Supply Chain & Merchandising

Neiman Marcus posted another quarter of declines for its second quarter.   For the period ended January 28, 2017, the chain reported total revenues of $1.40 billion, a decrease of 6.1% compared to $1.49 billion for the second quarter of fiscal year 2016. Comparable revenues decreased 6.8%.   

Canada-based convenience store operator Alimentation Couche-Tard posted net earnings of $287 million in the third quarter of its fiscal year, up 4.7% from the previous-year period.   Same-store merchandise sales fell by a point in Europe, but were up 1.9% in the U.S. Same-store gasoline sales volumes rose 2.8% stateside.   Couche-Tard’s global rebranding of its Circle K stores proceeded at a quick pace during the quarter, with more than 1,000 U.S. stores completed.  

DSW credits inventory management and more focused campaigns for its profit growth during the fourth quarter.   For the period ended January 28, 2017, the chain’s sales increased 0.4% to $674.6 million, including $27.9 million in revenues from Ebuys. This profit of 20 cents per share was four cents better than analysts were expecting for the quarter, however sales missed their estimates of $695.5 million.    Adjusted net income was $16.5 million, an increase of 43% over last year.

Weak traffic and unseasonably warm weather impacted Bon-Ton’s earnings for the fourth quarter.   For the period ending January 28, 2017, the department store chain reported net income of $44.7 million, or $2.09 per diluted share. These earnings fell short of analyst estimates by 37 cents.   The chain reported revenue of $900 million for the period, and comparable store sales decreased 4.7%.  

There is another development in Walgreens’ quest to acquire Rite Aid.  

In a move that will help it focus on its North American stores, Staples is selling its Australia- and New Zealand-based operations.   Staples announced Tuesday, March 13, that private equity firm Platinum Equity will acquire these stores for an undisclosed sum. The transaction is expected to close in the second calendar quarter of 2017.  

Retailers remain stuck when it comes to Internet of Things (IoT) initiatives, according to “The Internet of Things in Retail: Getting Beyond the Hype.”   The second annual report from RSR shows that retailers are increasingly aware of the impact of IoT on customer engagement and competitive advantage. Yet, they are still hesitant to invest in cutting edge technologies due to operational challenges and a lack of supporting infrastructure.  

Documents revealed what might be the next on Amazon’s physical retail drawing board.   New permit documents revealed a sneak peek into what could be one of the online giant’s first drive-up grocery locations, according to GeekWire.