Business Intelligence (BI)

The University of Arkansas Radio Frequency Identification Research Center will soon have a larger and permanent home following the unveiling this week of design plans for the new facility.

Armonk, N.Y. -- IBM announced it has completed its acquisition of Tealeaf Technology, a provider of digital customer experience management and customer behavior analysis solutions.

The acquisition extends IBM’s Smarter Commerce initiative with qualitative analytics software that helps organizations deliver an optimal digital experience to their customers via the web and mobile devices.

Ankey, Ohio -- Casey's General Stores Inc. reported that its fiscal fourth-quarter profit fell short of expectations due to weak margins on gasoline sales.

The convenience store operator said that it earned $23.1 million for the quarter that ended April 30, up from $22.8 million last year. Revenue increased 13% to $1.75 billion.

Casey's said that its gas margins were down nearly two cents per gallon compared with last year. However, the company said it was able offset that with strong sales and margin gains inside its stores.

Sidney, Neb. -- Cabela's Inc. announced that, effective January 1, 2013, Joseph M. Friebe, executive VP and president and CEO of the chain’s World’s Foremost Bank, will transition from his current positions and will become a special advisor to the CEO of the bank through 2014, when he plans to retire.

“Under Joe’s leadership, the Cabela’s Club Visa program has posted industry-leading results, which have contributed greatly to our strategic growth,” said Tommy Millner, Cabela's CEO.

Atlanta -- A report released Monday by First Data Corp. found that same-store consumer spending by credit, signature debit, PIN debit, EPT cards and checks at U.S. retail locations rose 7% year-over-year. April’s growth was 5.7%.

The First Data SpendTrend analysis for the full month of May 2012 showed that, although consumers continued to spend at a healthy clip early in the month, activity did slow as the month progressed. Transaction growth in May held fairly steady at 5.9%.

Speaking at The Home Depot’s 2012 Investor and Analyst Conference in Atlanta, Home Depot EVP merchandising Craig Menear revved up the power tool rhetoric.

Menear said the company intends to defend its position as power tool market share leader.

He also described power tools as a category with a relatively high vulnerability to online competitors. One of the best defenses is a large fleet.

New York -- By the summer 2012, Best Buy Canada will start rolling out mobile point-of-sale (POS) in select Future Shop and Best Buy pilot store locations.

By Stephen J. Pargeter, [email protected]