Data & Analytics

Pleasanton, Calif. -- Taxes related to Safeway's effort to pay down debt reduced its first-quarter net income, but the company's adjusted results beat Wall Street's expectations as its revenue rose, the Associated Press reported.

The company earned $25.1 million for the quarter, compared with $96 million a year earlier. This includes a tax charge related to a plan to pay down its U.S. debt with part of a $1.1 billion dividend in cash and debt from its Canadian operations.

Mike Duke presented at the Barclay’s conference Tuesday, and, as we predicted in last week’s WNN, he did not speak about first-quarter sales, which the company will report on May 17. Instead Duke focused on such broad goals as growth, leverage, but offered little detail on how the company plans to achieve them.

Sidney, Neb. -- Cabela's said Thursday that stronger revenue helped its fiscal first-quarter profit more than double from results weighed down by a hefty charge a year ago.

The reported net income of $17.8 million in the three months ended April 2, up from $8.1 million a year earlier.

The year-ago period included an $11.9 million charge related to a 2009 FDIC compliance examination.

Revenue increased 5% to $586.7 million, from $559.6 million. Same-store sales rose 8.9%.

New York City -- Newegg and QVC took top honors in the retail category in Compuware Gomez’s Best of the Web 2010 Awards, which honor the strongest web performers across various industries. The retail winners were determined based on the annual cumulative response time, availability and consistency of their web and mobile sites, as well as multi-step business process transactions

Indianapolis -- Simon Property Group announced that it will assume leasing, management, and marketing duties of the Fox Run Mall in Newington, N.H. Simon will commence this new role at Fox Run on May 15.

New York City -- Jones Group's net income fell 34% in the first quarter, weighed down by higher costs and charges tied to an acquisition.

Jones Group earned $25.9 million, compared with $39.4 million a year ago.

Jones Group said its quarterly results included about $11 million in costs and charges tied to its Stuart Weitzman acquisition and other restructuring and strategic review costs. Last year's quarter included costs and charges totaling approximately $3 million.

Brooklyn, N.Y. -- One of the largest commercial solar rooftop installations in the five boroughs has gone live. Ikea announced that the solar energy system on its store in Brooklyn, N.Y., now is commissioned, operational and certified by Con Edison and New York City. The 200 kW array occupies 19,000 sq. ft., with four different module types totaling 1,104 panels.

New York City -- Wal-Mart Stores CEO Mike Duke said rising gas prices are hurting the chain’s main customers, who are having an even harder time stretching their dollars to the next payday than they did a year ago.

"There's no doubt that rising fuel prices are having an impact on our customers," said Duke at an event that was part of The Wall Street Journal's executive breakfast series,  according to the Associated Press. "There's more pressure."