Corporate Governance

Home Depot builds strong performance in Q1
Atlanta – The Home Depot Inc. benefited from improvements in the housing market and the weather in the first quarter of fiscal 2015. Net earnings increased to $1.58 billion, up 14% from $1.38 billion in the first quarter a year ago.

The Home Depot reported sales of $20.9 billion for the first quarter of fiscal 2015, a 6.1% increase from the first quarter of fiscal 2014.
Dick’s Sporting Goods connects with Q1 profit, sales; plans 60 new stores
Pittsburgh – Dick’s Sporting Goods Inc. met Wall Street expectations with net income of $63.34 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2015, a 9% decrease from $69.99 million the same period a year earlier. The retailer also met the Street with consolidated net sales of $1.56 billion, a 9% increase from $1.34 billion.

However, same-store sales growth of 1% fell short of Wall Street predictions. Rising selling, general and administrative (SG&A) and pre-opening expenses dug into Dick’s profit.

Starbucks teams up with Spotify for curated music playlists —in store and out

Seattle – Director Martin Scorcese is renowned for providing great soundtracks to his films, and Starbucks Coffee Co. is attempting to follow in his footsteps in its stores. Starbucks and music streaming service Spotify will establish a multi-year relationship that will link its 7,000 U.S. company-operated stores in the U.S. and My Starbucks Rewards loyalty members with Spotify’s global users.
American Eagle expands globally; will open 40 stores in 2015

Pittsburgh - American Eagle Outfitters Inc. continues its global expansion with new license agreements in South Korea with SK Networks Co. Ltd.; in Singapore with Trendz 360 Pte. Ltd.; and in Greece with Notos Com Holdings S.A. Stores will begin opening in mid-2015, and American Eagle currently expects to open approximately 40 licensed stores in fiscal 2015
Stage Stores shrinks loss and revenue in Q1

Houston – Stage Stores Inc. beat Wall Street expectations with a loss but missed with decidedly revenue in the first quarter of fiscal 2015. The retailer reported net loss of $8.64 million, an improvement from a net loss of $18.79 million the same quarter a year earlier.
Krispy Kreme plans Africa entry with 31 new stores in South Africa

Winston-Salem, N.C. - Krispy Kreme (will open 31 stores in South Africa during the next five years. The coffee retailer has signed a development agreement with KK Doughnuts SA (Pty) Ltd, that will mark its first venture into Africa.

Krispy Kreme has more than 1,000 stores in 24 countries.
Nielsen: U.S. consumer confidence edges up in Q1

New York – U.S. consumers are continuing to show moderate signs of the optimism Americans are so famous for. According to the Nielsen consumer confidence index, U.S. consumer confidence increased one index point in the first quarter of 2015 to a score of 107, maintaining an above-the-baseline (100) optimism level for one year.
IBM invests in Watson-powered shopping, travel apps

Armonk, N.Y. – IBM Inc. is making new investments in Sellpoints and WayBlazer to advance online shopping and travel apps powered by Watson. The investments are part of IBM's $100 million commitment to drive new innovations and business solutions that build on Watson.
The Howard Hughes Corp. signs retail tenants at The Metropolitan Downtown Columbia

Columbia, Md. – The Howard Hughes Corp. has signed several retail and restaurant leases for the public promenade at The Metropolitan Downtown Columbia, a new luxury apartment community located in Columbia, Maryland. As part of the transformation, The Howard Hughes Corp. recently completed the renovation of the historic Rouse Building into a flagship Whole Foods Market and a 27,000-sq.-ft.luxury spa and wellness center, as well as kicked off a multi-stage renovation of Merriweather Post Pavilion.
Urban Outfitters still struggling

The CEO of Urban Outfitters sounded a positive note about the company's omnichannel strategy despite reporting mixed financial results in the first quarter.
Walmart’s store experience efforts ding profits

Lower gas prices led to improved traffic and a 1.1% same store sales increase at Walmart’s U.S. stores division, but total company performance suffered under the weight of a $3.3 billion foreign exchange impact and expense pressures which caused profits to decline 7%.
Dick's gets clubbed by Golf Galaxy

Lackluster traffic at its Golf Galaxy stores led Dick’s Sporting Goods to report a lackluster profit in the first quarter.