Data & Analytics

Philadelphia – Urban Outfitters saw its net income decline 20% to $37.08 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2015, from $47.06 million in the first quarter of the previous fiscal year. This significant net income drop came despite a 6% jump in total net sales to $686.3 million, from $648.2 million.

Net income and sales totals both came in below Wall Street expectations. Total same-store sales remained flat. Higher marketing expenses, which helped boost net sales, contributed to the decline in net income.

Target continues to make leadership changes in the U.S. and Canada following Gregg Steinhafel’s ousting from the company in an effort to drive U.S. traffic and sales, improve its ailing Canadian operations and advance its ongoing digital transformation.

Atlanta – Severe weather dampened net income and sales growth at The Home Depot during the first quarter of fiscal 2014, causing increases in those figures to fall short of Wall Street estimates. Net income improved 17% to $1.4 billion from $1.2 billion.

Greenwich, Conn. – Merger and acquisition (M&A) dealflow in the retail mobile payment sector has risen 500% between 2009 and 2013, while investment dealflow has grown 300%. According to data from Mooreland Partners, a mid-market investment bank specializing in technology deals, there were 232 M&A deals in this sector from 2009-213, and 259 from 1999-2013.

New York – Macy’s Inc. is testing the effectiveness of mobile video ads on Facebook. On May 16, the retailer began running video ads using Facebook’s auto-play feature on the mobile newsfeed in its iPhone app.

The ads appear at the top of the newsfeed and start playing when the user scrolls down. If clicked, they become full-screen size and audio turns on. Users are allowed to like, share and/or comment on the ads.

Troy, Mich. - PayAnywhere, the professional grade mobile point-of-sale solution from North American Bancard, has released PayAnywhere Storefront, its free touch-screen tablet and stand with built-in credit card reader. PayAnywhere Storefront provides new simple pricing, security protection and advanced business analytics.

Store closures and weak demand for traditional office supplies and computers hurt Staples in the first quarter of fiscal 2014.

The company attributed a 44% drop in net earnings during the quarter to lower sales caused by store closures and a rise in the value of the dollar. But according to reports, the office products company and second largest internet retailer in the United States is facing stiff competition from big box retailers such as Walmart and e-commerce giants such as Amazon.

Indianapolis – Hhgregg Inc. swung to a net loss of $7.2 billion in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2014, compared to net income of $9.9 million in the same period the prior fiscal year. Net sales dropped 10% to $538.3 million, from $597.6 million.

A same-store sales decline of 10% affected both net income and sales, and charges related to Hhgregg’s planned exit from the mobile phone business also helped drive its net loss.