Business Analytics

Houston -- Ikea on Monday officially plugged-in the solar energy system installed at its store in Houston. The installation, when combined with Ikea solar projects atop stores in Frisco and Round Rock, will make the home furnishings retailer the state’s largest solar owner.

YONKERS, N.Y. — Retailers that cater to lower-income and higher-income consumers should be pleased with the most recent Consumer Reports Index, as those two groups showed the greatest improvement in consumer sentiment.

The Consumer Reports Index, an overall measure of Americans' personal financial health, saw a sharp improvement in its consumer sentiment measure, which jumped to its highest level since October 2008.

MINNEAPOLIS — Target reported a 2.1% same-store sales increase that was toward the low end of the company’s expectations.

Despite June sales that were softer than expected, Target left its second quarter profit forecast intact as the weaker-than-expected result offset a better-than-expected performance the previous month.

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. and PLEASANTON, Calif. — Fashion discounters continue to thrive in this economy, with TJX and Ross Stores continuing to report impressive monthly sales results.

TJX reported June sales of $2.3 billion, an increase of 9% over the $2.1 billion achieved during the same period last year. Consolidated comparable-store sales for the five-week period increased 7% over last year.

Chelmsford, Mass. -- The Kronos Retail Labor Index edged up to 4.2% in June from a reading of 4.1% in May. The June reading reflected sharp declines in both applications and hiring. (The index is defined as the ratio of hires to applications within a given month, expressed as a percentage. A level of 3.0% means that for every 100 applications received, three hires occurred.)

Washington, D.C. -- A report issued Thursday by the Labor Department showed that applications for jobless benefits fell 14,000 in the week ended June 30, to 374,000.

The news eased some concern that the labor market is faltering further.

“Before today it was pretty clear the labor market had softened over the past few months,” Daniel Silver, an economist at JPMorgan Chase & Co., told Bloomberg. “Today’s reports show a little bright spot.”

 

New York -- Sears Canada will deploy CloudApps’ sustainability performance management software across the chain’s 122 department stores, 48 home stores and 11 outlet locations. CloudApps said it will capture carbon, energy and waste data from the sites, encouraging site managers to be responsible for reducing usage.

Austin, Texas -- Dallas-based SRS Real Estate Partners said that three new store locations have been finalized for Baskins Western and Work Wear in Baton Rouge, La.; Lafayette, La.; and Katy, Texas. 

The new stores will include 12,000 to 15,000 sq. ft., and will bring the western apparel retail chain to 28 total locations.

SALT LAKE CITY — Schiff Nutrition has appointed a new SVP and chief commercial officer.

Richard Baruch Jr. most recently served as VP category advisory services at Coca-Cola, where he led an initiative to build a new organization and bring a new set of capabilities to Coca-Cola's North American business.

BEAVERTON, Ore. — Nike reported that fourth quarter revenues rose 12%t, or 14% on a currency neutral basis, to $6.5 billion, the largest revenue quarter in the company's history. This was a result of higher revenues across every Nke brand geography, key category and product type.