EQUITY RETAIL BLOG

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 […]

Pension risks run high for supermarket companies

According to a report released earlier in the week by Fitch Ratings, the “big three” supermarket chains face the largest risk of all U.S. businesses for cash flow and earnings problems due to underfunded pension plans. Fitch Ratings says that Supervalu, Safeway and Kroger’s pension plans are significantly underfunded. The ratings company also states that […]

NJ's first Walmart supermarket coming to Hawthorne

NorthJersey.com reported last week that the first Walmart Neighborhood Market in New Jersey will be in Hawthorne. According to the story, Walmart signed a lease for 42,000 square feet at 204 Wagaraw Road, and the property will include additional retail. The story describes Hawthorne as a middle class suburban town about 16 miles from New […]

Whole Foods and Weis Markets report net earnings increases

Whole Foods and Weis Markets both reported increases in net earnings last week. Whole Foods: Net income for the third quarter was up 32% compared to the same period one year ago, driven by an 8.2% gain in same-store sales, according to the company. Net income for the quarter was $116.8 million, and sales were […]

Big Boxes Shrinking

See how a handful of boxes are shrinking.  This article talks about specific retailers, their strategies, and what they are trying to achieve.  Ace, Best Buy, Cabela’s, JCPenney, Office Depot, Target, and Walmart are discussed. Time Moneyland Article

Staples Today

This article is a very good accounting of Staples today and how they stack up to the competition.  Topics covered include the following:  * Revenue generation from different segments of business  * Average store revenue for Staples and its competitors  * Store design  * Direction of future business  * Staples branded products Seeking Alpha Article

Toys R Us: 21 New or Remodeled Stores

By the end of 2012, Toys R Us will have opened 8 new locations and remodeled 13 stores to the side-by-side Toys R Us/Babies R Us format as reported in Chain Store Age.  These additions will bring the side-by-side total to 204 by the end of the year. Chain Store Age Article