sales growth during the back-to-school season?
• Are consumers shifting away from premium shopping and returning to value retailers instead?
• Are consumers switching from online shopping back to brick-and-mortar?