Retail

Amazon.com may have achieved record fourth-quarter sales of $25.6 billion, but its top line was well below what analysts expected and so were profits.

The company’s sales increased 20% to $25.6 billion during the fourth quarter ended Dec. 31, compared to $21.3 billion the prior year. Analysts had forecast sales of slightly more than $26 billion. Meanwhile, Amazon said it earned profits of $239 million, or 51 cents a share, well ahead of prior year figures of $97 million and 21 cents a share, but substantially below the 74 cents analysts were expecting.

Sacramento, Calif. – Wal-Mart supercenters in California benefit communities by supporting additional job creation, small business growth and more robust sales tax revenues. According to a new economic impact report conducted by economist Lon Hatamiya of the Hatamiya Group, on average, California communities with Wal-Mart supercenters fared far better on taxable retail sales than those communities without Wal-Mart supercenters.
 

Philadelphia -- Urban Outfitters, Inc. has selected TXT Integrated Retail Planning from TXT Maple Lake to support end-to-end retail planning across regions, brands and channels, from strategy through to assortment execution. The solution will help Urban Outfitters, Inc. manage the whole spectrum of its retail planning processes: strategic, merchandise planning, store grading, open to buy (OTB) and assortment planning, both pre-season and in-season.

The retail and consumer packaged goods industry fared poorly in a recent global ranking of corporate sustainability leaders with the handful of standouts being Coca-Cola, Johnson & Johnson, Staples and Campbell Soup Company.

The ranking of 100 companies compiled by Corporate Knights, a media, research and investment advisory company, included only17 U.S. companies and only two retailers. Sweden’s H&M was ranked 64th and Staples was ranked 72nd.

San Mateo, Calif. - Feedzai, a data science company that uses real-time, machine-based learning to prevent fraud, it is now available in the U.S. market. With its foray into the U.S. market, Feedzai will begin selling to payment networks, banks and retailers to prevent fraud in omnichannel commerce.

Most mobile shoppers redeemed a coupon directly from their mobile device last year, according to a recent study from shopping app Key Ring, which is part of G/O Digital, a Gannett company.

The survey, conducted by Key Ring, examined more than 25,000 mobile shoppers and found that 75% redeemed a coupon from their mobile device in 2013, up more than 5% year-over-year. The study also showed that 80% of shoppers said their perception of a retailer would change for the positive if the retailer offered mobile deals and coupons.

Cincinnati -- The Kroger Co. said it has completed its acquisition of Harris Teeter Supermarkets for about $2.5 billion. Under the terms of the merger agreement, Harris Teeter shareholders will receive $49.38 per share of Harris Teeter common stock.

Target plans to carry on its Canadian expansion this year with nine additional stores, the majority of which will open in Ontario, although the retailer plans to open single stores in Quebec, Manitoba, Alberta and B.C.