Apparel

Off-price powerhouse TJX Companies still seems plenty of room for store expansion — particularly in the home good sector.    The retailer, which reported strong second quarter results on Tuesday, has more than 3,800 stores worldwide and will open 260 new locations this year. Long term, it sees the opportunity for 5,600 stores with it current banners, or about 1,700 more locations than it currently operates.   

While Wall Street cheers Urban Outfitters for not doing quite so badly as forecast, the reality is that this is a lousy set of results. Not only are the numbers sequentially worse than a pretty dire first quarter, but they also show that many of the initiatives put into play remain a long way from delivering.  

A social media giant and an online retail giant are the most loved brands in the world.    Facebook took the top spot, followed by Amazon, in NetBase's third annual "Top 100 Global Brand Love List." Rounding out the top five were eBay, Apple, and Snap.   

Urban Outfitters' profit and sales fell in the second quarter even as it topped Wall Street expectations.   Urban Outfitters said it earned $49.91 million, or 44 cents a share, in the quarter, down from $76.91 million, or 66 cents a share, in the year-ago period, as the retailer Analysts had expected the company to earn $0.37 per share, amid heavy discounting.    Total net sales fell 2% to $873 million, from $891 million a year ago. Analysts had expected sales of $862 million. 

Target Corp. came roaring back in its second quarter from a year-long sales slump amid evidence that its investments in online and store remodels are paying off. The discounter raised its outlook for the year.   Sales rose 1.6% to $16.43 billion in the quarter ended July 29, beating analysts' estimates of $16.30 billion. Same-store sales rose 1.3%, also more than analysts had expected. Comparable digital sales surged 32%.  

Target's remodeling efforts, new smaller store format, same-day delivery pilot and private-label brands were among the topics discussed by company executives during the chain's quarterly earnings call on Wednesday with investors and analysts. Here are six interesting points from the call worth noting:    

When it comes to being loyal to a retailer or brand, the majority of U.S. consumers are swayed by their pocketbooks.    Nine out of 10 (92%) loyal customers rank price and value as the top factor in driving loyalty to specific retailers, followed by product/quality (79%) and variety/selection (71%), according to the International Council of Shopping Centers’ survey on brand loyalty.  

The retail landscape today looks different than it did just a few years ago. Brick-and-mortar retail is becoming more diverse. Brands are embracing different operational models and integrating more closely with online and mobile channels. Retailers like Bonobos, Warby Parker and Restoration Hardware are using physical locations purely as showrooms, a new trend that appears to be gaining significant traction.