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Research Topic

  • Cato records dip in July total sales and comps

    The Cato Corp. reported sales of $61.2 million for the four weeks ended July 30, down 8% from the same period a year ago.     Same-store sales for the month were down 10% from the prior year.   On a quarterly basis, Cato sales for the second quarter fell 5% to $236.7 million, compared to $249.2 million a year ago. Second quarter same-store sales were down 6% from the prior year.  

  • Sprouts Farmers beats Q2 profit forecasts

    Sprouts Farmers Market Inc. reported second-quarter net income of $37.2 million, which topped Wall Street expectations.    The natural and organic food retailer posted revenue of $1.03 billion in the period, narrowly missing Street forecasts of $1.04 billion, but topping last year’s sales by 14%.   Same-store sales grew 4.1% in the period.

  • Survey: Back-to-school shoppers hitting stores earlier this year

    Ninety-three percent of consumers are starting their back-to-school shopping before classes begin and receipts promise to be strong for stores.   Three-quarters of the 2,000 shoppers surveyed by JLL recently said they planned to spend between $100 and $500 on school purchases, and most of those transactions figure to take place at brick-and-mortar locations. Only 19% said they’d buy supplies online and just 25% figured to look to the Web for apparel.  

  • Construction employment on the rise, but qualified workers hard to find

    Hard hats are in big demand, as construction employment increased in 228 out of 358 metro areas in the last year.   According to a report just issued by the Associated General Contractors of America, which measured construction employment between June 2015 and June 2016, the status remained unchanged in 48 metro areas and dipped in 82 areas in the June-to-June timeframe.  

  • Jo-Ann crafts a mobile cash-back solution geared toward millennials

    Jo-Ann Fabric and Crafts’ foray into mobile rebates is part of the 850-store chain’s strategy for reaching millennials. The retailer has partnered mobile shopping app provider Ibotta to offer cash-back rebates on in-store purchases, something Jo-Ann’s feels will build loyalty among the millennial set.   The multi-year partnership will provide users with special offers and cash-back options at any one of Jo-Ann Stores retail locations.  

  • Office Depot closing 300 more stores; to expand ‘store of future’ pilot

    Just three months after its proposed acquisition by Staples ran into regulatory roadblocks, Office Depot unveiled its plans for the future as a standalone retailer.   In its second quarter financial filing, the chain announced it would close an additional 300 stores during the next three years, a move that is anticipated to help cut annual costs by some $250 million by the end of 2018. Office Depot is also planning to cut costs by reducing procurement and general and administrative costs.    

  • Survey: Apparel driving consumer spending across channels

    No big surprise that apparel continues to be the most popular retail category across all channels, but what is noteworthy is that clothing purchases show no sign of slowing, particularly online.   A survey by Onestop Internet revealed that the apparel category is driving online growth, with 45% of respondents saying they plan to buy more clothing online than any other retail category in the next 12 months.  

  • Survey: Back-to-school shopping will be done in physical stores

    When it comes to back-to-school shopping, kids have all the power – and they strongly prefer shopping in-store. A recent study by Citi Retail Services revealed that kids wield extraordinary power over back-to-school purchase decisions, and those decisions include shopping for goods in physical stores.  
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