Data & Analytics

Salt Lake City – Overstock.com reported year-over-year gains in net income and revenue during the third quarter of fiscal 2013, which the company partially attributed to growing participation in its Club O paid loyalty program.

Net income increased 31% from $2.7 million to $3.5 million, while revenue grew 18% from $255.4 million to $301.4 million. The growth in net revenue was primarily due to a 16% increase in average order size, from $147 in third quarter 2012 to $170 in third quarter 2013, coupled with a 2% increase in orders.

CTPartners, a leading global retained executive search firm, has appointed Jefferey DeFazio to be a partner in firm’s consumer and retail practice based in San Francisco.

DeFazio has worked with leading global brands in the consumer and retail industry, placing board members and senior executives in multinational companies, and has also recruited for smaller fast-growing private equity- and venture capital-backed organizations. He joins CTPartners from another major search firm where he spent three years leading the consumer practice on the West Coast.

Mooresville, N.C. -- Lowe's has launched a dedicated fleet of natural gas-powered trucks at its regional distribution center in Mount Vernon, Texas. The fleet is among the first serving a major retail distribution center in North America to run solely on natural gas.

With the transition from a diesel-fueled fleet to trucks powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG), Lowe's expects to reduce greenhouse gas emissions nearly 20%  and control fuel costs as it transports up to 68 truckloads each day to stores in Texas, Louisiana, and Oklahoma.

Foothill Ranch, Calif. – The Wet Seal Inc. revising its financial guidance for the third quarter of fiscal 2013 ending November 2, 2013. The company now expects to report a same-store sales increase in the low-single digits, compared to previously forecast mid-single digits, as well as a larger net loss than previously estimated.

Seattle — Skanska USA Commercial Development Inc. has broken ground on 400 Fairview alongside its first major office tenant — Tommy Bahama.

Skanska is the first developer to start work in the South Lake Union area of Seattle since the City Council rezoned the one-time industrial hub for office and retail.

The 400 Fairview building will be a 13-story tower with 320,000 sq. ft. of office space and 17,000 sq. ft. of ground floor retail. Skanska is targeting LEED Gold certification on the building.

Shoppers responding to a recent National Retail Federation survey said they expect to spend slightly less this holiday season in contrast to an earlier economic forecast by the trade group which indicated spending during November and December would rise by 3.9%.

Wayne, N.J. -- Toys “R” Us announced that Antonio Urcelay has been named chief executive, effective immediately, after serving as the company’s interim CEO since May of this year. In other executive news, the retailer appointed a former Wal-Mart executive, Hank Mullany, as president of Toys “R” U.S., effective Nov. 5.

Urcelay, 61, who joined Toys “R” Us in 1996, had been president of the company's Europe business before being named interim CEO.

Tampa, Fla. – Marketing enterprise management systems provider Aptaris has named Bill Morrell as VP technology. Morrell previously held IT executive positions at companies including BabyAge.com and Destination Maternity, as well as consulting roles with clients including Cadbury Adams, Nascar and DME.