Data & Analytics

New York City -- Survey results released Thursday showed that, for the first time since 2006, small business owners are shifting their focuses from just surviving to plotting growth.

According to the 2011 American Express OPEN Spring Small Business Monitor, entrepreneurs say they are expecting to hire and make necessary capital investments in their firms, signaling signs of an economic recovery.

Toronto -- Web-based task management and store communications provider Opterus said that sporting goods retailer Retail Concepts has implemented Opterus Store Ops-Center.

According to Opterus, Retail Concepts, which operates stores under the Sun & Ski Sports banner, is looking to increase operational productivity by more than 20%.

Dallas -- Finance solution-provider Trintech announced that international food retailer Delhaize Group has implemented its AssureNET GL software for financial process compliance.

AssureNET GL is a component of Trintech's Unity platform, a suite of modular software that empowers companies to automate their Last Mile of Finance to increase efficiency, improve visibility, shorten cycle times, lower costs, and reduce risk.

By John Bajorek, [email protected]

Minneapolis -- Supervalu reported Thursday that net income for the quarter ended Feb. 26 slipped 2% to $95 million, compared with $97 million in the year-ago period, but results still beat Wall Street expectations.

Performance was impacted by softer sales, which dropped 6% to $8.66 billion, missing Wall Street's estimate of $8.73 billion. Same-store sales fell 5%.

Supervalu, which operates Albertsons, Jewel-Osco and Save-A-Lot chains, launched a turnaround plan more than a year ago.

PHILADELPHIA  -- Elaine Rubin, a retail industry vet who co-founded and chaired Shop.org, a division of the National Retail Federation, is taking her expertise in Internet retailing to Monetate, a leading independent provider of testing, targeting, and personalization for websites. Rubin joins Monetate as a member of the company's strategic advisory board.  

East Cleveland, Ohio -- The future of lighting -- with an emphasis on the powerful potential of LEDs, fluorescent, halogen and ceramic metal halide lighting systems -- is on the move. Lighting professionals and designers, distributors, architects, contractors, facility maintenance and utility executives, as well as government officials are invited to register at www.gelightingrevolutiontour.com for a sneak peek of the brightest lighting technologies on the horizon this year and beyond.

Burbank, Calif. -- Ikea on Wednesday went live with the solar energy system installed at its store in Burbank, Calif. The 35,000-sq.-ft. array consists of a 290-kW system, built with approximately 1,260 panels. 

The installation will produce approximately 421,300 kWh of electricity annually, the equivalent of reducing at least 334 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2). The initiative will contribute to the local utility’s renewable portfolio goals and will lower the carbon intensity of the electrical grid.

Merrimack, N.H. -- Brookstone has launched a new Quick-Response (QR) code program in 30 New York-area Brookstone stores, including locations in Rockefeller Center and JFK airport, to provide shoppers with reviews, videos and product information.

The program allows to shoppers will see black-and-white QR codes located next to products. By snapping an image with their smartphone QR application, consumers can quickly access real-time customer reviews and product videos and even shop a greater selection of similar products at Brookstone’s website.