Business Analytics

HOUSTON — The Men’s Wearhouse raised prices to preserve margins in the face of weak first quarter demand, but it wasn’t enough to prevent profits from falling short of estimates.

The company reported first quarter earnings per share of 52 cents, below guidance of 53 cents to 54 cents a share provided when the company reported fourth quarter results on March 7. Analysts’ expected the company to earn 55 cents a share.

PHILADELPHIA — Comparable sales slipped 2.8% at Pep Boys during the first quarter ended April 28, as customers were slow to come to the retailer for parts and services. The comps decline consisted of a 1.2% comparable-service revenue decrease and a 3.2% comparable-merchandise sales decrease. Total sales for the quarter increased by $11.1 million, or 2.2%, to $524.6 million from $513.5 million for the same period last year.

By Stephen J. Pargeter, [email protected]

AMSTERDAM — Royal Ahold's U.S. subsidiary saw net sales jump 2.8% to $7.8 billion during first quarter 2012, the company said Wednesday.

New York -- Supervalu plans to cut as many as 2,500 positions at its Albertsons unit. The reductions, which will occur across all 247 Albertsons stores in California and Nevada, will begin the week of June 17 and should be completed around July 1, according to a statement.

“A decision of this nature is never easy, but it is the necessary step for us to take to help improve our business and accelerate our turnaround," Dan Sanders, president of the Albertsons Southern California Division, said in a statement.
 

Chicago -- Charming Charlie said Tuesday it has selected ShopperTrak to measure, analyze and deliver store-performance data for its nearly 200 locations.

ShopperTrak's Managed Service, which provides access to secure and anonymous foot-traffic data and actionable analyses, is currently being installed in all Charming Charlie stores and will continue through November 2012.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens on Tuesday posted May sales of nearly $6 billion, a decrease of 1.6% as compared with the same month in fiscal year 2011.

By William Gindlesperger, [email protected]

Innovation is required if the United States is to regain the level of productivity that it enjoyed toward the end of the 19th Century through the mid-20th Century. However, innovation by itself is not enough. Just as our parents and grandparents adopted electricity, the automobile, credit cards and airplanes in the period from 1870-1950, businesses and organizations of the 21st Century must embrace change.