Seasonal

Five Below hits it out of the park in Q1
Teens’ demand for slime to fidget spinners helped boost Five Below’s first quarter sales, comps and earnings well above expectations. For the first quarter ended April 29, the teen value retailer reported a net income of $8.4 million compared to $6.8 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2016. Meanwhile, the chain’s sales increased almost 21% to $232.9 million, from $192.7 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2016.
Dollar General Q1 profit jumps, beats Street
Higher customer spending and lower advertising costs not only boosted Dollar General Corp.’s profits, but contributed to better-than-expected first quarter earnings. For the period ended May 5, the discounter’s net sales increased by 6.5% to $5.61 billion, compared to $5.27 billion in first quarter 2016. Net income fell to $279.5 million, or $1.02 per share from $295.1 million, or $1.03 per share, a year earlier. However, this still beat the average analysts' estimate of $1 per share, according to Thomson Reuters.

Online home furnishings retailer teams up with hit cable series

Wayfair is making it easy for customers to emulate decor trends from one of cable television's most popular series. Wayfair is collaborating with HGTV home improvement and house flipping series “Brother vs. Brother.” The popular show features siblings Jonathan and Drew Scott competing to see who can make the biggest profit when flipping renovated properties. The Wayfair-HGTV partnership will enable viewers to shop the looks featured on the show directly on Wayfair.
Off-price retailer posts strong Q1

As many mall-based specialty retailers continue to struggle, off-pricers continue to flourish and expand. And Burlington Stores is no exception. Burlington's net income in the quarter, ended April 29, increased to $52.4 million, or $.73 per diluted share, which beat Wall Street expectations of 70 cents. In the year-ago period, the retailer reported net income of $37.5 million.
Menswear retailer swings to loss in Q1

Destination XL Group Inc. posted disappointed earnings and sales in its first quarter, but sounded a confident note that it was back on track. In its quarterly earnings release, the big-and-tall apparel retailer also refuted a recent report, which it said had been repeated by various media outlets, that called into question the company’s ability to repay its debt.
Graduation spending to hit record high

Some good news for retailers: Consumers plan to spend more than ever on graduation gifts this year as they stuff greeting cards with gift cards and cash. That’s according to the annual survey by the National Retail Federation and Prosper Insights & Analytics. With more consumers buying for graduates this year – 36% compared with 34% in 2016 – total spending is expected to reach $5.6 billion. That’s the highest number in the survey’s 11-year history, topping last year’s previous record of $5.4 billion.
Received a favorite Mother’s Day gift? Thank a chatbot

This year, consumer spending for Mother's Day was on pace to reach a record high. According to the National Retail Federation's annual study, shoppers were set to spend $23.6 billion, spending an average of $186 per mom. And everything from flowers, gift cards and clothing to jewelry, personal services and consumer electronics were on shopping lists. But did all that shopping land the perfect gift?
Study: Handbags, purses, personalization top Mother’s Day

While handbags and purses have historically been considered a “risky gift,” times are a’ changin.’ In fact, handbags and purses were the most popular gift for Mother’s Day 2017, representing six of the top 10 gifts for the holiday. Overall, the accessories category led the top gifts purchased for Mother’s Day, according to data from Loop Commerce. Results were based on sales made on the company’s GiftNow platform.
Beloved movie gets sequel treatment — with help from this retailer

The countdown is on to the highly-anticipated U.S. debut of a sequel to the popular holiday-themed movie “Love Actually.”
Report: Online growth continues at blistering pace

Online retailing is on an upward trajectory that shows no sign of slowing. In fact, the segment is expected to grow at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of close to 16% between 2017-2021, according to a research forecast from Technavio.
Party City tops estimates; to launch new marketplace

Party City on Tuesday announced earnings and revenue that topped expectations, and said it would launch an online marketplace for party services.
Crayola Experience heading to Texas

The Lone Star state is set to get a big dose of Crayola color. The iconic brand will open a Crayola Experience at The Shops at Willow Bend, Plano, Texas, in spring 2018. This is the fourth location for the attraction, which also has locations in Orlando, Fla., Bloomington, Minn. (at Mall of America), and its hometown of Easton, Pa.