Winter Holidays

San Francisco -- Shopper activity cooled off in February 2014 as a result of extremely cold weather across the country. According to in-store retail analytics provider Euclid, analysis of data from tens of millions of domestic shopping sessions indicates that general merchandise, apparel, furniture and other (GAFO) retail sales grew by a modest 0.7% year-over-year.

In the sales versus margins battle at Costco, sales got the upper hand during the holiday season and the company’s second quarter ended Feb. 16.

New York – Following a bitterly cold and stormy January that left many retailers with disappointing monthly sales figures, February’s sales results were generally s bit more encouraging. Chain store sales posted a gain of 2.7% for the fiscal month of February on a year-over-year basis, according to a tally of comparable-store sales compiled by the International Council of Shopping Centers.

Walmart didn’t mention competitive issues as a source of sales weakness during its fourth quarter, but reports this week from Kroger and Costco indicate they were at least a contributing factor.

Issaquah, Wash. – Costco Wholesale Corp. reported a bigger-than-expected 15% drop in net income for the second quarter amid deep-discounting during the holidays. Net income in the quarter ended Feb. 16 fell to $463 million from $547 million.   
 
Costco blamed the lower earnings on several factors, including weaker sales of certain nonfoods merchandise categories and lower international profits. The year-ago period was also helped by a tax benefit.
 

Deerfield Park, Ill. – Total sales for the second quarter of fiscal 2014 at Walgreens were $19.61 billion, up 5.2% from $18.65 billion in the same quarter in the prior year. Same-store sales for the second quarter of fiscal 2014 increased 4.5%, while front-end same-store sales for the quarter increased 2%. Prescriptions filled at same stores increased 2.4% in the second quarter and same-store pharmacy sales increased 6.1%.

Severe winter weather was unable to put a damper Walgreens’ February sales and overall second-quarter results for the period ended Feb. 28.

The company reported February sales of $6.1 billion, an increase of 5% percent compared to the same month in fiscal 2013. Total sales for the quarter were $19.6 billion, up 5.2%.

Weis Markets cited a shortened holiday season among the reasons for a decline in fourth quarter and year-to-date sales.

The company reported $686.4 million in fourth-quarter sales for the 13-week period ended Dec. 28, 2013, representing a decline of 1.1% as compared to the year-ago period. Comparable store sales for the same period were down 3.5%.

In 2013, the company's sales totaled $2.7 billion, down 0.3% compared to 2012. Comparable store sales for the 52-week period ending Dec. 28 declined 2.6%.