Data & Analytics

Philadelphia -- The Pep Boys – Manny, Moe & Jack reported net earnings of $5.4 million for the second quarter, down from $33 million in the year-ago quarter.

Sales for the quarter increased 0.4% to $527.6 million, from $525.7 million for the prior-year quarter. Same-store sales dipped 1.3%.

The company is looking for heavier consumer demand for tires to help turn around disappointing net earnings and same-store sales trends during the second quarter of fiscal 2013.  

Southern retailer Belk drew in nearly 220,000 registrants through daily prizes and giveaways in its “Belk’s 125 Days of Prizes” campaign. 

Belk partnered with mobile, social and digital engagement provider ePrize to power the sweepstakes across a microsite, Facebook and mobile channels. The multichannel campaign, which aimed to promote Belk’s 125th anniversary and to increase consumer engagement with the brand, exceeded Belk’s expectations for engagement across digital channels.

San Jose, Calif. -- Adobe Systems Inc. is upgrading Adobe Target, an element of the Adobe Marketing Cloud, with aims of easing the optimization of digital marketing efforts. The new solution features a completely redesigned, touch-based interface, as well as a step-by-step framework, with built-in best practices, for creating and implementing A/B testing and targeting activity.

Corte Madera, Calif. -- Restoration Hardware Holdings reported a net loss  of $17.8 million for the second quarter, compared with net income of $17.6 million in the same quarter a year earlier, due to charges linked to stock awards given to chairman and co-CEO Gary Friedman.

Net revenues for the second quarter of fiscal 2013 increased 30% to $382.1 million from $292.9 million last year.

Pundits and the media have cast showrooming at various times as either a scourge to brick-and-mortar retailers or as a death knell — another proverbial nail in the coffin.

There’s no question that showrooming, where shoppers browse products in a store and then purchase online, is a threat to retailers like Target that have a significant investment in real estate and physical stores.

However, less publicized is the fact that showrooming is also the greatest opportunity for retailers.

SANDPOINT — Traffic to specialty retailer Coldwater Creek dropped in July leading to lower-than-expected sales for the second quarter ended Aug. 3. The company is taking several steps, including bringing in a new chief marketing officer, in an attempt to turn things around. 

Consolidated net sales for the quarter were $149.7 million, compared with $163.7 million in second quarter 2012. Net sales from the retail segment were $118.6 million, compared with $129.9 million in the same period last year. 

Boston -- Restructuring and investment firm Gordon Brothers Group has acquired oil and gas appraisal company Appraisal Systems, and will use the acquisition to propel the launch of GB Energy Partners.
 
GB Energy Partners combines the energy expertise of Gordon Brothers Group, Emerald Technology Valuations and ASI into one comprehensive appraisal and disposition platform.

ECRM compared retail circular advertising in August 2012 versus August 2013 and noted trends occurring across top retail chains. A home improvement promotional arms race between Home Depot and Lowe’s appears to be taking place: Lowe’s saw year-over-year increases of 100%, 75% and 184.4% across circular page count, ad block per page count and ad block per circular count, respectively. Despite these large gains, Lowe’s still appears to be playing catch-up to Home Depot, which continued to run more ad blocks per page and per circular than Lowe’s.