Research Topic

Heading into the 2013 holiday season, NPD is forecasting that full year consumer electronics sales will rise by 9%. According to NPD’s 2013 Household Penetration Study, nearly 72% of consumers expect to buy a consumer electronics product in the next 12 months.

The report found that big ticket items like flat-panel TVs and tablets are fueling the increase in spending. Throughout the next two years, 28% of consumers expect to buy a flat-panel TV while 20% intend to buy a tablet, representing the highest purchase intent levels of all devices measured. 

Jacksonville, Fla. -- Stein Mart Inc. reported that its second-quarter net income increased 48%, helped by higher same-store sales. The retailer also announced that the SEC is conducting an investigation related to Stein Mart's restatement of prior years' financial statements and its change in its auditors.

For the quarter ended Aug. 3, Stein Mart earned $3.4 million up from $2.3 million in the same quarter of 2012.

Revenue increased 4%, to $291 million from $280.4 million. Same-store sales rose 6.4%.

New York -- The Deloitte Consumer Spending Index remained flat in July as improvements in real housing prices and labor markets offset weakness in other areas. The Index, which tracks consumer cash flow as an indicator of future consumer spending, remained at 4.4 this month.  

Signs of a rebounding housing market were evident in Lowe's sales for the second quarter ended Aug. 2, which were $15.7 billion, up 10.3% from $14.2 billion in the same quarter last year.

Comp-store sales for the world's second-largest home improvement retailer were up 9.6%, as net earnings jumped 16.2% to $1.48 billion.

Phoenix -- PetSmart said Wednesday that its second-quarter net income rose 19% on improved sales. The retailer also boosted its full-year earnings forecast.

PetSmart Inc. earned $93.4 million for the period ended Aug. 4, compared to $78.5 million a year ago.

Revenue rose 5.3% to $1.71 billion from $1.62 billion. Services sales, which are included in total sales, grew 7.3% to $205 million.

Same-store sales increased 3.4%.

Washington, D.C. -- The National Retail Federation issued the following statement from VP for government affairs public relations J. Craig Shearman in reaction to the Federal Reserve’s announcement Wednesday that it will appeal a U.S. District Court judge’s ruling that the cap it set on debit card swipe fees in 2011 was too high.

PITTSBURGH — Dick's Sporting Goods reported a 57% increase in second-quarter net income, which was chiefly related to a big charge last year.

For the period ended Aug. 3, the retailer earned $84.2 million, up from $53.7 million in the prior-year period when it recorded a $32.4 million impairment charge tied to an investment in JJB Sports. Revenue rose 6% to $1.53 billion, short of analyst projections of $1.57 billion. Same-store sales edged down 0.4%.

Chairman and CEO Edward Stack said bad weather reduced traffic and hurt sales.

NEW YORK — Canadian shoppers aren’t wowed by Target Corp., according to a customer-satisfaction rating survey by Forum Research. As reported in The Globe and Mail, the survey ranked Target at the bottom of a list of major retailers operating in Canada. (Satisfaction as measured by the survey relates to service, prices and/or merchandise offering.)

Over all, Target scored a mean 2.7 out of 4, compared with Costco’s 3.5, Wal-Mart’s 3.1 and a 3.2 average.