Data & Analytics

Buoyed by its performance during Back to School season, Hibbett Sporting Goods sounded an optimistic tone regarding the holidays after reporting a surprisingly strong third quarter comp increase.

The operator of 904 stores in 31 states said its same store sales increased 4.8% and total sales increased 2.5% to $208 million during the quarter ended November 2.

Add Target to the list of retailers whose weak third quarter sales performance highlighted troubling spending behaviors that threaten to undermine its holiday sales performance.

The company reported disappointing third quarter sales and profits Thursday morning and then stated the obvious that shoppers will price sensitive during an intensely competitive holiday season. The company said same store sales increased 0.9%, slightly less than the company’s forecast provided on August 21 which called for an increase of 1% to 2%.

Walgreens has named Sona Chawla, currently president of e-commerce, as president of digital and chief marketing officer. In this new role, Chawla will lead a newly created digital and marketing division, establishing an integrated digital, enterprise-wide marketing and customer loyalty and insights group to advance Walgreens “Well Experience” strategy.

The electronic currency known as bitcoin allows small- and medium-size companies to reach more customers by opening new markets that were previously unreachable, the co-founder of a company that allows businesses to use bitcoins said in testimony this week before two Senate subcommittees. And it appears that federal authorities are open to its development.

Bon-Ton is looking ahead to the holiday selling season, and focusing its marketing efforts on driving shoppers not only to stores but also to its e-commerce site.

The company saw comparable store sales for the third quarter decrease 2.8%. But the company was able to narrow its loss to $0.9 million, or $0.05 per diluted share, from $10.1 million, or $0.55 per diluted share, for the third quarter of fiscal 2012.
 

Despite its continuing turnaround efforts, Sears Holdings widened its loss in the third quarter after sales fell at both Sears and Kmart.

The company reported a net loss for the quarter ended Nov. 2 of $534 million, or $5.03 a share, from $498 million, or $4.70 a share, a year earlier.

Staples has named Tom Conophy as EVP, chief information officer, overseeing all aspects of Staples’ global IT organization. He will report directly to Ron Sargent, Staples’ chairman and CEO, and will serve on the Staples executive committee.

Increased customer traffic helped drive Dollar Tree’s third-quarter results. The retailer cited growth in consumer basics as well as seasonal and variety merchandise, and said its higher margin variety categories are growing at a faster pace.

The company reported consolidated net sales for the quarter of $1.9 billion, a 9.5% increase from $1.72 billion for the year-ago quarter. Comparable store sales increased 3.1%.