• by Sarah Mahoney  @mahoney_sarah, August 16, 2016

TJX, the parent of T.J. Maxx, Marshalls and HomeGoods, continued to be one of retail’s few sparkling stories, reporting better-than-expected sales and profits. It also raised its forecast for full-year results, and while many investors had hoped that increase would be higher, the Framingham, Mass.-based company was thumping its chest over a 4% gain in same-store sales.

For its second fiscal quarter, sales rose 7% to $7.88 billion, from $7.36 billion in the year-ago period, while net income advanced to $562.2 million, from $549.3 million in the same period last year.

Noting that the results exceeded expectations, CEO Ernie Herrman says in its announcement that the retailer is “extremely pleased that our comparable-store sales growth was almost entirely driven by customer traffic. We are convinced that we are gaining consumer market share as our excellent values on a compelling selection of brands and fashions are drawing customers to our retail brands around the world.” He says it saw gains in apparel, accessories, and its home businesses.

TJX’s ability to resonate with core consumers contrasts with other retailers, such as Macy’s, Kohl’s and the Gap, who can’t quite seem to capture the same TJX’s fashion-finding, bargain-hunting mojo. 

And the appeal of off-price shopping is spreading across all demographics, according to a recent report from the NPD Group, second only to online shopping in growth. It says off-price shoppers now account for 75% of all apparel purchases, and represent two-thirds of all consumers. Using Checkout Tracking, its receipt mining service, the Port Washington, N.Y.-based market research company finds that these shoppers are particularly fickle, and not inclined to much retail loyalty. 

More than half of off-price shoppers are 45 and older and shopping more often, as are older Millennials ages 25 to 34 -- a group that makes up 16% of off-price apparel buyers. Total trips to off-price stores, whether or not consumers bought anything, are up some 4%.

“Off-price retailers are resonating with fashion and cost-conscious consumers alike, and are stealing department store business for good reason,” says Marshal Cohen, chief industry analyst, in the report. “Consumers are clearly looking for better deals and they know if they shop at an off-price retailer they will get them. Apparel shoppers are finding just what they want at off-price retailers at the right time and at the right price, and that isn’t always the case with department stores.”