EQUITY RETAIL BLOG

Store growth for The Fresh Market set at 15% annually

The Fresh Market, which operates 121 stores in 24 states, said it plans to open 14-16 new stores next year and plans to maintain a 15% growth rate for the foreseeable future. The company opened 11 stores so far this year and has three to five openings planned in the second half of the year. […]

Buyers looking at Supervalu units, but not the entire company

According to a Bloomberg story last Friday, Supervalu (Albertsons, Acme, Save-A-Lot, among others) has received several inquiries from potential buyers interested in individual units of the company, but would prefer to sell off the entire business as a whole. Supervalu hired Goldman Sachs and Greenhill & Co. earlier in the summer to find a buyer. […]

Ahold reports higher sales, remains cautious about the future

Ahold USA, parent company of Giant and Stop & Shop, reported yesterday that sales increased 3.4% to $6 billion in the second quarter as compared to the same period a year ago. The company also announced gains in identical-store sales and operating margin (to 4.3%). Worldwide, Ahold’s net income rose on higher sales. CEO Dick […]

Bottom Dollar still operating at a loss

Delhaize Group, parent for Food Lion and Bottom Dollar, among others, released its second quarter earnings earlier this week. U.S. sales were down (sales were slightly higher when excluding the 126 stores closed in February), as were comparable-store sales, operating profits and margins. Worldwide, sales for Delhaize Group increased for the quarter while profits dipped. […]

Aldi pulls knives from shelves, Yankee fans enjoy bat day

The first 10,000 kids who entered Yankee Stadium at a recent game received a bat, thanks to Curtis Granderson Bat Day. Baseball officials were stunned at the number of Australian men who attended the game. However, the recent news that Aldi pulled its supply of $10 pocket knives from its shelves in Australia over concerns […]

Weis to replace Pathmark in Huntingdon Valley

The Marketplace at Huntingdon Valley, site of a 52,000 SF Pathmark that closed earlier this year, will soon feature a 62,000 SF Weis supermarket that will sell wine and beer by the glass in its cafe. According to the shopping center owner, Weis Markets will invest $5 – $8 million in the store for improvements […]

Wal-Mart ad campaign targeting supermarket prices

Wal-Mart reported last week that net earnings for its fiscal second quarter increased 5.7% compared to the same quarter one year ago. More interesting to me were two tidbits about pricing that I read in a summary of the company’s results: 1) Due to Wal-Mart’s continued investment in pricing, gross profit as a percentage of […]

Acme gave away $1 million, but not to me

The Acme Sizzlin’ Summer Giveaway Collect & Win Game, which desperately needs a better name, ends tomorrow, and yesterday a local dental student was declared the $1 million winner. My wife has been collecting cards, or tickets, or whatever those rectangular pieces of paper are, for months now, and she’s been talking about the $1 […]

S&P raises Whole Foods rating to investment grade

Last week S&P raised their corporate credit rating on Whole Foods to “BBB-,” or investment grade. Based on S&P’s expectation that strong sales and profit growth will continue at Whole Foods, they issued a “stable” outlook. According to S&P, “Whole Foods has enhanced credit protection measures with considerable profit growth reflecting higher comparable-store sales and […]

Zagat looking for feedback on The Pub at Wegmans

Last week Zagat, the self-proclaimed world leader in providing survey-based information for restaurants, blogged about The Pub at Wegmans, which is now open in Malvern, King of Prussia and Collegeville, PA. The brief blog post described some of the pub’s selections, including crabcake sandwiches and Australian lamb chops, and asked for customer comments. I didn’t […]