Costco Wholesale Corp.

When shoppers talk about brands, they usually do it offline.   That’s according to a study by Engagement Labs that measured the performance of 60 brands with respect to social media and word of mouth conversations. Amazon came out on top in the retail and apparel category, followed by Nike and Nordstrom.   

Broker Faith Hope Consolo, who’s placed countless retail businesses in some of Manhattan’s best neighborhoods, has lately turned her attention to Harlem. She’s happy to note that restaurants and national retail brands are blossoming uptown, but that – outside of a Whole Foods opening on 125th Street – full-size supermarkets are nonexistent since the Pathmark closed there last year. And it’s not just a Harlem phenomenon.

At a time when store closings and consolidations are dominating the headlines, understanding the underlying industry dynamics also requires paying close attention to new store openings. Brands that are expanding their footprints are providing a revealing look at how consumer shopping patterns, priorities and preferences are evolving. In turn, this shows what might be in store for the retail industry ahead.

In an action that reflects its strong performance, Costco Wholesale Corp. is about to return some $3.1 billion to investors.    The retailer announced a special cash dividend on Costco common stock of $7.00 per share, payable May 26, 2017, to shareholders. The dividend is in addition to a 5 cent increase of the company’s quarterly cash dividend to 50 cents a share.  

Is Staples looking to go private?   Less than a year after its deal to acquire Office Depot Inc. fell through due to antitrust concerns, Staples is in early discussions with private-equity bidders, according to The Wall Street Journal.   Staples had no comment on the report, which said that based on typical takeover premiums, the office supply chain could be valued at roughly $7 billion or more. But the news sent its stock soaring to a four-year high on Tuesday morning   

Costco Wholesale Corp. is making it easier for customers to shop for groceries.   Shipt, a membership-based delivery service for online groceries, has partnered with Costco to deliver groceries orders placed by Costco customers directly to their homes.      The service will launch initially in the Tampa area, with plans to expand to 50 markets and more than 30 million households by the end of the year.  It is limited to grocery, and does not include apparel, furniture or electronic

An online giant and the world’s biggest retailer claim the top two positions in a study that ranks retail companies by their brand value.   Amazon ranked as the world’s most valuable retail brand in the annual study by valuation and strategy consultancy Brand Finance. The company’s brand value, $106.4 billion, is nearly double that of Walmart ($62.2 billion), which ranked as the second most valuable retail brand. (An explanation of the ranking is provided at the end of article.)    

Costco Wholesale Corp.’s second quarter profit took a hit amid higher costs. And for the first time since 2011, the retailer is raising the cost of entry into its stores.   As of June 1, Costco’s annual fee for individual and business members will increase by $5.00, to $60. The executive membership fee will go up $10, to $120.    Costco’s net income for the quarter, ended Feb. 12, fell 5.7% to $515 million, or $1.17 per share, below Wall Street expectations.