Research Topic

New York -- The Deloitte Consumer Spending Index, released on Wednesday, decreased slightly in July, marking the first decline since February 2012. 

The Index tracks consumer cash flow as an indicator of future consumer spending.

HERSHEY, Pa. and SAN FRANCISCO — The Hershey Company recently partnered with the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, Calif. to provide students with a hands-on package-design opportunity. Students were asked to create a customized heart box design for Hershey's Pot of Gold chocolates to help give the collection a contemporary, fresh look for the 2013 Valentine's Day season.

When the days grow shorter and the air starts to turn chilly, retail companies prepare for their hottest time of year. As they get ready for the holiday season, retailers will do well to keep three additional factors in mind:

u Adjust for the presidential election. Typically, retailers market heavily in October and early November to drive store foot traffic as the holidays begin. Early marketing efforts, however, will not go as far this holiday season.

Savannah, Ga. -- Despite narrowing its loss in the second quarter from $10 million to $7.9 million this quarter, Citi Trends still missed Wall Street expectations.
 
Revenue edged up 2% to $132.3 million, which also missed analysts’ forecast. Wall Street expected sales of $133.9 million.
 
Same-store sales slipped 4%.
 

LOS ANGELES — Nearly half of consumers polled in the latest PriceGrabber survey respondents said that retailers are serving up better back-to-school promotions this year, compared with 2011.

Minneapolis -- Target Corp. reported Wednesday that profit for the second quarter remained essentially flat at $704 million.

Sales advanced 3.5% to $16.45 million, boosted by a 3.1% same-store sales rise in the quarter but missed Wall Street’s expected $16.75 million in revenue.

DALLAS — Scott Naturals has announced the winner of its nationwide promotion, which asked consumers to to pledge to try the Scott Naturals line of hybrid paper products for four weeks.

The brand declared the state of Alaska as the winner and will donate $50,000 to be used toward local forest and land conservation efforts to the Alaska Department of Natural Resources, through the National Association of State Conservation Agencies.

Toronto -- Sears Canada reported Wednesday a loss of $9.8 million in the second quarter, widened from a loss of $200,000 in the year-ago period.

Revenue fell 8.5% to $1.050 billion, from $1.148 billion. Same-store sales dropped 7.1%.

The retailer attributed much of the problem to warm, dry weather in many areas of Canada, which impacted sales of outdoor power equipment.