Finance & Capital Management

Despite posting a loss for the second quarter, Wayfair’s brand continues to gain traction and square off against competitors.   For the second quarter ended June 30, the home decor and furnishings e-retailer narrowed its net loss to $38.9 million from $48.3 million in the same period a year ago. It also posted a smaller-than-expected second quarter loss of 26 cents per share, beating analyst expectations of 46 cents per share, according to FactSet.  

Pier I Imports' loss is Fossil Group's gain.   Pier 1 Imports announced that Jeffrey N. Boyer, executive VP and CFO, is leaving the company effective October 3, 2017 to become CFO of Fossil Group, where he has been a member of the board of directors since 2007. Pier 1 is appointing an executive search firm to conduct a search for a new CFO.   

Ralph Lauren Corp. posted better-than-expected results for its first quarter as it kept tight control on its inventory and promotions. But despite the company's efforts at reinvention, sales dropped 13.2%.   

The nation's second largest drugstore chain by store count posted a higher-than-expected quarterly profit amid stronger demand for its pharmacy benefits management business.    CVS’ net income rose 18.8% to $1.1 billion in the second quarter, ended June 30. Net revenues rose 4.5% to $45.7 billion, with a 9.5% increase in revenue in it pharmacy services segment, which includes its pharmacy benefits manager (PBM) business and specialty pharmacy services.  

As if American apparel retailers didn't have enough homegrown competition, ASOS, the largest online fashion retailer in the U.K., is making a major push into the American market.   

Ralph Lauren starts its new fiscal year in much the same way as it ended the last one: with sales lines splashed with red ink to indicate the severe declines across most divisions of the company. Some of this would be excusable if the iconic brand were at the start of a journey of reinvention, but this comes after multiple attempts to get the firm back on track - most of which have proved to be fruitless.  

Wages

Target Corp. and Best Buy didn't just talk the talk when it came to killing a border adjustment tax on imports that was the centerpiece of House Republicans tax reform plan.    In the first six months of 2017, Best Buy spent $1.71 million in lobbying efforts, twice as much as it spent the entire year in 2016, the Star Tribune reported. Target Corp. spent $1.48 million lobbying from January through June 2017, which was slightly less than it spent all of last year.