Research Topic

From where I sit, I’ve noticed a certain “buzz” of optimism in our industry -- frustrations and anxieties from a tough couple of years seem to be giving way to increasingly sunny retail sales forecasts. Is this sudden sense of optimism justified by cold, hard facts? Or, is this increasing sense of optimism somewhat irrational?

NEW YORK — Consumers that seek timely and detailed information about product recalls look to multiple resources, according to a new Deloitte survey.

Greenpeace has published its fifth annual “Carting Away the Oceans” report examining the retail industry’s seafood practices, and none of the 20 companies featured are where the environmental group thinks they should be in terms of sustainability and responsible harvesting practices.

Target was in the top half of a group of 33 pharmacy retailers ranked by readers of Consumers Reports in the publication’s May issue. Target’s pharmacy received a score of 88 out of a possible 100, which put it well ahead of larger pharmacy operators such as CVS and Walgreens, both of which scored 82 and last-ranked Walmart, which scored 78.

Bentonville, Ark. -- Wal-Mart Stores reported in a filing on Monday that its CEO  Mike Duke received compensation valued at $18.7 million last year, less than a year earlier, as U.S. store sales dropped.

Duke received incentive pay, which is tied to Wal-Mart’s financial performance, of $3.85 million in the year ended Jan. 31, down from $4.8 million a year earlier.

His salary rose 2.4% to $1.23 million, based on U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission rules. A year earlier, Duke’s compensation totaled $19.2 million.

When it comes to speed and accuracy, helpfulness and courtesy, knowledge and personal service, the pharmacy at Walmart ranked dead last in a survey of Consumers Reports subscribers that appears in the May issue of the publication.

The timing of Walmart’s new ad campaign couldn’t be better with Easter a week away, and a considerable amount of sales volume associated with that holiday still in play. Walmart should be able to get its share of that spending as the heavy rotation of ads reminds shoppers of its everyday low prices on the broadest assortment in the land and an easy price match guarantee.

COMMERCE, Calif.  -- Even with an extra week in this year's reporting period, 99 Cents Only Stores reported a total sales increase for it fiscal fourth quarter. The company reported total sales of $378.5 million for the 14-week fourth quarter of fiscal 2011 ended April 2, 2011, compared with $339.3 million for the 13-week fourth quarter in the prior fiscal year. 

The company reported a same-store sales increase of 0.5% for the quarter. Excluding Texas operations, comps were up 0.7%.