Restoration shows retail’s not dead

CORTE MADERA, Calif. — Shares in Restoration Hardware rose 14% on Friday, the company’s largest daily jump since June, as it continues to buck some of the most challenging trends for retailers today. The high-end furnisher’s growth shows no signs of abating, buoyed by strong Q4 earnings as winter weather ate at many retailers’ profits. At a time when small formats are all the rage, Restoration has moved into larger premises. In a Wall Street Journal interview, Hedgeye analyst Brian McGough says the firm is “doing to the home furnishings space what Ralph Lauren did to apparel in the 80s,” and predicts that its annual per-share profit will increase by as much as half over the next five years.