In the past year, clothing retailers have sought to clear excess stock that had piled up due to a shift in consumer demand to essentials from discretionary items like clothing. But with fourth-quarter temperatures expected to start off warm, according to weather tracking firm Weather Trends International, stores carrying winter styles and gear could find themselves loaded with inventory at the end of the season. European company Pepco Group (PCOP.WA) also noted that the landing of its autumn and winter clothing inventory had coincided with persistent record-warm weather in its core Central and Eastern European markets. In the United States, temperatures could rise by 2 to 12 degrees Fahrenheit on average in the October-December period compared with last year, according to Weather Trends International. Abercrombie & Fitch (ANF.N) also said there was strong demand for "seasonless products" in the second quarter, particularly in the men's category, as customers picked out year-round clothing items and styles.

---

Persons: Helena Helmersson, Andy Bond, Bill Kirk, Clodagh, David Swartz, Robert Woods, Kristen D'Arcy, Abercrombie, Simon Wolfson, Ananya Mariam Rajesh, James Davey, Helen Reid, Matthew Lewis Organizations: Reuters, Pepco, Amazon.com, REUTERS, Walmart, Dick's Sporting, Costco Wholesale, Morningstar Research, Vision Brands, Fitch, Thomson Locations: United States, Europe, Cos, Eastern, Grafton, Dublin, Ireland, outerwear, Bengaluru, London