Corporate Governance

“We have met the enemy, and he is us.” That’s a famous quote from the comic strip “Pogo” by cartoonist Walt Kelly. Popular during the 1960s, Kelly was commenting on how humans are often the cause of their own woes in the world. To which I would add retailers could just as easily say, “We have met the enemy, and it is email.”

Publix Super Markets added its soon-to-be CEO, current CFO and a retired Deloitte executive to its board of directors when the Southeast’s leading food retailer held its annual stockholders meeting on April 12.   Publix president Todd Jones, CFO David Phillips and retired Deloitte executive Jessica Blume were elected to the board of the $32.4 billion retailer.  

Customers in more cities will have an easier time shopping for the groceries at Walmart. According to Reuters, Walmart is rolling out free curbside pickup of online grocery orders to eight new cities, which will make the service available in about 200 stores in 30 metropolitan areas across the U.S. Additional cities offering grocery pickup will include Kansas City and Austin, Texas. Walmart COO Michael Bender said the retailer so far is gaining new customers and increased wallet share at stores where the service is offered and may roll it out further.

Even with fuel prices continuing to be low across the nation, U.S. retail sales were stagnant in March 2016.

According to advance data from the U.S. Department of Commerce, total seasonally adjusted retail and food services sales in the U.S. fell 0.3% to $446.9 billion compared to $448.2 billion in February 2016.

This continued shaky performance in 2016 that has included flat sales in February and a decline in January.

Lowe's Companies Inc. is pricing a $3.3 billion notes offering, with an eye toward supporting a planned purchase of another home improvement retailer.

The retailer has agreed to sell $250 million of floating rate notes due 2019, $350 million of 1.15% notes due 2019, $1.35 billion of 2.5% notes due 2026 and $1.35 billion of 3.7% notes due 2046.

Publix Super Markets added its soon-to-be CEO, current CFO and a retired Deloitte executive to its board of directors when the Southeast’s leading food retailer held its annual stockholders meeting on April 12.

Publix president Todd Jones, CFO David Phillips and retired Deloitte executive Jessica Blume were elected to the board of the $32.4 billion retailer.

Walmart has embraced the marketplace model as means to expand its online assortment and gain ground on Amazon where third party sellers already account for half of the company’s unit volume.

Customers in more cities will have an easier time shopping for the groceries at Walmart.