Data & Analytics

Two new pricing studies out this past week show Target and Walmart are so close to one another on a basket of goods that shoppers would have a hard time discerning which company is the low-price leader.

SEATTLE -- REI (Recreational Equipment Inc.) announced 2010 sales of $1.66 billion, up 14% from $1.46 billion the previous year, proving that even in a down economy outdoor enthusiasts will find ways to support their passion. Net income in 2010 was $30.2 million, up 1.4% from $29.8 million in the previous year. The company’s direct sales channel, which includes online and catalog sales, grew by 22.9%. Comp-store sales grew by 8.1%, up from negative 3.5% in 2009.

Atlanta -- Home Depot said Monday it is returning to the corporate bond market for the second time in less than seven months to rebuild its cash stockpile and finance share buybacks.

According to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the company plans to sell 10- and 30-year bonds. It is offering $1 billion of each maturity.

Home Depot is replacing $1 billion of 5.2% notes issued in 2006 that matured March 1, and raising money to buy its own stock. The notes may be sold as soon as Monday.

By Kenneth H. Marks, [email protected]

Great news! After a long drought of M & A activity, the market for private companies is showing signs of life and recovery. If you own, operate or advise a middle market company, $5 million to $500 million in revenue, what does this mean for you and your clients when thinking about shareholder liquidity or selling the business? And how can you improve the odds of getting a deal done?

Minneapolis -- Carlson Restaurants, parent of T.G.I. Friday’s, announced at a conference in Dallas last week that it plans to double the number of units globally under a program it is calling Ambition 2015.

"With the strength of our Friday's brand, our management team and our franchise partners, we are uniquely positioned to dramatically increase the footprint of our business," said Nick Shepherd, president and CEO of Carlson Restaurants.

Washington, D.C. -- A report released Monday by the Commerce Department showed that consumer spending in the United States rose more than forecast in February as incomes climbed.

Bloomberg News estimated spending would advance 0.5%.

Purchases increased 0.7%, the most since October, after advancing 0.3% the prior month. Incomes increased 0.3%, less than the 0.4% projected.

SALISBURY, N.C. -- Food Lion announced that one lucky MVP customer will win free groceries for a year.

Customers can scan their MVP cards once a day at the in-store coupon kiosks, and they will be entered for a chance to win free groceries. Customers also can instantly win one of more than 200,000 free national and private brand items starting today through April 19. Free items will be awarded in the form of a coupon on the customer's MVP Savings Center coupon sheet which must be redeemed on the day it is issued.

DULUTH, Ga. -- NCR Corp. announced that the current release (version 5) of its NCR SelfServ Checkout solution has won a Good Design Award for product design excellence in the electronics category.

Dollar General maintained its momentum in 2010 by achieving record sales, profits and expansion and it’s looking like 2011 will bring more of the same. Last year, Dollar General opened 600 new stores and remodeled or relocated another 504 units to end its fiscal year on Jan. 28 with 9,372 stores. The additional square footage combined with a 4.9% same store sales increase enabled the company to grow total sales by 10.5% to roughly $13 billion.

Beachwood, Ohio -- Developers Diversified Realty Corp. announced Friday it has furthered its commitment to risk management with the formalization of its Enterprise Risk Management Program.

The new program, according to Developers Diversified, is an integration of strategy, process, people and technology that promotes the identification, prioritization, ownership and management of the company's critical risks.