Business Analytics

Increased shipping volumes and moderating fuel prices helped J.B. Hunt Transport Services grow second quarter sales 10.1% to nearly $1.4 billion while profits disappointed slightly.

Profits for the period ended June 30 increased to $87.7 million, or 73 cents a share, compared to $80.5 million, or 67 cents a share, during the comparable period the prior year. Earnings per share were a penny less than analysts’ forecast and operating margins contracted to 10.7% from 10.9%.

Huntington Beach, Calif. -- Retailers are eying mobile devices as the best route to make the most of their digital marketing campaigns.

According to the latest research by Shop.org/Forrester, in the study “The State Of Retailing Online 2013: Marketing & Merchandising,” 87% of online retailers either already have implemented or are planning to implement mobile email optimization in 2013, and seven in 10 will optimize paid search for smartphones and tablets (71% and 73%, respectively).

CHICAGO — Cargill, an international producer and marketer of food, agricultural, financial and industrial products and services, has unveiled an assessment tool that identifies, prioritizes and quantifies risks and opportunities in its supply chains so improvements can be made to them.

Armonk, N.Y. -- Retailers and CPG companies with leading stock prices are more likely than their lagging competitors to use Big Data analytics to understand and adjust to customer needs. According to a study of 325 senior retail merchandising executives conducted by IBM Center for Applied Insights in conjunction with Planet Retail, 65% of leading retail merchandisers feel Big Data analytics is critical to their business compared to just 38% of other retail companies.

ISSAQUAH, Wash. — Costco has started the summer right, reporting sales of $9.92 billion for the month of June, the five-week period ended July 7, an 8% increase over the same period last year. 

For the 44-week period that ended Sunday, sales were $87.05 billion, also an 8% increase over the same period last year. For the month and the 44-week period, same-store sales rose 6%.

New York -- Bloomberg reported that Best Buy Co. has increased the size of its first bond offering since 2011 from $350 million to $500 million as it prepares to repay an equal amount of notes due July 15.

According to the report, who cited an unidentified source, the five-year securities may yield 5%; proceeds may be used to refinance debt, fund working capital or repurchase stock.

San Diego -- Warehouse club operator PriceSmart reported Thursday that profit for the quarter ended May 31 rose 18% to $18.5 million, compared with $15.7 million in the year-ago period but missing Wall Street estimates.

Revenue rose 13% to $571.7 million, beating analysts’ expected $568.6 million in sales. Same-store sales rose 9.7%.

Los Angeles -- CBRE Group Inc. has made two research appointments.

First, Nick Axford, Ph.D., will move up to Global Head of Research, a new position, from CBRE’s Asia Pacific business unit. He will manage global research efforts, establish strategies that support CBRE objectives and serve as a resource for clients on global commercial real estate trends.

In addition, Raymond Torto, Ph.D. will become global chairman of CBRE Research. He will analyze market trends for clients.

Dallas -- Tuesday Morning Corp. reported that its fiscal fourth-quarter revenue rose 2.9% to $202.1 million. Same-store sales for the period ended June 30 increased 4.6%.  

The discounter Tuesday Morning Corp. said traffic climbed 6.2%. The average receipt fell 1.6%.

The retailer's full-year revenue was up 3% to $838.3 million from $812.8 million. Same-store sales rose 3.9%.  
 

Camp Hill, Pa. – Rite Aid reported a slight boost in monthly same-store sales but a decreased in year-to-date same-store sales. For the four weeks ended June 29, 2013, same-store sales increased 0.7% from the prior-year period. June front-end same store sales increased 0.4%, while pharmacy same store sales increased 0.9% despite the negative impact of generics.