Neil Saunders’ Post

Here are some interesting stories from the world of retail for Thursday, October 12: 🏥 After several weeks under interim leadership, Walgreens Boots Alliance has named Tim Wentworth as CEO. Wentworth will lead the Deerfield-based retail pharmacy chain starting October 23. 👟 BIRKENSTOCK shares enjoyed a less than sparkling first day of trading, falling 12.6%, or $5.80, to close at $40.20 compared with the initial public offering price of $46 each. 👙 Shares of Victoria’s Secret & Co. rose after hours on Wednesday after the maker of bras, lingerie and sleepwear said it could lose less than previously thought during the third quarter. 🏬 Ross Stores, Inc. opened 51 new stores from September through this week, the retailer said Wednesday. The retailer opened 43 Ross Dress for Less stores and eight DD’s Discounts stores in 22 states. 💄 Walmart has teamed up with Perfect Corp., an artificial intelligence and augmented reality beauty and fashion technology company, to launch a virtual try-on makeup experience via the Walmart app. 👖 Primark is continuing its international expansion in the US with new stores opening at Smith Haven Mall in Lake Grove, New York and Concord Mills in Charlotte, North Carolina, next month. 🥝 Giant Eagle, Inc. is relaunching its Nature’s Basket private brand with more transparency around sustainability. The grocer announced Wednesday that it linked up with sustainable food rating company HowGood for the relaunch. 🛒 Walmart says customers on Ozempic are actually spending more money overall, even if their food spend is down slightly. The uplift comes from other categories like lifestyle, fitness, and medications to relieve side effects. 📺 The cheap streaming era is over. In 2022, prices for the 10 largest streamers have increased an average of 10% and increased 10% on average in 2023 thus far. 🛩 Starbucks fans will no longer get their cup of Pike Place Roast on Alaska Airlines flights. Starting December 1, Alaska will serve a custom blend from Portland-based Stumptown Coffee Roasters on all flights. 🇮🇱 H&M and Inditex's store franchises in Israel have closed temporarily due to the terrorist attacks by Hamas. H&M stores, numbering 24 in Israel, will remain shut until further notice. 🇦🇺 The Australian Food and Grocery Council's latest supermarket industry survey has found that ALDI Stores Australia continues to win market share from its major rivals. 🇲🇽 Mexico's same-store retail sales rose by 4.8% in September compared to the same month last year, Mexican retailers' association ANTAD said. #retail #retailnews #economy 

Here are some interesting stories from the world of retail for Wednesday, May 22: 🏬 Shares of Macy's headed higher after the department-store chain reported fiscal first-quarter results that fell from a year ago but that beat expectations, helped by strength in its luxury store chains, Bloomingdale’s and Bluemercury. 🛠️ Lowe's Companies, Inc. reported first quarter net sales of $21.4 billion, down 4.4%from $22.3 billion year over year. Q1 comparable sales fell 4% due to a decline in DIY big-ticket discretionary spending. 🛍️ The boss of the UK's Marks and Spencer has hailed the beginnings of a new M&S after the UK retailer posted higher than expected profits of £716 million and announced its first dividend since 2019. 👖 Urban Outfitters reported first-quarter sales that beat Wall Street’s estimates, with the company’s Anthropologie and Free People brands driving momentum. 👧🏼 Shares of The Children's Place took a dive Tuesday after the retailer of children’s apparel said longtime Chief Executive Jane Elfers has left the company under a mutual agreement. 👚 lululemon is implementing an new integrated design structure and has announced the departure of Chief Product Officer Sun Choe. Choe resigned to pursue another opportunity and will leave the company later this month. 👜 Coach has filed to dismiss its lawsuit against Gap Inc., according to a Tuesday court filing. The case was a trademark infringement complaint over the use of the word coach on Old Navy products. 🚚 Walmart delivered 4.4 billion items with either same-day or next-day shipping speeds in the US over the past 12 months. The retailer delivered about 20% of those goods in under three hours. 📦 Amazon has been accused of using “intrusive algorithms” as part of a sweeping surveillance program to monitor and deter union organizing activities. Workers at a Missouri warehouse are filing an unfair labor practice charge 🐶 Pet food prices have jumped 23% over the past three years, causing some pet owners to "trade down" to lower-cost kibble. That's a stark reversal from the recent trend of consumers shelling out for the top-shelf products. 🇬🇧 The owner of B&Q, Kingfisher, is cautious about prospects this year due to the time lag between buying a home and doing renovations. The company reported a 0.9% decrease in group like-for-like revenues in the quarter. 📉 President Biden is hoping voters give him credit for the news that retailers such as Target are lowering prices on groceries and other items. Biden says his administration’s pressure campaign has influenced lower prices. 🍔 McDonald's’s franchisee group says $5 value meal can’t last without company investment. The $5 value meal will hit menu boards beginning June 25 and will last roughly a month. 🛢️ The Biden administration announced the release of 1 million barrels of gasoline, a move aimed at cutting prices at the pump this summer, as the November election nears. #retail #retailnews #economy #DailyRetailNews

Here are some interesting stories from the world of retail for Tuesday, May 7: 🛋️ Shares of Beyond, Inc. — the parent of Overstock and Bed Bath & Beyond — fell after it reported a deeper-than-expected loss and said it was trying to draw more committed customers amid weak home-goods demand. 🚛 Kohl's’s is now offering same-day delivery via the Instacart app. Using Instacart, customers can place orders for same-day or scheduled delivery from 1,172 Kohl’s locations nationwide. 🎯 Target is expanding its partnership with Hudson's Bay in Canada, broadening the sales of its in-house Cat & Jack children's brand to include swimwear, outerwear, and shoes. The move comes after positive feedback. 🚚 Wholesale remains most profitable investment channel for brands. The channel, which is expected to grow 51% this year, accounts for about 60% of companies’ total sales. 🏬 A fourth Bloomie’s location is set to open in New Jersey this fall, part of the parent company Macy's ongoing strategy to tap into more luxury sales with a new small format strategy. 👷🏼♂️ Kroger is planning to spend approximately $45 million in 2024 to remodel 15 stores in Ohio and Indiana. Kroger is highlighting investments in its stores as it presses ahead with the Albertsons merger. 🍓ALDI USA, the American arm of the German-owned discount supermarket chain, has urged its suppliers to cut costs, increase production, and focus on sustainability to stay competitive. ⬇️ More than four-in-five consumer respondents (81%) have noticed shrinkflation, with three-in-10 (29%) having seen it very often since 2020 - according to a survey by Clarify Capital. 💄 Amazon said Monday that its Summer Beauty Haul event is returning next week. Amazon noted the sales promotion starts at 12am PST on May 13 and runs through 11:59pm PST on May 19. 🥩 Shares of meatpacking giant Tyson Foods plunged more than 9% — the stock’s worst day since August — after the company said persistent inflation weakened consumer appetites for meat biting into profits in the second quarter. 🍺 The European boss of Budweiser has said the brewer has learned to “stay in our lane” following a backlash over Bud Light’s work with a transgender influencer. 🧴 Chinese-made skincare brands, such as Skintific, have gained popularity in Muslim-dominated markets like Indonesia and Malaysia. These brands downplay their origins and present themselves as local products. 🇦🇺 Australian supermarkets found to be overcharging customers could face criminal penalties if the government adopts the findings of a new review. #retail #retailnews #economy #DailyRetailNews

“Ross last week also reported its fourth-quarter and full-year earnings. For Q4, sales rose 15.5% to $6 billion, while comparable sales grew 7% from a year ago. For the full year, sales grew 9% to $20.4 billion, up from $18.7 billion a year ago. Net earnings also rose nearly 24% to $1.9 billion from $1.5 billion year over year.” “While cosmetics, home and children’s performed well during the holiday selling season, Ross said inflation continues to affect consumers’ willingness and ability to spend on discretionary items. The company gave full-year guidance anticipating total sales will grow 2% to 4% in 2024, while comparable sales will increase 2% to 3%.” “Ross Stores opened 18 stores from February through this week, the retailer said Monday. The company opened 11 Ross Dress for Less stores and seven DD’s Discounts in 11 states, part of a plan to open about 90 stores in 2024.” “The retailer expanded its presence in the newer markets of Michigan and New York, while DD’s growth focused on the existing markets of California, Florida, and Texas, Gregg McGillis, group executive vice president of property development, said in an announcement.” “Ross plans to continue its pace of adding about 100 new stores annually, but that number could fluctuate “depending on how DD’s plays out beyond this,” Chief Operating Officer Michael Hartshorn said during a recent earnings call, according to a Seeking Alpha transcript. This year, the retailer’s openings include about 75 Ross stores and 15 DD’s Discounts. The California-based company operated 2,127 Ross and DD’s Discounts in 43 states, Washington, D.C. and Guam as of Monday.” - Nate Delesline III

Here are some interesting stories from the world of retail for Thursday, June 6: 🧘🏽♀️ lululemon beat Wall Street’s earnings and revenue estimates, but issued weak second-quarter guidance as it contends with a slowdown in the Americas, its largest market. 👕 Hanesbrands Inc. will sell Champion to Authentic Brands Group in a deal worth up to $1.5 billion with performance incentives. Authentic owns brands such as Reebok, Forever 21 and Quiksilver. 5️⃣ Five Below cut its outlook for the year, warning that its core low-income shoppers were facing an outsized impact from years of inflationary pressures. It posted an unexpected decline in same-store sales for the first quarter. 👙 Victoria’s Secret & Co. said it was encouraged by demand for its bras, sleepwear and other clothing in May, but the company said it was exercising restraint amid continued caution more broadly among the US consumer. 🏪 Foxtrot intends to reopen several locations in Chicago in the Gold Coast and Old Town neighborhoods. The news comes after Foxtrot and Dom's Kitchen & Market closed on April 23. 🌳 Dollar Tree Stores Tree said that it had started a formal review of strategic alternatives for Family Dollar, which it said could include among others, a potential sale, spin off or other disposition of the business. 💵 Walmart is now offering bonuses to its hourly employees in the US., the company announced Wednesday. The longer an associate has been with the company, the higher the associate's bonus potential, to a maximum of $1,000. 📚 In a blow to publishers and authors, Costco Wholesale plans to stop selling books regularly at stores around the United States, four publishing executives who had been informed of the warehouse retailer’s plans said Wednesday. 🚚 Albertsons and Uber have launched a new food rescue initiative that aims to address food insecurity and food waste in several major US cities. The program donates surplus food from the grocer’s stores to local nonprofits. 📸The TJX Companies, Inc., parent of TJ Maxx, Marshalls and HomeGoods, said it’s equipping some store employees with body cameras to thwart shoplifting and keep customers and employees safe. 🍔 McDonald's lost a European Union trademark dispute over the Big Mac name after a top European Union court sided Wednesday with Irish fast-food rival Supermac's in a long-running legal battle. ✂️ The Bank of Canada's decision on Wednesday to cut interest rates from 5% to 4.75% is expected to provide financial relief to Canadians and encourage consumer spending. 🧳 Shinola and Filson parent Bedrock Manufacturing Company has appointed Steve Katzman to the role of CEO and Kevin Wertz as chief marketing officer. 🇦🇺 ALDI Stores Australia is moving into the insurance sector, with the launch of a series of homes and contents, car, and landlord products. #retail #retailnews #economy #DailyRetailNews

Here are some interesting stories from the world of retail for Saturday, May 4: 👕 Adding another collection to its assortment, JCPenney has teamed up with Grammy-nominated country music singer-songwriter Walker Hayes and iHeartRadio to create a limited-edition collection, Walker Hayes for JCPenney. 👖 In its third bankruptcy, rue21 plans to shutter all locations. The apparel retailer massively downsized as it emerged from Chapter 11 in 2017. This time more than 540 stores will close for good. 🧗🏼♀️ REI has not been immune to retail woes. Hit by fierce competition and declined sales in recent years, its attempts to return to profitability have left some wondering if the nearly 86-year-old brand is losing its way. 🧘🏽♂️ lululemon plans to enter India to cash in on surging demand for fitness and athleisure wear. A global team of Lululemon was in India recently to scout for locations where it could open stores. 📺 Kroger and The Walt Disney Company are discussing a potential deal to offer the Disney+ streaming service to paying subscribers of Kroger's Boost grocery delivery program. 🏥 RITE AID is now set to close over 520 locations as part of its bankruptcy restructuring, representing nearly a quarter of its stores. Rite Aid is currently working with bondholders to save the chain from liquidation. 👟 A US appeals court has rejected adidas' appeal to reinstate its lawsuit against Thom Browne over trademark infringement around the use of four-bar and "Grosgrain" stripe patterns. 🏭 The fight to change warehouse working conditions that has been playing out in state legislatures is now headed to Washington, DC. A bill to ban production quotas and slow the pace of work has been introduced. 👶🏼 Three major retailers, Amazon, Walmart, and Target, have removed weighted infant sleepwear from their shelves due to growing safety concerns. Experts have warned about the potential dangers of these products. 🇨🇦 A senior executive at Loblaw Cos. has defended the supermarket chain's prices, stating that the presence of global giants like Walmart ensures a competitive market in Canada. 🦞 What went wrong at Red Lobster? The American poster child for seafood was dragged down by a range of factors - including Thai Union’s mismanagement - say former leaders at the chain and restaurant analysts. 🥤 Healthy soda brand poppi denies being M&A target of large beverage companies. The drink, which was introduced in March 2020, is posting triple-digit growth as it benefits from surging consumer interest in better-for-you offerings. 🇭🇰 Hong Kong's retail sales fell 7% in March, marking the end of 15 consecutive months of growth. The decline was attributed to a high base of comparison for visitor spending and the Easter holidays. #retail #retailnews #economy #DailyRetailNews

Do emerging mom's today even put any value in the Babies "R" US brand? Is it a liability even? The debate to start anew vs use existing brands is a always fascinating one. Maybe it comes down to why we think it failed in first place. Or maybe this is a kmart/sears discussion. Obsolete brands and models tying their floating debri together in order to survive for just one more day. #retailnews

L.L. Bean is reaping the rewards of America’s rediscovered passion for the outdoors. The company has 56 retail outlets in the U.S., and will open several more flagship locations, in the Boston and Montreal areas. Importantly, L.L. Bean is expanding their wholesaling presence, too, including new installations in Dillard’s, Moosejaw, and independent specialty retailers. This one-time DTC-only retailer continues to push into an “all of the above” offering, with a growing footprint in brick and mortar locations. The new stores and wholesale partnerships will mean that L.L. Bean goods will be available in more than 70 new storefronts. As L.L. Bean CEO Stephen Smith pointed out, wholesale partnerships and physical retail are an indispensable part of being “omnichannel.” https://lnkd.in/eCb-_Bez

Pretty optimistic news from The Gap, Inc.'s, despite quite cautious vibes from Gap's management. With new collection in stores and quite good feedback from the customers —one thing caught my eye: looks like Banana Republic is diving even deeper into furniture category. Kind of unexpected? Is it the right time for them to rethink their game plan and merchandising strategy? Now, onto the good stuff: with Zac Posen on board things are looking up, especially him leading design and marketing at Old Navy. But it's not just Posen—Eric Chan and Amy Thompson joined the crew too, and that's some serious talent in the mix. So seems like The Gap, Inc. is gearing up for some big moves. Can't wait to see how it all plays out! #usretail #gap #retailnews

ULTA BEAUTY SALES CLIMB 3.5% IN Q1, AS THE COMPANY IS GEARING UP FOR INTERNATIONAL EXPANSION INTO MEXICO 📈💄The Bolingbrook, Illinois-headquartered American chain of beauty stores said net sales for the quarter ended May 4 increased 3.5% to $2.7 billion compared to $2.6 billion during the previous quarter. As a result, comparable sales increased 1.6% compared to the first quarter of fiscal 2023, driven by a 1.3% increase in transactions and 0.3% increase in average ticket. During the quarter, Ulta opened 12 new stores, closed two stores, and relocated one store, ending the quarter with 1,395 stores totaling 14.6 million square feet. The company now expects annual sales of $11.5 billion to $11.6 billion, compared to $11.7 billion to $11.8 billion last year. Likewise, the comparable sales increase is now expected to be 2% to 3%, as opposed to 4% to 5% during fiscal 2023. Ulta has also announced a joint venture with Grupo Axo, a leading multi-brand retailer in Mexico and a major player in the prestige fashion and beauty sectors in its home country as well as in South American countries such as Chile, Uruguay and Peru. Ulta is scheduled to launch in Mexico in 2025.