Research Topic

Jacksonville, Fla. -- Stein Mart Inc. reported Thursday that it moved to a loss in the quarter ended Oct. 29, recording a loss of $1.8 million compared with a profit of $4.3 million a year earlier.

Gross profit margin fell to 23.8% from 25.4%, due mainly to increased markdowns and higher buying costs.
 
Revenue dropped 4% to $258.5 million from $267.9 million, a consistent trend since 2007. Same-store sales fell 2.9%.

WASHINGTON — Up to 152 million people plan to shop Black Friday Weekend, compared with the 138 million who planned to do so last year, according to a preliminary Black Friday shopping survey, conducted for the National Retail Federation by BIGresearch. According to the survey, 74 million people say they will definitely hit the stores and another 77 million are waiting to see if the bargains are worth the hassle of Black Friday.

Washington, D.C. -- A survey released Thursday by the National Retail Federation said that the number of people “definitely” shopping stores and websites on Black Friday as jumped to 33%, from 27% in 2010.

New York City – E-commerce sales in the U.S. for the November and December holiday shopping season will rise 16.8% to $46.7 billion in 2011, up from $39.9 billion last year and representing a pace five times faster than total retail industry growth, according to eMarketer.

That means online sales growth will reach double digits for the third consecutive year, even though the economy remains shaky and consumers are keeping tight budgets.

Solihull, England -- Visitor analytics provider Experian FootFall said Thursday that Black Friday’s retail performance isn’t necessarily an indication of how the holiday season will fare.

San Francisco – Williams-Sonoma Inc. reported Thursday that profit for the third quarter rose 19% to $43.4 million, from $36.5 million in the same period last year.

Revenue rose 6% to $867.2 million, compared with $815.5 million last year and solidly beating Wall Street’s expected $855.7 million in revenue.

Same-store sales overall rose 7.3%, comprised of a 7% rise in the company’s Pottery Barn stores, a 5.2% rise at Pottery Barn Kids and a 27% surge at West Elm. Same-store sales at namesake stores were up a slight 0.1%.

HUDSON, Ohio — While many retailers are boasting about opening on Thanksgiving Day night to give shoppers an early start on the Black Friday weekend, Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores is going in a different direction and will stay closed for the holiday. 

Hoffman Estates, Ill. -- Sears Holdings Corp. reported Thursday that its loss widened in the third quarter on softness in its Canada division and on weaker consumer electronics sales.

The operator of Sears and Kmart recorded a loss of $421 million in the quarter ended Oct. 29, compared with a loss of $218 million a year earlier.

Revenue slipped 1% to $9.57 billion from $9.68 billion, missing the $9.63 billion expected by Wall Street, and marking the fourth straight quarter of revenue declines.