Data & Analytics

MOORESVILLE, N.C. —  Following a disappointing second quarter and a pledge to improve going into the second half of the year, Lowe's has launched a new brand strategy to help better position itself as a market leader in home improvement retailing. The company's new tagline, "Never Stop Improving," will replace "Let's Build Something Together," in a new advertising campaign that launched Monday.

New York City -- Barnes & Noble has bought some of Borders Group’s intellectual property along with other bidders, Crain’s New York reported.

According to Hilco Trading, the liquidation company handling the sale, multiple bidders, including Barnes & Noble, have agreed to buy $15.8 million of Borders' intellectual property, Craine’s said. The properties include a global portfolio of trademarks; Borders, Waldenbooks and Brentano's trade names; Internet domain names and the Borders.com e-commerce website.

WASHINGTON — A report released Thursday by Bloomberg said that U.S. consumer confidence held last week at the second-lowest level of 2011 as the highest number of households in three years said it was a bad time to spend. 

The Bloomberg Consumer Comfort Index was minus 49.3 in the period to Sept. 11, near the 2011 low of minus 49.4 reached in May. The buying climate gauge slumped to the lowest level since October 2008.

According to the report, the majority -- nine out of 10 -- of Americans polled had a negative view on the economy.

New York City -- The International Council of Shopping Centers said it expects holiday sales to increase 3% this year, which is below the 4.1% gain in 2010.

Holiday sales are expected to reach $250.2 billion, the highest since the 2007 peak, when spending totaled $251.7 billion, according to the group, whose forecast is among the first to come out for the holiday 2011 shopping season.

The ICSC predicted that holiday same-store sales will rise 3.5%, slightly lower than the 3.8% pace in 2010.

CHICAGO, and COLLINGSWOOD, N.J. — A universal product sustainability score would influence the brand purchase decisions of health and eco-conscious consumers, according to new research from Ryan Partnership Chicago and Mambo Sprouts Marketing.

New York City -- The outsourcing of real estate and facilities management (REFM) activities is expected to expected to hold steady or increase, according to the inaugural KPMG 2011 global real estate and facilities management outsourcing pulse survey. Among the buyers of REFM services, 50% said they plan to increase outsourcing over the next one to two quarters. Longer term, over the next 12 months, 44% of buyers plan to increase their REFM outsourcing

CAMP HILL, Pa. — Rite Aid is teaming up with OptumHealth to become the first to provide "virtual clinics" in a retail pharmacy setting.

Rite Aid announced Thursday the launch of NowClinic online care services at select Rite Aid stores in the Detroit area. NowClinic allows Rite Aid customers to interact in real time with doctors and OptumHealth nurses.

Washington, D.C. -- A report released Thursday by Bloomberg said that U.S. consumer confidence held last week at the second-lowest level of 2011 as the highest number of households in three years said it was a bad time to spend.
 
The Bloomberg Consumer Comfort Index was minus 49.3 in the period to Sept. 11, near the 2011 low of minus 49.4 reached in May. The buying climate gauge slumped to the lowest level since October 2008.