Data & Analytics

City of Commerce, Calif. — 99 Cents Only Stores LLC reported net income of $9.57 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2015, up from $897,000 in the same quarter a year earlier. 

Net sales rose $477.9 million, up 7% from $445.2 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2014. 

Seattle — Customers at Starbucks will soon be able to charge their smartphones while getting their afternoon pick-me-up. The coffee giant announced Thursday that it would begin a nationwide rollout of Duracell Powermat wireless charging stations after the success of a pilot program. The rollout will begin in the Bay Area, with plans to nationwide in 2015. Initial pilots in Europe and Asia are expected within the year.

St. Louis — Panera Bread Company has secured a five-year $100 million term loan from Bank of America, Wells Fargo and TD Bank. Proceeds from the loan will be used for general corporate purposes, including a range of growth initiatives such as the rollout of the Panera 2.0 in-store technology initiative.

Norwalk, Conn. — The Priceline Group Inc. and online restaurant reservation service OpenTable Inc. have entered into a definitive agreement whereby The Priceline Group will acquire OpenTable for $103 per share in an all cash transaction valued at $2.6 billion. OpenTable will continue to be headquartered in San Francisco and will operate as an independent business led by its current management team within The Priceline Group.

London, U.K. — Online grocery shoppers tend to buy fewer impulse purchases online than in store, resulting in smaller basket sizes. A recent survey of 1,154 online grocery shoppers from EDigitalResearch found that 29% of respondents feel that they make far fewer impulse purchases online than in store. 

A new website from PayPal is looking to help businesses navigate global markets. PassPort, which is free and was launched earlier this week, provides insight into global markets by country, outlining gift-giving traditions and major holidays, as well as providing shipping tools for sellers.

The Children's Place has added Susan Sobbott to its board of directors as a Class II director to serve for a three-year term.

GNC financial chief and EVP Michael M. Nuzzo is exiting the company to take an executive position at a private equity funded consumer products company.

Nuzzo will remain with the company at least through July 18, which will include preparation of its second quarter earnings release and 10Q, both of which are expected to be issued on the normal schedule in late July or early August.

The drought’s effect on fresh produce in California and the timing of this year’s Easter holiday adversely affected 99 Cents Only Stores’ comparable-store sales in the first quarter of fiscal 2015.

Same-store sales decreased 0.5%, calculated on a comparable 13-week period of the prior year. The company reported net sales of $477.9 million, an increase of 7% from $445.2 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2014.

All 10 members of Target’s board of directors were re-elected at the retailer’s annual meeting on June 11, but there was strong opposition to several members and a proposal requiring an independent chairman nearly passed.