Back-to-school spending is expected to reach a record-high of $41.5 billion, according to the National Retail Federation's annual survey .
The trends suggest certain retailers will fare better than others, with analysts favoring these stocks for back-to-school.
According to a Stifel survey, retro basketball styles from Nike were the most popular choice for back-to-school this year.
"These retailers have invested significantly in their private label assortments in recent years and continue to grow penetration," Jefferies analysts wrote in an Aug. 28 note.
That could be a warning sign for the holidays as many investors look to back-to-school sales to set the tone for the winter season.
Persons:
Morgan Stanley, Jefferies, Doug McMillon, Amazon's, Homegoods, Abercrombie —, Abercrombie, Locker, Stifel
Organizations:
National, Jefferies, Walmart, Target, Costco, Dollar, Ikea, P, Abercrombie, Fitch, American Eagle Outfitters, Barn Holdings, Nordstrom, Nike, FactSet
Locations:
U.S, Hollister, Thursday's, Banana