Business Analytics

New York City -- A report released Tuesday by the International Council of Shopping Centers and Goldman Sachs Group said that U.S. retail sales are up 3.6% on a year-over-year basis.

Same-store sales at a selection of U.S. retailers rose 0.4% from the week ended Jan. 1 from the prior week, the groups also said.

With Target set to release December sales results this Thursday, the issue isn’t whether the company’s results will be in line with expectations but the degree by which they are likely to exceed same-store sales guidance in the low- to mid-single digit range.

The recent global economic downturn has left its mark on the retail industry and marketplace. As global companies emerge from the recession, CXOs of various Fortune 1000 companies across the globe representing the consumer-packaged goods, retail, quick service restaurants and other sectors have passionately articulated a common set of needs:  to leverage their scale, to be truly global and to use their information as an asset. These needs have led to an increased interest in a global shared services model.

Union, N.J. -- Bed Bath & Beyond said Wednesday that profit for the quarter ended Nov. 27 rose 28% to $188.6 million, compared with $151.3 million in the year-ago period.

Results topped analyst expectations.

Revenue rose 11% to $2.2 billion, edging Wall Street expectations of $2.11 billion in revenue. Same-store sales increased 7%.

Walmart, Target and Best Buy attracted record levels of customers to their websites during November, according to data released this week by the online measurement firm comScore. Retailers have come to expect a surge in traffic to their sites as the holiday approach and during November that proved to be the case and then some.

New York City -- The Finish Line said Tuesday that its fiscal third-quarter net income fell 37% as a one-time leg up from a tax windfall last year was not repeated.

Net income in the three months to Nov. 27 hit $4.1 million, from $6.6 million a year ago. Last year's tax benefit amounted to $6.4 million. Revenue rose 9% to $260.9 million, from $240.1 million. Same-store sales were up 4.5% from Nov. 28 through Dec. 19, compared with the same period a year ago.

The results were better than analysts’ estimates.

American consumers had more than holiday shopping on their mind during the third quarter as evidenced by record sales results from CarMax. The nation’s largest seller of used cars with 103 superstores nationwide said its same-store sales increased 16% during then third quarter ended November 30. Total sales increased by 23% to slightly more than $2.1 billion and earnings per share of 36 cents were two cents better than analysts forecast.

PORT WASHINGTON, New York – The NPD Group announced that John Deputato will head its expanded advanced analytics business as SVP. 

As SVP, Deputato has overall responsibility for leading and growing NPD’s Advanced Analytics business in North America.  His scope encompasses the strategic vision and tactical direction of this important business.  In this newly-created role, he will report to Randall Smith, group president. 

Of all the competitive threats facing Walmart, none looms larger in the minds of the retailer’s suppliers than the ongoing expansion and financial success of leading operators in the dollar store segment. That’s according to Walmart suppliers who participated in a survey conducted by Connecting Northwest Arkansas and identified such chains as Dollar General and Family Dollar as the greatest competitive threat to Walmart during the next five years.

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. — Stater Bros. on Wednesday disclosed a more than 4% decrease in sales for fiscal year 2010.

The California supermarket chain said sales for the fiscal year ended Sept. 26 were $3.61 billion, down from $3.77 billion in fiscal year 2009. Sales for the fourth quarter also experience a decline, dropping to $897.4 million, or 3.15%, since the year-ago period.