Data & Analytics

Columbus, Ohio – Express Inc. beat Wall Street expectations for both profit and revenue during the second quarter of fiscal 2014. The retailer, which is facing a possible takeover battle, reported better-than-expected net earnings of $6.9 million, down 59% from $16.9 million in the year-ago period. The company also increased its annual profit forecast.

Irving, Texas – The Michaels Companies Inc. on Wednesday reported a net loss of $48 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2014, compared to net income of $17 in the year-ago period, as $68 million in costs associated with debt-extinguishment and drove the retailer into the red. Its results, however, beat analysts estimates, and the company raised its full-year outlook. It was Michaels’ first earnings report since it went public again at the end of June.

New York – Profit and revenue for Tiffany & Co. exceeded Wall Street predictions during the second quarter of fiscal 2014. Net earnings rose 16% to $124 million from $107 million in the second quarter of the previous fiscal year, which the retailer attributed to worldwide net sales growth and gross margin improvements.

Worldwide net sales increased 7% to $992.9 million, from $925.9 million. Strong performance in the colored diamond and statement jewelry categories helped drive sales.

Fort Myers, Fla. – Chico’s FAS Inc. reported net income of $30.1 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2014, down 31% from $43.6 million in the year-ago period. Price cuts needed to clear seasonal merchandise were a primary driver of Chico’s lower net income. Its results missed Wall Street expectations.

Net sales for the quarter ended August 2, 2014, were $671.1 million, up 3.3% from $649.5 million in the previous year, primarily reflecting the addition of 98 net new stores.  

Total same-store sales rose 0.3%.

Austin, Texas - Approximately two in three credit cardholders typically use cash for purchases of less than five dollars. According to a new CreditCards.com report, a clear generational divide in the way Americans pay for small purchases means that might not be the case for much longer.

Los Angeles – Authentic Brands Group LLC (ABG), owner of the Juicy Couture brand, is launching a new multiyear partnership to expand the scope of e-commerce services for Juicy Couture, with Onestop Internet, a full-spectrum e-commerce solution provider.

Detroit – Office and school supply e-commerce retailer Chalkfly has launched a redesigned, fully responsive website that leverages SLI Systems search technology. Chalkfly’s use of SLI’s intuitive site search functionality enables customers to quickly and easily find and purchase items amid more than 60,000 products in office and school supply categories.  

Montreal - GDecide has created a free private social network for decision making, aimed at Millennial consumers. The network offers a platform that collates and tallies responses to questions and only distributes questions to the select circle of network connections users wishes to poll, protecting the privacy of its users.

San Francisco – Icix, a provider of supply chain risk management technology, is expanding its Audit Manager suite. Audit Manager applications help companies automate and streamline their audit programs to provide more insight and verification of trading partners’ practices and facilities.

The Icix Audit Manager Suite now includes:

Grocery-anchored centers respond to changing consumer tastes and consolidation

As supermarket tenants are challenged to meet the needs of an increasingly diversified and sophisticated consumer base, and given the significant trend toward consolidation, landlords are tasked with delivering top-notch grocery-anchored centers — with a diminishing number of anchors from which to choose.

Add in growing pressure on the grocery segment from competitors in the mass merchandise, discount and even dollar store verticals, plus small — but real — grocery in