GCO gave some color to the Holiday comps at its retail banners it reported yesterday, in a presentation to the ICR investors’ conference. The +8% comp at Lids came from a long tail of Cubs merchandise sales following their historic World Series win, peaking with a positive mid-teens comp in Nov. before backing off in Dec. The comp is especially strong against last year’s clearance activity, and this year the gross margin is considerably higher. Displaced Cubs fans contributed to online sales, and the NFL playoffs promise to drive even more, with many of the teams having national followings. The ... Log in to view full article.