Strategy

After a nearly two-year absence, Toys "R" Us is returning to Times Square — but not on a permanent basis.  

After eliminating in excess of $435 million in funded debt.   Payless ShoeSource has emerged from bankruptcy — with a slimmed down U.S. portfolio and a cleaner balance sheet.  

The month of July saw a big turnover at the top.  

Southeastern Grocers has made a temporary appointment permanent.   The supermarket operator, parent company of Winn-Dixie, Bi-Lo, Fresco y Más, and Harveys, has appointed Anthony Hucker president and CEO, effective immediately. Hucker has served as interim president and CEO since July 1, 2017.  

At Home Group continues to expand its store network in the Lone Star state.    The fast-growing retailer announced the grand openings of three locations in the greater Houston area, including a newly redeveloped store in Katy, Texas, that opens on July 19. Construction is underway on stores in Pearland and Richmond, Texas, that are slated to open in the fall. The Katy location is one of seven At Home stores in the greater Houston area, and one of 26 in Texas.   

Nordstrom on Thursday reported positive results for its second quarter amid ongoing discussions of a possible buyout.   The upscale department store retailer reported that total net sales increased 3.5% to $3.79 billion in the quarter ended July 29, compared to a forecast for $3.75 billion. Total company same-store sales rose 1.7%, also better than expected.  

A veteran retailer has joined the executive team of Sally Beauty.   Sally Beauty Holdings has named Carrie McDermott as president of its Sally Beauty operations in the U.S. and Canada, effective August 29, 2017.  

Weak sales made for a rough second quarter for Office Depot.   The retailer said its profit fell to $24 million, or 5 cents a share, short of Wall Street expectations, compared with $210 million, or 38 cents a share, in the year-ago period. (The 2016 quarter included a $250 million fee paid by Staples to Office Depot after Staples abandoned its intent to acquire its rival.)  

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.  

Everyone’s trying to figure out what drives consumers to purchase. But to understand how they shop, you need to know what makes them tick.   Alliance Data’s Analytics and Insights Institute conducted a study with more than 2,400 respondents to better understand consumer buying habits and expectations. These insights, cross-referenced with results from our "Understanding Customer Loyalty" study, confirmed that consumer buying habits track closely with life stage and each generation’s cultural identity.