Business Analytics

San Jose, Calif. – Adobe is releasing Adobe Target Premium, a new personalization solution that leverages predictive technology to deliver automated decisioning. Adobe Target Premium is part of the Adobe Marketing Cloud.

Some of the new features include:

New store growth, 13.4% operating margins and totally untapped e-commerce potential failed to impress would-be Michaels investors when the company returned to public ownership Friday, June 27.

Boulder, Colo. — Kroger is the highest ranked gasoline retailer for customer satisfaction among American consumers. According to a new study of 5,300 consumers from Market Force Information, Costco and Quik Trip tied for second, Sam’s Club ranked third, and Murphy USA, which operates standalone stations and on-site stations at Walmart Supercenters, was fourth.

New York - Barnes & Noble Inc. plans to spin off its Nook e-reader unit as a separately traded public company from its retail operation by the end of the first quarter of fiscal 2016. The retailer made this decision as its consolidated net loss for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2014 shrank from $114.8 million to $36.7 million, missing Wall Street estimates.

Believe it or not (and I can barely believe it myself), the critical back-to-school period at the end of summer is right around the corner. While back-to-school is always big for retailers, this year’s period could be an especially important one, as 2014 has been underwhelming so far.

▲ Understand the assets covered by your leases: Taken together, leases are more than just one of a chain’s largest costs — they are the largest fixed expense, and they are fixed for the long term. As a rule, individual leases average seven to 10 years.

“Understanding that is critical,” said Michael P. Glimcher, chairman and CEO, Glimcher Realty Trust, Columbus, Ohio.

▲ Cloud computing, the remote hosting of applications on virtual platforms for on-demand, Web-based delivery, is on the fast track. Analysts estimate that during the next six years, 90% of new spending on Internet and communications technologies will be on cloud-based technologies.

Cloud computing (which at its simplest means storing and accessing data and programs on the Internet — the cloud — instead of a personal computer) is profoundly impacting how IT professionals implement, deploy and manage technology solutions.

Deerfield Park, Ill. – A 16% year-over-year jump in third quarter profit still missed Wall Street estimates, causing Walgreen Co. to withdraw previously issued fiscal 2016 guidance. During the third quarter of fiscal 2015, Walgreen reported net earnings of $722 million, up 16% from $624 million in the same period the previous fiscal year.

Plano, Texas -- J. C. Penney Company announced today that it has closed its new $2.35 billion asset-based senior secured credit facility, comprised of a $1.850 billion revolving line of credit and a $500 million term loan.

Latham, N.Y. -- After announcing the realignment of corporate management earlier this month, DWM Facilities Maintenance announced its newly developed Service Enhancement Plan (SEP) to better serve the needs of its existing clients and drive long-term growth. In this strategic shift, DWM will expand the Client Lead role and add multiple account manager positions.