Sales & Marketing

Foot Locker is off to a great start in 2014. The specialty athletic retailer’s first quarter sales and profits were the highest in its history for the third consecutive year.

Net income for the quarter ended May 3 was $162 million, or $1.10 per share, compared with net income of $138 million, or $0.90 per share, last year. Total net sales increased 14%, to $1.9 billion this year, compared with sales of $1.6 billion for the corresponding prior-year period. Comparable-store sales increased 7.6%.

Greensboro, N.C. – The Fresh Market Inc. reported decreasing profit in the first quarter of fiscal 2014 even as net sales growth exceeded Wall Street expectations. Net income fell 25% to $16.57 million from $22.12 million in the same period the prior year, while net sales increased 18% to $431 million from $366.63 million and same-store sales climbed 2.5%.

Fresh Market plans to open four new stores in the second quarter and 12 to 13 new stores in the second half of the year, as well as remodel four-to-five stores.

New York – Foot Locker Inc. had a successful first quarter of fiscal 2014, with rising sales driving solid net income performance. Net income grew 17% to $162 million, from $138 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2013.

Net sales rose 14% to $1.87 billion, from $1.64 billion. Same-store sales climbed 7.6%.

Williams-Sonoma had a strong first quarter of fiscal 2014, with net income climbing 17% to a better-than-expected $46.16 million from $39.17 million.

Net sales grew 10% to $974.33 million from $887.8 million, also topping estimates.

Total same-store sales grew 10%. Williams-Sonoma credited much of its success during the quarter to market share gains and advantages conferred by its multichannel operations.

Chesapeake, Va. – Dollar Tree Inc. slightly exceeded Wall Street estimates with net income of $138.3 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2014, up 4% from $133.5 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2013. Net sales rose 7% to $2 billion from $1.87 billion, and same-store sales increased 2%.

First quarter same store sales at Best Buy fell a greater than expected 1.3% due to declining sales of consumer electronics and competition from online retailers.

While the retailer experienced growth in computing, gaming and appliances, it was more than offset by declines in other categories, including tablets, services and home theater. President and CEO Hubert Joly focused on the positive, however.

Boston - Cone Communications has launched its new social impact tool to help companies assess, communicate and prove their progress against addressing critical social issues. The Cone Social Return Assessment is a proprietary, diagnostic tool that uncovers gaps and opportunities within three elements critical to a company's successful program: awareness, engagement and impact, and provides a plan to optimize its business and social return.   

Sunnyvale, Calif. - Modern shoppers have a very low tolerance for poor customer service, and crave a more intimate relationship where retailers know their needs, wants and preferences, and respect their time and business. According to an April 2014 research survey from customer engagement technology vendor Kana Software Inc., when asked about their preferred customer service communication channels used to engage with retailers in the past six months, the channel named most often as most preferred was Web (24.5%), followed by email (17.9%).