Data & Analytics

San Francisco – Gap Inc. had a disappointing February 2014 as net sales and same-store sales declined, compared to the same month in the prior year. Net sales fell 4% to $929 million from $966 million, while same-store sales dropped 7%.

San Francisco -- Shopper activity cooled off in February 2014 as a result of extremely cold weather across the country. According to in-store retail analytics provider Euclid, analysis of data from tens of millions of domestic shopping sessions indicates that general merchandise, apparel, furniture and other (GAFO) retail sales grew by a modest 0.7% year-over-year.

Boston -- Target’s database breach in December 2013 not only affected the retailer’s fourth quarter comparable store sales, but also contributed to plummeting shopper penetration post-holiday. Kantar Retail ShopperScape data indicates that just 33% of U.S. households reported shopping at Target or SuperTarget during January 2014, the lowest penetration number for Target in the past three years, and a 22% decrease in penetration compared to January 2013.

San Diego – During February 2014, net sales at PriceSmart Inc. increased 11% to $182.8 million from $164.7 million in February a year earlier. For the five weeks ended March 2, 2014, same-store sales for the 30 warehouse clubs open at least 13 1/2 full months increased 5.3% compared to the same five-week period the previous year.

There were 32 warehouse clubs in operation at the end of February 2014, compared to 30 warehouse clubs in operation in February 2013.

Plano, Texas – Pizza Hut is planning to pilot interactive tables that allow customers to design their pizzas using a touch-screen table surface that graphically displays different menu options like a tablet. In a short online video, Pizza Hut shows a couple interacting with a tabletop to pick their pizza’s size and ingredients.

Columbus, Ohio - Big Lots Inc. has promoted Timothy A. Johnson to executive VP, CFO. Johnson has served as CFO since 2012 with primary responsibility for all financial disciplines within the company including financial reporting and controls, treasury, risk management, tax, internal audit, financial planning and analysis, and investor relations.

Boston – Wayfair has raised $157 million in equity financing to fuel continued growth of the company's portfolio of home brands. The Series B investment round, led by funds and accounts managed by T. Rowe Price Associates Inc., encompassed a limited number of key investors, including growth-focused mutual funds, as well as a private investment from Julie M.B. Bradley, TripAdvisor CFO and Wayfair board member.

Big Lots has elevated CFO Timothy A. Johnson’s to EVP, CFO. Johnson has served as financial chief since 2012 with primary responsibility for all financial disciplines within the company including financial reporting and controls, treasury, risk management, tax, internal audit, financial planning and analysis and investor relations.

Coupons.com has gone public. The digital promotional platform has priced its initial public offering of 10,500,000 shares of common stock at $16 per share, which is above the reported expected range of $12 to $14.

Coupons.com has also granted the underwriters an option to purchase up to an additional 1,575,000 shares. Shares are expected to begin trading on the New York Stock Exchange today under ticker symbol "COUP."

Goldman, Sachs & Co., Allen & Company LLC, BofA Merrill Lynch and RBC Capital Markets LLC are acting as bookrunners.

MasterCard and Visa have teamed up to form a new cross-industry group focused on enhancing payment system security to keep pace with the expectations of consumers, retailers and financial institutions.

News of the group’s formation comes as retailers like Target continue to deal with fallout from the data breaches that first came to light December 2013 and which continue to dominate headlines.