Business Analytics

Walgreens Boots Alliance has hired a former controller at American Express as its next accounting chief.

Shopko Stores is looking more closely at how it uses store space and how customers fill their baskets.

The retailer has renewed its license of APT’s Test & Learn and Market Basket Analyzer software and APT’s Space Planning Optimizer software. 

Lakeland, Fla. -- Publix Super Markets is racking up another record year even as other grocers, including Whole Foods Market, are struggling under the weight of new competition.

Publix reports that sales for the second quarter were $8 billion, a 6% increase from last year’s $7.5 billion. Same store sales for the second quarter increased 4.1%.

Net earnings were $482.7 million, compared to $404.1 million in 2014, an increase of 19.5%.

Marshfield, Mass. -- Brixmor Property Group has acquired Webster Square, an 182,756-sq.-ft., grocery-anchored community center located on Boston’s South Shore. Cushman & Wakefield oversaw the transaction of the Star Market-anchored community shopping center on behalf of Curtis Management.

Asheville, N.C. – Profit stayed essentially flat at Ingles Markets Inc. for the third quarter of fiscal 2015. Ingles reported net income of $13.78 million, compared to $13.83 million the same quarter the prior fiscal year.

Lower interest and income tax expenses helped Ingles keep profits steady in the face of net sales declining 3% to $945.97 million, from $978.26 million. Declining gasoline prices negatively impacted sales.

While Whole Foods and other food retailers struggle against increasingly stiff competition, Publix seems to be answering potential threats to its business with ease, if the company's second quarter results are any indication.

Manhattan Beach, Calif. – Skechers USA Inc., which recently passed Adidas to become the number two athletic footwear brand in the United States, is on the fast track.

The company, whose second quarter sales beat estimates, has carved out a lucrative niche in casual athletic footwear and in kids’ athletic footwear. It is in expansion mode, with plans to open 125 to 135 company-owned and third-party-owned stores later this year.

Pittsburgh – GNC Holdings Inc. missed Wall Street expectations for profit and revenue in a generally disappointing second quarter of fiscal 2015. GNC reported net income of $67.4 million, a decrease of 4% from $69.9 million for second quarter 2014.

Cost of sales increases were a key factor in reduced net income. GNC reported consolidated revenue of $678.5 million, an increase of 0.5% as compared with $675.2 million. Revenue growth was limited by a 2.8% same-store sales drop in company-owned stores, including GNC.com.

Camp Hill, Pa. – The temperature wasn’t the only thing rising at Rite Aid stores during July 2015.

Same-store sales rose 2.4%, with front-end same store sales increasing 0.1%. Pharmacy same-store sales, which included an approximate 2.21% negative impact from new generic introductions, increased 3.4%.

O'Reilly Automotive reported another record-breaking quarter of financial results as the retailer revs up plans to expand its distribution network and store footprint.

The auto parts retailer reported that sales for the second quarter ended June 30 increased $188 million, or 10%, to $2.04 billion from $1.85 billion for the same period one year ago. Same store sales increased 7.2%.

This year, O’Reilly plans to add a net 205 stores, compared with 200 stores in 2014. In the latest period, it opened 34 stores.