Data & Analytics

By Akhilesh Srivastava, [email protected]
According to NRF Retail Horizons Benchmark Report, two key initiatives to keep retailers competitive in 2010 were optimization and streamlining of their internal operations to reduce operating costs and improving their customer centricity to win the share of wallet.

New York City -- The global PC-based point-of-sale market grew a solid 6.9% in 2010, according to new research from IHL Group, a global research and advisory firm.

Shipments grew in all four major worldwide regions (North America, Europe/Middle East Africa, Latin/South America, and Asia/Pacific). Strong double-digit growth in the Asia/Pacific region was driven by new shipments in China, India, Korea, and Indonesia, according to the research. 

Profits at the nation’s largest pet specialty chain surged 26% during the fourth quarter as same-store sales advanced 6.3% and total sales grew 8.1% to $1.5 billion.

“Our third consecutive quarter of accelerating comparable transactions growth as well as a strong holiday performance led to better-than-expected results for the quarter,” said PetSmart president and CEO Bob Moran.

SEATTLE -- Recreational Equipment Inc. announced that Sue Sallee joined the company in the newly created position of VP accounting and finance. The company has also promoted Angela Owen, Tim Spangler and Tom Vogl to SVPs  of the merchandising, retail, and marketing divisions respectively.

LAKELAND, Fla. -- Publix Tuesday reported fourth-quarter sales of $6.4 billion, a 4.4% increase from last year’s $6.1 billion. Comparable-store sales for the fourth quarter of 2010 increased 3.2%.

Net earnings for the fourth quarter of 2010 were $342.1 million, compared with $284.2 million in 2009, an increase of 20.4%. Earnings per share for the fourth quarter increased to 44 cents for 2010, up from 36 cents per share in 2009.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- The nation’s largest automotive parts retailer announced another quarter of record results in which earnings per share advanced nearly 36% to $3.34 on same-store sales that grew 7.1% for the quarter ended Feb.12.

Boca Raton, Fla. -- Woolbright Development announced that it has appointed Geoff Higginbotham as director of accounting.

Higginbotham is responsible for the monthly, quarterly and annual financial reporting for the company’s wholly owned assets and partnerships. He was previously corporate controller for Turnberry Associates in Aventura, Fla.

San Jose, Calif. -- VeriFone Systems announced it has won a contract to supply its PAYware Merchant card payment and settlement hosted service to Arcos Dorados, the largest restaurant operator in Latin America and the largest McDonald's franchisee in the world.

Beginning with 220 McDonald’s restaurants in Argentina and Uruguay, PAYware Merchant will be integrated with a proprietary POS system to accommodate card payment processing at the point of sale.