News

TORONTO — It is easy to see why Loblaw wanted to acquire Canada’s Shoppers Drug Mart following the release of second quarter results that highlight attractive growth prospects.

Canada’s Shoppers Drug Mart saw a boost in second-quarter sales and earnings, and according to president and CEO Domenic Pilla, the company is “well-positioned heading into the back half of the year.”

ATLANTA — Coca-Cola's board of directors has appointed Brent Hastie as the company's VP. Hastie was recently named VP of strategy and planning, which became effective just a few days ago.

Austin, Texas – Digital coupon provider RetailMeNot launches its IPO on Friday of 9,090,908 shares of its Series 1 common stock at a price to the public of $21 per share. Shares will be available on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the ticker symbol "SALE." Of the shares in the offering, 4,545,454 shares are being offered by RetailMeNot and 4,545,454 shares are being offered by selling stockholders.

Lynnfield, Mass. – HP Hood, manufacturer of the Brigham’s brand of ice cream, has decided to stop supplying the 10 remaining independent ice creams stores in the Boston area that serve Brigham’s with the product later this month. As reported by the Boston Globe, this will require the two stores still operating under the Brigham’s banner to change their name once the final shipments run out.

NEW YORK — The average household is expected to spend about $285 on back-to-school items this year, with 39% of consumers planning to spend more than last year and 45% planning to spend about the same. 

According to a new study from the International Council of Shopping Centers and Goldman-Sachs, 29% of households surveyed have started to shop for back-to-school items, which is lower than the 33% that had started at this time last year but more than in any other year since 2004.

Minneapolis – Supervalu Inc. reported a higher net loss and lower net income during the first quarter of fiscal 2014, compared to the first quarter of the prior fiscal year. Net loss totaled $105 million, up from $18 million year earlier, although one-time after-tax charges of $139 million pushed Supervalu into the red. Net sales were $5.16 billion, a 1.5% drop from $5.24 billion a year earlier.

MINNEAPOLIS — Supervalu reported net sales of $5.2 billion for the first quarter of fiscal 2014, down 1.5%, and net earnings of $85 million, or $0.34 per diluted share. 

The decrease in net sales primarily reflects a decline in identical store sales of negative 3% percent for retail food and negative 1.9% for Save-A-Lot. Identical store sales for corporately operated stores within the Save-A-Lot network were negative 1.2%.

Salt Lake City – Overstock.com reported substantial increases in net revenue and income for the second quarter of this year. Total net revenue for second quarter 2013 and 2012 was $293.2 million and $239.5 million, respectively, a 22% increase. The growth in net revenue was primarily due to a 21% increase in average order size, from $138 in second quarter 2012 to $167 in second quarter 2013.

Net income jumped an impressive 687%, from $470,000 to $3.7 million.