Data & Analytics

Amazon had a very good holiday, but wasn’t quite as stellar as the Street predicted.   The retail giant’s net sales increased 22% to $43.74 billion in the fourth quarter, lower than analysts had expected. The company’s outlook for the fourth quarter also fell short of expectations.   Net income, however, surpassed analysts’ estimates, and jumped to $749 million, compared to $482 million in fourth quarter 2015.  

On the heels of a less than stellar holiday, Target Corp. is scaling back on some parts of its innovation agenda in order to concentrate on its core business.    The Minneapolis Star Tribune reported that Target has scrapped its highly secretive e-commerce startup called Goldfish, and also has shelved a prototype for a store of the future, complete with robots, that was due to be built soon.

Vestar announced the close of a deal to acquire the Twin Creeks Marketplace in Allen, Texas, north of Dallas.   Opened in 2016, the 43,134-sq.-ft. center sits on five acres at the intersection of W. Exchange Parkway and Alma Drive. Tenants include Sprouts Farmers Market, Verizon, Starbucks, Advancial Credit Union, Luxe Nails, Studio Smiles, and ATI Physical Therapy.  

Tractor Supply Company shot up by the double-digits in the fourth quarter, with net sales jumping 16.4% over the year-ago quarter.   "While it was obviously a challenging retail environment, our Tractor Supply team managed the business well and drove strong comparable store sales and earnings per share growth," said CEO Greg Sandfort. "Throughout the quarter, the team worked hard to take advantage of weather trends, localize assortments, manage inventory and shorten the supply chain."  

PetSmart has a new strategy to keep its 55,000 employees informed and abreast of key insights.   When the 1,500-store retailer wanted to improving data accessibility across its enterprise, it turned to mobility. The chain began its mobility effort by developing one mobile app in 2010. By leveraging the MicroStrategy 10 mobility platform from long-time partner MicroStrategy, the company now has nearly 20 internal apps that deliver key insights to senior leaders and associates across the enterprise, the company said.   

Cross-border online retail is on an upward trajectory, and a catalyst for domestic retailers to grow their businesses.   That’s according to “The 21st Century Spice Trade: A Guide to the Cross-Border E-Commerce Opportunity,” a report form DHL Express. Based on responses from more than 1,800 retailers and manufacturers in six countries, the study details the markets and products that offer the highest growth potential, and motivate customers to buy internationally.   

Amazon continues to dictate the pace of online retailing, making it the “go-to” retailer for a majority of shoppers.   This is according to a report from PowerReviews, which surveyed more than 1,000 U.S. consumers aged 18 and over, about the features that make Amazon a leader, and the steps that brands and retailers can take to compete. Seventy-one percent of the shoppers said they make at least one Amazon purchase a month.   

More shoppers are buying groceries online, but a majority are ready to switch grocers in favor of a better online experience.   This is according to the “2017 Grocery eCommerce Forecast,” a report from Unata, which surveyed over 500 U.S. shoppers about online grocery shopping habits, intent and barriers. Details revealed that 31% of U.S. shoppers are likely to order groceries online in 2017, up from 19% of shoppers that bought groceries online in 2016.   

Neil Saunders, managing director of retail research and consulting firm GlobalData Retail (formerly known as Conlumino) analyzes Ralph Lauren Corp.’s third quarter results and the news that CEO Stefan Larsson is leaving the company after a little over a year on the job. His comments are as follows: