Dive Brief:

• PetSmart reported a 20% rise in Q4 profits that handily beat expectations.

• Things look good into the future, too, as revenue for Q4 rose 2.9%, with stores open a year seeing sales growth of 1.2%.

• The pet supplies category is a retail bright spot, with other companies like hardware stores looking to get in on the action.

Dive Insight:

The pet supplies category is a bright spot for retail, and it’s no wonder that other retail companies like True Value hardware are looking at it as an opportunity for growth. Americans dote on their pets even amid economic uncertainty. While more communities are banning the sale of cats and dogs at these retailers, there appears to be plenty of other supplies to keep cash registers humming.