Research Topic

Just in time for the Consumer Electronics Show next week in Las Vegas, Market Research Solutions (MRS) is out with a new report that provides unconventional insights into the 2011 holiday season and outlook for 2012.

The Tampa, Fla.-based research firm surveyed 272 department managers in early December at such retailers as Walmart, Target, Best Buy, HhGregg and dominant regional players to gain a unique perspective on a category of business that is the most dynamic in retail. Among some of the key findings MRS provided exclusively to RetailingToday.com were:

San Diego -- Warehouse club operator PriceSmart said Friday that net income for the quarter ended Nov. 30 edged down to $14 million, compared with $14.9 million in the year-ago period.

Net warehouse sales increased 24.1% to $468.3 million from $377.3 million, and total revenue rose to $478.7 million from $386.1 million.
 

Hampshire, United Kingdom -- The global redemption rate of mobile coupons will average at over 8% by 2016, which represents an eightfold increase over the best paper coupons campaigns, according to a new report from Juniper Research. North American and Western European markets are now beginning to follow the same growth path as the Far East & China and by 2016 there will be over 600 million regular mobile coupon users worldwide.

Matthews, N.C. -- Family Dollar Stores Inc. reported Thursday that its first quarter profit rose 8% to $80.4 million, compared with $74.3 million in the year-ago period.

Sales for the period ended Nov. 26, 2011, rose to $2.15 billion from $2 billion in the year-ago period, missing Wall Street’s expected $2.17 billion in revenue. Same-store sales rose 4.1%.

Chelmsford, Mass. -- Monthly hires in the retail industry remain well above the lows reached during the recession and suggest retail hiring is continuing to improve following sharp declines in 2008 and 2009, according to the January Kronos Retail Labor Index.

The Index dipped to 3.5% in December, reflecting a 7.6% drop in hires made. (The January report includes data for December 2011. The analysis and write-up is prepared by Macroeconomic Advisers LLC).

CHICAGO — Investment research firm Morningstar has named the outgoing CEO of Costco Wholesale as its 2011 CEO of the Year, the company said Wednesday.

Costco CEO Jim Sinegal, who retired on New Year's Day, received the recognition for what Morningstar called his "exemplary corporate stewardship, independent thinking" and creating "lasting value for shareholders."

Fort Worth, Texas -- Pier 1 Imports Inc. said Thursday its same-store sales climbed 11.3% in December, driven by a greater number of shoppers who spent more on each visit. The gain topped the 10.3% rise in the same month a year ago.

The chain said sales remained strong throughout the month, including the week after Christmas, in every region.

NEW YORK — Many retailers reported solid sales gains for December, but the deep discounts and promotions that shoppers have come to expect cut into profits. A range of retailers, including Target and The Children’s Place, reduced their earnings outlooks. Overall, retail sales rose 3.4% at the 22 retailers tracked by the Thomson Reuters same-store sales index, compared with the 3.3% analyst forecast.