Marketing

Salt Lake City – A 23% increase in Overstock.com’s sales and marketing expense helped reduce its second quarter fiscal 2014 net income to $1.9 million, down 48% from $3.7 million in the same period a year earlier. Revenue grew 13% to $332.5 million, from $293.2 million.

Patrick M. Byrne, CEO and chairman of Overstock.com, cited increases in technology spending as helping the company to quickly conceive and execute new ideas such as a recently launched consumer credit facility.

Miami -- Ryder System, a leader in commercial fleet management and supply chain management solutions, announced the launch of its new “That’s Ryder” brand advertising campaign. The campaign, the first of its kind for Ryder in nearly two decades, includes the debut of a new tagline for the company – Ever better.

Clearwater, Fla. – MarineMax reported net income of $11.5 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2014, down 16% from $13.63 million a year earlier. A substantial increase in selling, general and administrative expenses drove the net income decrease.

Marinemax fared better in revenue, which grew approximately 22% to $214.4 million for the quarter compared with $175.8 million for the comparable quarter the prior year. Same-store sales increased approximately 22%.

By Sandy Skrovan, U.S. research director at Planet Retail

Deerfield, Ill. -- Walgreens announced that  Kermit Crawford, president of  pharmacy, health and wellness, will retire, effective Dec. 31, after 31 years with the company. Crawford plans to join the University of Southern California’s School of Pharmacy, where will serve as executive in residence and senior adviser to the Dean. He also will serve as a senior counselor to Walgreens president and CEO Greg Wasson.



Eden Prairie, Minn. – The loss of a large tax benefit caused Supervalu’s net income to plummet 49% in the first quarter of fiscal 2015 to $43 million from $85 million in the year-ago period.

Revenue slipped to $5.23 billion from $5.24 billion.

Pittsburgh – Dick’s Sporting Goods Inc. has reportedly laid off 478 PGA golf pros who were providing in-store services such as golf lessons and club repairs. According to Fox Business, Dick’s made the cuts as golf sales and participation rates decline.

Dublin, Ohio - Brandon Solano, 43, has been named senior VP of marketing of The Wendy’s Company. Solano will report to Wendy's chief marketing officer Craig Bahner and will lead the company's brand marketing efforts.

Prior to joining Wendy's, Solano served three years as VP of franchise development at Domino's, leading retail store expansion, global retail re-imaging and franchise recruiting. From 2008 to 2011, Solano spearheaded product innovation at Domino's. Prior to Domino's, Solano served as marketing director for The Hershey Company.

Bentonville, Ark. -- Wal-Mart Stores announced that Bill Simon, president and CEO of Walmart U.S. since June 2010, is leaving the company. He will be replaced by Greg Foran, 53, president and CEO of Walmart Asia, who will take up the post on Aug. 9, reporting directly Wal-Mart president and CEO, Doug McMillon. Simon will be available on a consulting basis for the next six months to ensure a seamless transition.

Menlo Park, Calif. -- Facebook Inc.’s revenue in the second quarter increased 61% to a better-than-expected $2.91 billion, up from $1.81 billion in the year-ago quarter, fueled by its fast-growing mobile advertising business.

Revenue from advertising was $2.68 billion, up 67% from last year. Mobile advertising revenue represented 62% of Facebook’s ad revenue in the second quarter, up from 41% in the year-ago period and 59% in first quarter 2014. Payments and other fees revenue was $234 million, a 9% increase from the same quarter last year.