Wharton Club Of DC

WAMM: Retail & E-Commerce Outlook: How Will the Sector Trade as Risks Rise? 11/2

Washington Association of Money Managers is pleased to present: Retail & E-Commerce Outlook: How Will the Sector Trade as Risks Rise Wharton Club members & guests are invited

Washington Association of Money Managers
is pleased to present:
Retail & E-Commerce Outlook:
How Will the Sector Trade as Risks Rise?
Thursday, November 2, 2023 at 6:00 PM (ET)

Ben Betcher, CFA Research Analyst, Sands Capital Full Bio...

Nikhil Devnani, CFA Analyst, Berstein Full Bio...

Location:
The National Press Club
529 14th Street NW - 13th Floor
The Zenger Room
Washington, DC 20045

Time:
Reception will begin at 6:00 PM
Panel discussion will begin at 6:30 PM

COVID policy: We require all registrants to be vaccinated against COVID-19 prior to attending WAMM events. For the National Press Club policy on COVID requirements, please see The National Press Club website for more information.

2023 has been rocky for retailers with higher costs to operate (e.g., labor, shrink) and mixed consumer spending environment clouding the performance. The rise in household debt and higher financing costs, the impact of heightened fuel prices, the prospect of deflation, and the growth of Temu and similar emerging online players adds to a litany of risks faced by the sector. These cyclical and secular headwinds have had the impact of driving a further wedge between the strong, well positioned, and the rest. Which retailers are set for success during the 2023 holiday sales season and who is bound to end up on the list of likely laggards?

Despite the challenging retail sales environment, e-commerce sales growth remains buoyant relative to broader retail sales and continues to gain share of overall retail spend. Could growth reaccelerate next year as demand shifts back from travel and experiences? Should online penetration turn back up, e-commerce is likely to outperform overall retail from a macro perspective.

We are fortunate to have highly respected industry experts to help us take a fresh look at the ever-evolving retail and e-commerce ecosystem:

• Ben Betcher, CFA is a Research Analyst at Sands Capital, an active, long-term investor in leading growth businesses globally. Ben joined Sands Capital in 2021. He previously worked at Davis Advisors as an Analyst and at Sanford Bernstein as a Senior Research Associate. Additionally, he previously worked at Ampush as Head of Finance. Ben earned a BS in Psychology from Tufts University in 2009.
   
• Nikhil Devnani, CFA is the Analyst at Bernstein covering US Emerging Internet, a variety of marketplaces across eCommerce, food delivery, ridesharing, and housing. Nikhil joined Bernstein in 2016 as Research Associate on US Large-Cap Banks and contributed to the team’s No. 1 ranking by Institutional Investor in 2017 and 2018. Most recently, Nikhil was a Senior Research Associate on the US Internet team, where he helped initiate coverage on the digital advertising space and Amazon in 2020. Nikhil holds a BSc in Economics from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

Please note that the Chatham House Rule applies – neither the comments of the speaker nor those of other participants are for attribution.