Data & Analytics

Burlington, Mass. -- Demandware, a leading provider of enterprise cloud commerce solutions, announced that Brooks Brothers launched a new e-commerce site on the Demandware Commerce platform.

New York -- Costco Wholesale Corp., Limited Brands and TJX Cos. on Thursday reported better-than-expected sales for February, as growing employment and a surging stock market apparently offset the impact of higher taxes. (Some analysts cautioned, however, that the monthly figures have become less influential as an economic indicator as the number of retailers reporting on a monthly basis has dropped considerable. As of this month, Target and Kohl’s are no longer reporting monthly sales.)

New York -- Gap Inc. said Thursday that its February same-store sales rose a better-than-expected 3% for the four weeks ended Feb. 25. Analysts expected a 2% increase.
   
The chain was due to release the sales figures after the market closed, but put them out at midday after they were found in a leaked transcript of prerecorded comments.

By division, same-store sales rose 2% at Gap and 6% at Old Navy. They fell 5% at Banana Republic.

Deerfield, Ill. -- Walgreens announced plans to build what the company believes will be the nation’s first net-zero energy retail store. The store, which is predicted to produce energy equal to or greater than it consumes, will be located in Evanston, Ill., at the intersection of Chicago Avenue and Keeney Street, where demolition of an existing Walgreens store now is under way.

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. and PLEASANTON, Calif. — The TJX Companies and Ross Stores reported comparable-store results that were less than impressive from what the two discount retailers usually deliver.

TJX reported that sales for the four-week period ended March 2, were $1.8 billion, up 7% over the $1.6 billion achieved during the four-week period ended Feb. 25, 2012. Consolidated comparable-store sales for the month were up 1%.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Stein Mart reported that its total sales for the month of February were $85.2 million, an increase of 5.6% over total sales of $80.7 million for the four-week period ended Feb. 25, 2012. Comparable-store sales for the month increased 0.6%.

New York -- The ax has fallen — again — at J.C. Penney Co. The retailer laid off approximately 2,200 employees in its stores and district offices on Wednesday, The Dallas Morning News reported.

The majority of the staff cuts occurred in some 100 stores that had significant sales declines last year, spokeswoman Daphne Avilla said in the report, with Penney adjusting the employee count to match each store’s new level of business.

Total U.S. Shopper Traffic in Retail Stores and Malls for February 2013

An unexpected decrease in shopper traffic around Valentine’s Day and Presidents Day led to an overall slower retail performance for the month of February.

Retail foot traffic for February decreased 5.4% compared with January 2013, departing from the positive year-over-year retail traffic trends seen in recent months. Foot traffic for February 2013 decreased 6.4% compared with the same month last year.