“U.S. Retailers’ Outlook 2010” Featured on CIT’s “5 Minute Capital” Podcast Series

Retailers today are operating more efficiently and are cautiously optimistic about their futures, according to Burt Feinberg, Managing Director and Industry Group Head of Retail Finance at CIT Group Inc. (NYSE: CIT), a leading provider of financing to small businesses and middle market companies. These are just some of the findings Feinberg shares while discussing CIT’s second annual retail outlook, “U.S. Small Business and Middle Market Outlook 2010: Retailers and Their Suppliers – Smarter. Leaner. Cautiously Optimistic.”

The interview is part of the latest installment of CIT’s award-winning “5 Minute Capital” (www.5minutecapital.com) podcast series, featuring senior CIT executive commentary on current market conditions and industry trends.

In commenting on how retailers are spending their capital, Feinberg says: “With capital more dear, retailers are focusing on using it [capital] towards efficiency and technology. They are applying technology to distribution on the back-end, and on the front-end, using Internet strategies and mobile technology strategies to maximize their existing customer and store base.”

While two-thirds (68%) of retailers expect to hire more holiday workers this season, Feinberg comments: “Retailers are approaching the holiday season cautiously. They have been very focused on making sure they have good value on the shelf and the right inventory on the shelf. I can’t predict whether it is going to be a great holiday season or not, but the retail industry is positioned to go into the season intelligently.”

The report, which was prepared in association with Forbes Insights, examines how middle market retailers (those with annual revenues of $25 million to $1 billion), as well as suppliers and manufacturers (those with annual revenues from $2 million to $1 billion), have weathered the recession and gauges their outlook of the future.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Complimentary copies of the 2010 and 2009 reports and related podcasts are available for download at http://retailoutlook2010.cit.com.

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About CIT

Founded in 1908, CIT (NYSE: CIT) is a bank holding company with more than $40 billion in finance and leasing assets. It provides financing and leasing capital to its more than one million small business and middle market clients and their customers across more than 30 industries. CIT maintains leadership positions in small business and middle market lending, factoring, retail finance, aerospace, equipment and rail leasing, and global vendor finance. www.cit.com