NORTH PLAINFIELD, NJ –Retail tenants are feeling bullish asTurkey Day arrives, reports Levin Management inits annual pre-holiday survey of store managers within its95-property portfolio.

While only 15% of the retailers anticipate peak sales duringBlack Friday and the Thanksgiving weekend, the large majorityexpect strong holiday sales through the end of the year:

• 70% predict sales will be the same or higher this season thanlast. (That is down from 81% in 2011 who predicted sales equal orbetter than in 2010.)
• A strong majority – 68% – said they will be stocking up withthe same amount or more inventory than last year.

Among clothing retailers, 91% said they expect to do as well orbetter this year than in 2011. That is in line with recent surveysof consumer sentiment, such as Booz & Company’s Holiday RetailOutlook 2012, which reported that 42% intend to buy apparel itemsas gifts.

“It is encouraging that such a large percentage of our surveyrespondents are projecting strong holiday sales, even though thepercentage is lower than last year,” Harding said.