Data & Analytics

Advance Auto Parts 4Q EPS surges
It was almost all good news for Advance Auto parts this week, as the company reported record fourth-quarter sales and profits. Fourth-quarter earnings per share increased 46% to 57 cents compared with 36 cents during the comparable period the prior year, and full-year profits rose to $3.95 from $2.83 the prior year.
Whole Foods Q1 income jumps 79%, same-store sales up 9.1%
Austin, Texas -- Whole Foods Market’s first quarter net income surged 79% to $88.7 million, on an increase in customer visits and a rise in average transactions. The natural and organic foods grocer raised 2011 profit outlook on its strong results, which beat expectations.

Focus on: Social Media
Better than Target, not as good as Amazon

Wells Fargo retail analyst Matt Nemer put several leading retailers to the test this week with an innovative approach to research. According to Barron’s, he went on a $5,000 shopping spree on the websites of some of the largest Internet-only and traditional retailers. He said Amazon.com offered the best shopping experience, and he rated the retailer at outperform. Walmart.com, was said to have higher prices than Amazon’s, but had strong customer service and didn’t showed up as well in searches.
The Future: Converged Retailing
Ambitious sustainability goal is already attained by some

Being supplied by 100% renewable energy sounded like a lofty goal when it was identified as one of Walmart’s top three sustainability priorities in late 2005, but as other retailers have demonstrated, it is an attainable goal.
Focus on: Consumer-Centricity
More exec changes at Lowe’s

MOORESVILLE, N.C. – Lowe’s personnel changes are becoming hard to keep up with.
Stop & Shop debuts fuel cell technology

Quincy, Mass. -- The Stop & Shop Supermarket Co. announced it is using fuel-cell technology, at its store in East Torrington, Conn.

The fuel cell, a UTC Power PureCell System Model 400, was supported with a grant from the Connecticut Clean Energy Fund's On-Site Renewable Distributed Generation Program and is the first fuel-cell utilized by Stop & Shop. It is expected to generate over 90% of the store's electric energy.
Revving Up for Speed

Advance Auto Parts 4Q EPS surges

Whole Foods Q1 income jumps 79%, same-store sales up 9.1%

Focus on: Social Media

Better than Target, not as good as Amazon

The Future: Converged Retailing

Ambitious sustainability goal is already attained by some

Focus on: Consumer-Centricity

More exec changes at Lowe’s

Stop & Shop debuts fuel cell technology

Revving Up for Speed