For students, it is almost time to hit the books. For mom and dad, it is time to hit the stores.

Or so retailers hope as the back-to-school shopping season moves into the crucial late-August period. And there are signs that the season, the second- most important of the year for retailers, may end up firmer than expected. Wal-Mart Stores Inc., for example, sounded an optimistic note on its recent earnings call, saying 'key back-to-school apparel categories ...