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Business Analytics

  • Supermarket giant cuts profit outlook

    The Kroger Co. lowered its earnings guidance amid a decline in Q1 same-store sales as price competition in the supermarket industry intensifies.    Sales rose 4.9% to a better-than-expected $36.3 billion for the quarter ended May 20, up from $34.6 billion last year. Same-store sales excluding fuel declined 0.2%, the second consecutive quarter of decline.  

  • Natural-foods grocer’s CEO fights attacks made by investor

    Already under the gun to improve business operations, Whole Foods Markets’ founder and CEO finds himself in a new struggle.  

  • Panera on pace to hit $1 billion in digital sales this year

    The chain, which is known for its signature soups, sandwiches and salads, is slated to report digital sales well above $1 billion on an annualized basis. The chain is on track to be twice as high in two years, according to CNBC.  

  • J. Crew decline accelerates

    J. Crew's troubles showed no sign of easing in the first quarter as the retailer posted its 11th consecutive quarter of same-store sales declines.    Total sales fell 6.3% to $532 million in the quarter, ended April 29. Total same-store sales fell 9%.   By brand, J. Crew sales decreased 11% to $428.5 million; same-store sales fell 12%. Madewell sales increased 17% to $84.7 million; same-store sales increased 10%.   

  • Supervalu embarks on IT transformation

    Eager to strengthen operations across its enterprise, Supervalu is moving to the cloud.   Through a strategic relationship with Sungard Availability Services (Sungard AS), the grocery company is replacing its mainframe technology infrastructure with a new mainframe platform that will offer cloud, back-up, and other solutions and services. The new configuration is designed to improve operations across the independent retailers it supports.   

  • Report: Lowe’s outsourcing tech jobs

    Lowe's is making another round of job cuts.   The home improvement chain is laying off some 125 information technology workers and many of the jobs to India, The Charlotte Observer reported. Lowe’s currently employs approximately 1,000 people in information and technology and analytics in Bangalore, India.   

  • Amazon gets caught in rare outage

    Even Amazon isn’t immune to the occasional online hiccup.   Pages failed to load across the online store on Wednesday, June 7. When they did, customers viewed a 503 error message, along with snippets from the online retailer’s “Meet the Dogs of Amazon” page, which included photos and stats of the company’s canines, according to The Verge.  

  • Convenience store retailer’s Q4 misses Street

    Despite 16 consecutive years of positive same-store sales growth among key categories, Casey’s General Stores’ top and bottom line revenues missed the mark in the fourth quarter.  

  • Macy’s warns profit margins are shrinking

    Already navigating tumbling sales, Macy’s is preparing for even tighter margins.   At the company’s annual investor day, Macy’s CFO Karen Hoguet said that second-quarter gross margins are running about 1 percentage point below what they were last year. The company is slashing costs in a bid to maintain its earnings forecast, which it reaffirmed on Tuesday, according to Bloomberg.  

  • Billabong taps former Nordstrom exec as finance head

    Billabong has a new finance chief.   The board sports apparel retailer has named Jim Howell as CFO, effective June 12. He will replace Peter Myers, who has served in the role since January 2013. Howell has spent the last 10 years leading the finance and treasury division at luxury retailer Nordstrom. In this role, he oversaw significant cost management improvements, capital management and growth initiatives.  
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