Data & Analytics

North Plainfield, N.J. — Levin Management has released its annual June survey of store mangers within its 95-property, 13 million-sq.-ft. shopping center portfolio.

Intense price competition during back-to-school season is nothing new, but the competition now occurs on the shifting sands of an increasingly dynamic online world.

By Adam Blake, VP and General Manager, Department and Specialty Retail, NCR

More strategic. That’s how Greg Esgar, CFO of Massage Envy Spa, the nation’s largest therapeutic massage chain, sums up the evolving role of today’s CFO. Esgar joined the Scottsdale, Arizona-based business as financial chief in 2004, two years after it was founded. As part of the executive team, he helped spur the company’s growth from 17 locations to its present total of nearly 1,000 sites in 49 states. With its membership-based, monthly-fee business model, Massage Envy Spa eschews the luxury amenities and high prices of traditional day spas.

Walgreens reported a 16% year-over-year jump in third quarter profit, but was forced to withdraw its previously issued fiscal 2016 guidance because it missed Wall Street estimates.

The company’s net earnings for the quarter were $722 million compared to $624 million in the prior-year period. Net sales increased 6% to $19.4 billion from $18.3 billion, while same-store sales increased 4.8%.

Bentonville, Ark. - Sam’s Club is launching Sam’s Club Travel, a savings-centered online booking service for business and leisure travel needs of Sam’s Club members. The new digital service is a collaboration with wholesale travel services provider Tourico Holidays.

▲ Cloud computing, the remote hosting of applications on virtual platforms for on-demand, Web-based delivery, is on the fast track. Analysts estimate that during the next six years, 90% of new spending on Internet and communications technologies will be on cloud-based technologies.

Cloud computing (which at its simplest means storing and accessing data and programs on the Internet — the cloud — instead of a personal computer) is profoundly impacting how IT professionals implement, deploy and manage technology solutions.

Starting with a washer and dryer, Whirlpool products will be getting smarter with the help of Nest’s learning thermostat. The appliance company plans to integrate some of its products with Nest’s thermostat.