Why Out-of-stocks, Data Mismatch, and Hidden Demand Still Catch Out Beauty Brands When beauty brands review retail performance, the picture often looks reassuring. Availability appears high. Sales reports feel complete. Forecasts are built on what was sold. But our conversations with brands working directly with Ulta and Sephora reveal a more complicated reality. One where... Read more »
September 19, 2012 The Conference Board Leading Economic Index (LEI) for the U.S. increased 0.2 percent in August to 103.8, following a 1.1 percent increase in July, and a 0.7 percent increase in June. “The LEI continued to rise in August, although at a slower rate than in July,” said Ataman Ozyildirim, Economist at The… Read more »
September 19, 2014 Investors don’t seem to care that Home Depot’s data breach is being characterized as the largest ever in the retail sector with shares of the company hitting a new high on Friday. Home Depot shares touched a 52-week high of $93.75 on Friday, a day after the company disclosed details about an… Read more »
September 19, 2014 The merger between Albertsons and Safeway is expected to close in a few months and when it does the combined company already has a new senior leadership and field operations structure in place. The companies late Friday announced key leadership positions it said drew on strong talent within both organizations to build… Read more »
September 18, 2014 Led by a steep 31.7 percent decline in multifamily production, nationwide housing starts fell 14.4 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 956,000 units in August, according to newly released figures from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Census Bureau. Single-family housing starts dropped 2.4 percent… Read more »
September 18, 2014 Solid same store sales growth at Rite Aid caused second quarter profits to surge but looming pressure on pharmacy margins prompted the company to reduce its full year outlook. Rite Aid reported revenues of $6.5 billion for its second quarter ended August 30, representing a 3.9% lift credited to rising pharmacy same-store… Read more »
September 17, 2014 Builder confidence in the market for newly built, single-family homes rose for a fourth consecutive month in September to a level of 59 on the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI), released today. This latest four-point gain brings the index to its highest reading since November of 2005.… Read more »
September 16, 2014 Millennials will spend over $2 trillion on home purchases and rent in the next five years. Millennials’ housing aspirations are not so different than previous generations. Most plan to purchase homes and live in suburbs, and nearly all already have cars. Millennials will play a critical role in shaping housing demand over… Read more »
September 12, 2014 Hudson’s Bay Company is reaping the rewards of its acquisition last year of Saks. The company’s retail sales soared 86.6% to $1.8 billion, from $948 million in the prior year. Consolidated same-store sales increased by 1.9% on a local currency basis, with increases of 1.1% at HBC’s department store group (DSG), 2.2%… Read more »
September 12, 2014 The National Retail Federation calculates that August retail sales – excluding automobiles, gasoline stations and restaurants – increased 0.5 percent seasonally adjusted month-to-month and 2.7 percent unadjusted year-over-year. When combined with revisions to July, August sales indicate a consistent improvement in consumer confidence and spending but run contrary to August’s lackluster jobs… Read more »
September 12, 2014 Overall retail spending growth in August 2014 was the strongest in more than a year. Retail dollar volume growth reached 2.8% in August – compared to 2.6% in July – as back-to-school shopping propelled spending growth in several retail categories. August’s overall average ticket growth remained positive at 1.2%, slipping slightly from… Read more »
