News

Washington, D.C. -- The number of retailers that fell victim to organized retail crime groups increased in the past, according to the National Retail Federation’s Organized Retail Crime Survey.

Of the 125 retail companies surveyed for NRF’s eighth annual survey, a record-setting (96%) said their company has been the victim of organized retail crime in the past year, up from 94.5% last year. Another 87.7% said ORC activity in the United States has grown over the past three years.

By William Gindlesperger, [email protected]

Innovation is required if the United States is to regain the level of productivity that it enjoyed toward the end of the 19th Century through the mid-20th Century. However, innovation by itself is not enough. Just as our parents and grandparents adopted electricity, the automobile, credit cards and airplanes in the period from 1870-1950, businesses and organizations of the 21st Century must embrace change.

WASHINGTON — Organized retail crime is a growing concern for all retailers, with a staggering 96% reporting that their company has been the victim of a crime in the past year, according to NRF's Organized Retail Crime Survey. This number is up from 94.5% in the past year.  In addition, 87.7% say ORC activity in the United States has grown over the past three years.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens on Tuesday posted May sales of nearly $6 billion, a decrease of 1.6% as compared with the same month in fiscal year 2011.

NEW YORK — Retail executives have more cash, are adding employees and enjoying stronger revenue, but they remain quite guarded longer term, not seeing a complete economic recovery until 2014 or later, according to the 2012 Retail Outlook Survey by audit, tax, and advisory firm KPMG LLP.

In the recent survey, 77% of retail executives indicate that their companies have significant cash on the balance sheet – up from 72% in KPMG's 2011 survey – and 56% say their companies' cash positions have increased from last year.

Deerfield, Ill. -- Walgreens reported Tuesday that net sales for the month of May dropped 1.6% to $5.98 billion, compared with $6.08 billion in the year-ago period.

Total front-end sales edged up 0.3%, and same-store sales dipped 1%.

Total sales for the third quarter of fiscal 2012 were $17.77 billion, down 3.3% from $18.37 billion in the third quarter last year.

Orlando, Fla. — The Global Market Development Center has awarded Jerry Brown its 2012 Lifetime Achievement Award. The honor was given on June 3 during the “Dinner with the Chairman” at the 42nd Annual 2012 General Merchandise Conference in Orlando, Fla.

Walmart shareholders may wish the company were investigated more often, judging from the performance of shares since alleged violations by the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act first surfaced.

Walmart share’s closed Friday at $65.55, or 5% higher than the $62.45 price they were trading at on Friday, April 20 before The New York Times first reported on allegations of FCPA violations.