Data & Analytics

IRVING, Texas — Same-store sales at Michaels Stores decreased 1.3% for the second quarter ended August 3. The dip was due, in part, to a 3.6% decrease in transactions and a 0.4% decrease in deferred custom framing revenue, partially offset by a 2.7% increase in the company's average ticket. 

The company experienced its strongest sales performance during the quarter in home accents and yarn.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Genesco Inc., a specialty retailer which sells footwear, headwear, sports apparel and accessories, continues navigating through uncertain consumer environments as second quarter results fell short of expectations.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Fred's experienced growth in sales, customer traffic, average ticket and gross margin for the second quarter ended Aug. 3.

The company’s net income for the quarter was $3.3 million, or $0.09 per diluted share, compared with net income of $6.1 million, or $0.17 per diluted share, in the year-earlier period. However, the prior-year quarter included a benefit of approximately $4 million, or $0.11 per diluted share, for favorable tax credits. 

When it comes to buying online, customers have more choice than ever. The crowded space means that shoppers are being offered countless new ways to buy and utilizing new technology to make their purchases. More important, customers are altering how they shop and taking a closer look at who they’re buying from. Shopping experiences are less a cold cash transaction and more of a way to participate in an ethos or at the very least, to support a company that understands exactly what and how you like to purchase your items.

Retailers will be promoting early and often during the upcoming holiday season, especially with six fewer days between Thanksgiving and Christmas, and mobile is sure to play an even greater role this year than it did in 2012.

Despite challenges in the overall consumer discretionary spending environment, Shoe Carnival saw sales increases for the second quarter ended Aug. 3, which coincided with the back-to-school season, driven primarily by its selection of women’s seasonal and children’s footwear.

The leading retailer of value-priced footwear and accessories reported net sales of $216.4 million for the quarter, an 18.8% increase from $182.2 million for the year-ago quarter. Comparable-store sales for the quarter increased 2.6%.

San Francisco -- Williams-Sonoma on Wednesday reported better-than-expected second-quarter profit amid same-strong sales. The retailer raised its full-year forecast, but its profit outlook still fell short of market expectations.

The company also announced that it will expand its international presence, adding more stores in Australia and entering the United Kingdom later this year, and debuting in the Philippines in 2014.

Seattle – Amazon.com has introduced the Mobile Associates API for Kindle Fire and other Android devices, enabling developers to sell physical and digital items from Amazon.com within their apps and games. Developers and members of the Amazon Associates program (the API is technically an extension of the program) can now sell a single item from within an app or game, showcase a category of goods, or bundle the purchase of physical goods with the purchase of digital goods.

San Francisco – Twitter has reportedly hired former Ticketmaster president Nathan Hubbard to take the new role of head of commerce. According to Bloomberg, the 38-year-old Hubbard will oversee an effort to enable direct shopping through postings within tweets.

Hubbard is quoted as saying he does not seek to directly compete with established e-commerce retailers and payment providers but instead hopes to collaborate with them, possibly through a revenue-sharing model. He will report to Adam Bain, head of global revenue at Twitter.

Fort Myers, Fla. -- Chico’s FAS reported an 18.4% decline in second quarter net profit, after increased promotional activity took a toll on same-store sales. 

Chico’s net income totaled $43.6 million from $53.4 million in the year-ago period.