Winter Holidays

Cleveland -- Forest City Commercial Management announced that it will test a new survey technology by U.K.-based Path Intelligence to track mall shopping behavior and flow by using mobile phones. 

The surveys will be conducted at Promenade Temecula in Southern California and Short Pump Town Center in Richmond, Va., from Black Friday to New Year’s Day. They mark the first use of this kind of technology in a mall setting.

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.

ATLANTA — Atlanta-based Home Depot's wind-and-storm aided sales effort in the third-quarter presented several category highlights, according to EVP merchandising Craig Menear.

The company's strong third-quarter performance, which included a 13% net earnings increase and comp-store sales of positive 4.2%, included strength "in the core of the store" and growth in average ticket and transactions.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Sam's Club announced that it will donate $1 million to support child hunger programs through feeding America as part of its Holiday Taste of Sam's Club event Nov. 18 to 20.

New York City -- Holiday sales growth will lag behind last year’s robust gains as consumers hold back in an uncertain economy. The roughly 3% growth will be driven by high prices due to inflation, rather than any increase in demand, according to a new report by Moody's Investors Service.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Walmart delivered a long awaited same-store sales increase of 1.3% at its U.S. stores division in the third quarter and pointed to ongoing momentum for the holidays with comps guidance in the range of flat to up 2%.

WASHINGTON — Retail sales edged up slightly during the month of October, the U.S. Census Bureau announced Tuesday.

Adjusted for seasonal variation and holiday and trading-day differences, but not for price changes, sales totaled $397.7 billion. Retail trade sales rose 0.6% above September and 7.3% above the year-ago period.

Adjusted grocery store sales increased to $46.8 million from $46.3 million in September, while health and personal care stores saw adjusted sales of $23.3 million from $23.1 million last month.

Bentonville, Ark. -- Wal-Mart Stores Inc. on Tuesday posted the first quarterly revenue gain in its U.S. namesake business in more than two years, but the discounter's profit was down 2.9%. Profit for the quarter ended Oct. 31 was $3.33 billion, missing Wall Street expectations.

Washington, D.C. -- Retail sales rose more than projected in October, according to figures released Tuesday by the Commerce Department. The report showed that retail sales were up 0.5% in October following a 1.1% increase in September.

Excluding automobile sales, retail sales rose 0.6% in October — the best showing since March. And when excluding autos and sales at gasoline stations, sales rose 0.7%, also the biggest increase since March.

Atlanta -- Home Depot Inc. reported Tuesday that net income in the third quarter rose 12% to $934 million, compared with $834 million in the year-ago period. Storm-related repairs and spending on home projects gave the home-improvement retailer a third-quarter boost.

Revenue rose 4% to $17.33 billion from $16.6 billion last year, beating Wall Street’s expected $17.11 billion in revenue.

Same-store sales rose 4.2% globally and 3.8% in the United States.