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 »
July 22, 2014 Lowe’s plans to build a customer support center in Indianapolis, a move that will create up to 1,000 new jobs by 2016. The world’s second largest home improvement retailer plans to invest $20.5 million to purchase, renovate and equip a 140,000 sq. ft. office facility at Intech Park 12, 6620 Network Way,… Read more »
July 24, 2014 The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Remodeling Market Index (RMI) rose three points to 56 in the second quarter of 2014, regaining the momentum built in 2013. This is the fifth consecutive quarter for an RMI reading above 50. An RMI above 50 indicates that more remodelers report market activity is… Read more »
July 28, 2014 Dollar Tree said it would acquire Family Dollar in a transformational cash and stock deal valued at $8.5 billion to create a company with more than 13,000 stores and annual sales of $18 billion. The deal was unanimously approved by the boards of both companys and involves Dollar Tree paying Family Dollar… Read more »
July 24, 2014 Supervalu posted $5.23 billion in net sales for the first quarter, a decrease of 0.1% from $5.24 billion last year; but president and CEO Sam Duncan expressed confidence in the company’s performance, saying it is off to a solid start across business segments. “Our first quarter results reflect the investments we are… Read more »
July 25, 2014 Real gross domestic product (GDP) decreased at an annual rate of 2.9 percent in the first quarter of 2014 after increasing 2.6 percent in the fourth quarter of 2013. Both private services and goods-producing industries contributed to the decrease, while the government sector increased slightly. Durable-goods manufacturing; wholesale trade; and agriculture, forestry,… Read more »
July 24, 2014 Sales of newly built, single-family homes fell 8.1 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 406,000 units in June, according to newly released data by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Census Bureau. Sales numbers for May were revised downward to 442,000. “The numbers are a… Read more »
July 24, 2014 Growth in home improvement activity is expected to peak during the second half of 2014 and then begin to ease heading into next year, according to the Leading Indicator of Remodeling Activity (LIRA) released today by the Remodeling Futures Program of Harvard University. Revised estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau show the… Read more »
July 24, 2014 Walmart named Greg Foran president and CEO of its U.S. stores division to replace Bill Simon, who is leaving the company after an eight-year run. Foran is a relative newcomer at Walmart, who joined the company in October 2011 and by March of 2012 had been elevated to the role of president… Read more »
July 23, 2014 The National Retail Federation today lowered its retail sales forecast for 2014 because of slow growth recorded during the first half of the year, but said sales are expected to grow significantly faster over the next five months. NRF forecasted in January that retail sales would grow 4.1 percent in 2014 over… Read more »
July 17, 2014 Families this summer will spend slightly more on back-to-school items than they did in 2013. According to NRF’s 2014 Back-to-School Survey, the average family with children in grades K-12 will spend $669.28 on apparel, shoes, supplies and electronics, up 5% from $634.78 in 2013. NRF broke out spending by grade, and according… Read more »
