Business Analytics

Pennsauken, N.J. – Becker’s School Supplies has relaunched its e-commerce site using the WebLinc platform.

The WebLinc platform allows Becker’s to offer a branded user experience and also provides back-end merchandising and management tools. Since rolling out its new site, Becker’s has experienced a 120% jump in revenue compared to the same period last year, and saw transaction volume increase by 81% as a result of improved online performance.

LAKE FOREST, Calif. — Frozen shipping logistics solutions provider Cryoport has elected Edward J. Zecchini to its board of directors. 

Zecchini has more than 30 years of experience in the healthcare and information technology industries. With this appointment, the Cryoport board now has four members, of whom three are independent directors, including Zecchini.

San Francisco – Twitter publicly announced its intention to file for an IPO with a tweet yesterday afternoon.

“We’ve confidentially submitted an S-1 to the SEC for a planned IPO,” stated the tweet. “This Tweet does not constitute an offer of any securities for sale.”

Fremont, Calif. -- The Men's Wearhouse Inc.'s fiscal second-quarter earnings fell 28% amid several one-time charges and a shift in quarterly tuxedo rental revenues. Citing macroeconomic challenges, the company lowered its fiscal 2013 guidance.

Philadelphia -- The Pep Boys – Manny, Moe & Jack reported net earnings of $5.4 million for the second quarter, down from $33 million in the year-ago quarter.

Sales for the quarter increased 0.4% to $527.6 million, from $525.7 million for the prior-year quarter. Same-store sales dipped 1.3%.

The company is looking for heavier consumer demand for tires to help turn around disappointing net earnings and same-store sales trends during the second quarter of fiscal 2013.  

Corte Madera, Calif. -- Restoration Hardware Holdings reported a net loss  of $17.8 million for the second quarter, compared with net income of $17.6 million in the same quarter a year earlier, due to charges linked to stock awards given to chairman and co-CEO Gary Friedman.

Net revenues for the second quarter of fiscal 2013 increased 30% to $382.1 million from $292.9 million last year.

Minneapolis -- Christopher & Banks Corp. reported a loss of $265,000 for the quarter ended Aug. 4, narrowed from a $2.2 million loss in the year-ago period. Sales edged up 1% to $104.2 million from $103.4 million, and same-store sales climbed 7.7%.

Under the leadership of CEO LuAnn Via, the company is in the early stages of a turnaround, with store openings on tap for both fiscal 2013 and a longer-term three-year period.

Houston – Charming Charlie is establishing a “single version of the truth” across multiple business units, including merchandising, store operations, planning and finance, using the ARC Merchandise Analytics solution from Manthan Systems. The solution is designed to deliver real-time merchandise and performance insights across the retail enterprise.

Boston -- Restructuring and investment firm Gordon Brothers Group has acquired oil and gas appraisal company Appraisal Systems, and will use the acquisition to propel the launch of GB Energy Partners.
 
GB Energy Partners combines the energy expertise of Gordon Brothers Group, Emerald Technology Valuations and ASI into one comprehensive appraisal and disposition platform.

Oak Brook, Ill. - McDonald's Corporation reported increased same-store sales in all but one segment during August 2013. Same-store sales increased 0.2% in the U.S. compared to the same month in the previous year, and also grew 3.3% in Europe and 1.9% globally.

However, same-store sales in Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa (AMPEA) declined 0.5%. McDonald’s cited negative sales results in Japan and China, partially offset by positive results in many other markets and the shift in timing of Ramadan. Systemwide sales improved 2.8%.