Data & Analytics

PITTSBURGH — Dick’s Sporting goods gave its shareholders a holiday surprise Tuesday morning when the company reported better-than-expected third-quarter results, increased its full-year guidance and declared its first ever dividend.

NEW YORK — Despite a significant decrease in net income, Saks delivered sales growth as it continues to improve its operating performance. Saks Inc. reported net income for the third quarter of $17.8 million, or 11 cents per diluted share, compared with net income of $36.3 million, or 20 cents per diluted share. 

WASHINGTON — Retail sales edged up slightly during the month of October, the U.S. Census Bureau announced Tuesday.

Adjusted for seasonal variation and holiday and trading-day differences, but not for price changes, sales totaled $397.7 billion. Retail trade sales rose 0.6% above September and 7.3% above the year-ago period.

Adjusted grocery store sales increased to $46.8 million from $46.3 million in September, while health and personal care stores saw adjusted sales of $23.3 million from $23.1 million last month.

Pittsburgh -- Dick's Sporting Goods Inc. reported Tuesday that net income for the quarter ended Oct. 29 surged to $41.5 million, from $16.9 million in the year-ago period.

Revenue rose 9% to $1.18 billion from $1.08 billion, beating Wall Street’s anticipated $1.16 billion in revenue.

Same-store sales rose 4.1%.

New York City -- American Express announced Tuesday that it has launched Target prepaid cards featuring email and text alerts.

The cards, sold exclusively at Target stores, work like debit cards and can be reloaded with cash, and are usually marketed to lower-income consumers who don't have credit cards or checking accounts. Fees on cards can range widely depending on the issuer.

Atlanta -- Supply chain solution-provider RedPrairie Corp. said Tuesday that The Body Shop has gone live with RedPrairie Execution Management at more than 70 stores in Indonesia.

The cosmetics retailer plans to use the solution to streamline both head office and store processes, as well as promote improved efficiencies for in-store marketing activities including product introductions, planogramming, display setups, customer loyalty, and more.

San Francisco -- Charlotte Russe Holding said Tuesday it has selected digital shopping solution-provider Fluid Inc. to redesign its e-commerce web and mobile sites. The new solution is intended to increase conversion rates online and drive in-store traffic through mobile and social networking elements.

Bentonville, Ark. -- Wal-Mart Stores Inc. on Tuesday posted the first quarterly revenue gain in its U.S. namesake business in more than two years, but the discounter's profit was down 2.9%. Profit for the quarter ended Oct. 31 was $3.33 billion, missing Wall Street expectations.

Framingham, Mass. -- TJX Cos. reported Tuesday that profit for the quarter ended Oct. 29 rose 15% to $406.5 million, from $372.3 million a year earlier.

Sales increased 5% to $5.79 billion from $5.53 billion, but missed analysts’ expected $5.84 billion. Same-store sales rose 3%.

During the quarter, the retailer increased its store count by a net of 52 stores and increased square footage by 1% over the same period last year.
 

Washington, D.C. -- Retail sales rose more than projected in October, according to figures released Tuesday by the Commerce Department. The report showed that retail sales were up 0.5% in October following a 1.1% increase in September.

Excluding automobile sales, retail sales rose 0.6% in October — the best showing since March. And when excluding autos and sales at gasoline stations, sales rose 0.7%, also the biggest increase since March.