But everything retailers have said suggests otherwise. In fact, most of them seem to have had a rough go of it this holiday season. 

Many were hit by slower sales as shoppers didn't make it to the stores till closer to the Christmas holiday. And competitive holiday sales impacted overall performance.

This prompted a string of retailers to cut guidance. Some like Macy's didn't report an earnings hit, but announced job cuts and store closures. We included commentary from the retailers wherever possible.