News

Columbia Sportswear profits from athleisure trend
Athleisure apparel continues to be a driver of growth for Columbia Sportswear Co., which posted record sales in its first quarter.
Report: Warby Parker raises $100 million for new stores
New York – Specialty eyewear Warby Parker has reportedly received $100 million in financing the company plans to use to build new brick-and-mortar stores. According to the Wall Street Journal, the round of financing, led by T. Rowe Price, values Warby Parker at $1.2 billion.

Sales and earnings on the rise at Publix

Publix continues to demonstrate that its customers indeed find that shopping there is a pleasure, judging by the grocery chain's first quarter results.

Publix’s sales for the first quarter of 2015 were $8.3 billion, a 6.8% increase from last year’s $7.8 billion. Same store sales increased 5.3%. Net earnings for the first quarter of 2015 were $548.9 million, compared to $493.7 million in 2014, an increase of 11.2%. Earnings per share for the first quarter increased to $0.71 for 2015, up from $0.63 per share in 2014. T
The Children’s Place cites value in investor presentation

Secaucus, N.J. – Three days after an activist investor group filed a presentation with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) urging the election of new board members and claiming poor performance, The Children's Place Inc. has its own investor presentation with the SEC.

The presentation endorses the re-election of three board candidates at the May 22 annual meeting: Norman Matthews (chairman of the board), Kenneth Reiss (chair of the audit committee) and Stanley W. Reynolds (member of the audit committee).
Frank & Oak, Toronto

Frank & Oak, the online membership-based menswear retailer, is also expanding in the physical space, with both permanent locations and pop-ups. The company's Toronto flagship features the brand’s monthly menswear collections and special capsule collections. The spacious, contemporary space reflects the brand’s lifestyle approach to retailing with a café and full-service barbershop.
Specialty drugs lift CVS profit in Q1

CVS Health's growth in its drug services business is helping to offset retail sales declines from its decision to stop selling cigarettes<span style="color: rgb(54, 54, 54); font-family: open_sansregular, Arial, Helvetica, sans-
Session Spotlight: Google and Store Transformation

Smart retailers are using technology and collaboration to make their stores match the needs of the modern customer.
BIG DEALS, FEWER SQUARE FEET

Our fastest-growing acquirers bought fewer square feet than in 2013. But the deals may be even better.

Editor’s Note: The 26th annual Chain Store Age survey of Fastest-Growing Acquirers surveyed retail square footage purchased during the 2014 calendar year.

Retail real estate acquisitions slowed in 2014. The year’s five Fastest-Growing Acquirers purchased approximately 10 million fewer square feet than the top five bought in 2013.

That may be a deceptive observation.
Lowe's introduces 3D printing at Orchard Supply

Lowe's Innovation Labs has come up with a way to allow shoppers to customize every knob, door and handle in their home.
FIVE STEPS TO COMPLIANCE

Tom Lichford, VP retail technologies, NRF, recommends retailers seeking to achieve compliance with upcoming October 2015 EMV mandate take the following five steps:

1. CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE: “No matter what, start with customer experience,” advised Litchford. Retailers need to determine such factors as whether they will use self-service or traditional POS, customer prompts and screen displays, and how checkout speed will be impacted.