All North America articles – Page 32

  • News

    Steve Hofmann promoted to chief executive of QVC Europe

    2012-05-25T07:00:00Z

    TV shopping retailer QVC has promoted its Italian chief executive Steve Hofmann to the new position of chief executive of QVC Europe. Hofmann will oversee the television shopping operator’s European markets, including the UK, Germany and Italy, and accelerate growth opportunities in the region. He also retains his position as ...

  • Walmart has renewed its commitment to everyday low prices in the US
    Analysis

    Walmart prospers in US but stuggles with digital

    2012-05-25T00:00:00Z

    Recording its third consecutive quarter of positive comps growth, it appears Walmart has finally found momentum in the US by going back to basics Walmart US reported a 2.6% rise in first-quarter like-for-like sales, excluding fuel, last week.

  • News

    Off-price retailer TJX reports increase on first-quarter earnings

    2012-05-24T07:00:00Z

    Off-price retailer TJX reported that first-quarter earnings soared 58% compared with the same period a year earlier. For the quarter ended April 28, TJX recorded a profit of $419.2m (£265.5m), up from $266m (£168.5m) in the prior year. Sales rose 11% to $5.8bn (£3.67bn) while gross margin climbed to 28.2% ...

  • News

    Gap posts level profits on the year

    2012-05-23T07:00:00Z

    Clothing retailer Gap posted first-quarter profit unchanged on the prior year at $233m (£147.6m). It results from higher like-for-like sales in North America but weakness abroad and a rise in operating expenses. In 2011, Gap suffered a profits slide every quarter, attributed to key trend misses over the past few ...

  • News

    GameStop reports drop in net profits

    2012-05-23T07:00:00Z

    Entertainment retailer GameStop reported a 10% drop in net profit to $72.5m (£45.9m) for its first quarter ended April 28. As the company had previously warned, sales fell 12.2% to $2bn (£1.27bn) on the back of weak demand. The video games specialist said that sales of new hardware and software ...

  • News

    First quarter sales increase at Macy's

    2012-05-18T07:00:00Z

    Department store group Macy’s sales rose 4.3% to $6.1bn (£3.8m) in the first quarter of 2012 when like-for-likes were up 4.4%. Online sales – Macys.com and Bloomingdales.com combined – climbed 33.7%. Online sales are included in the like-for-like sales calculation and lifted the retailer’s like-for-likes by 1.5 percentage points. Macy’s ...

  • News

    Netflix signs multi-year distribution agreement

    2012-05-18T07:00:00Z

    Netflix has signed a multi-year distribution agreement to bring TV shows and classic movies from Twentieth Century Fox to its streaming customers in Latin America. Terms of the agreement, due to commence in July, were not disclosed.The entertainment provider said customers in Latin America would gain access to all past ...

  • Zev Weiss
    Analysis

    Profile: Zev Weiss, chief executive, American Greetings

    2012-05-18T00:00:00Z

    The collapse of Clinton Cards has put the boss of Ohio-based supplier American Greetings at the centre of the controversy.

  • Amazon will offer its US customers thousands of ‘add-on’ low-priced items
    Analysis

    Amazon add-on initiative targets impulse purchases

    2012-05-18T00:00:00Z

    Amazon has introduced a new programme to encourage US customers to add impulse purchases to their online cart.

  • Westfield Stratford has notched up almost £500m of sales since opening last September
    News

    Westfield Stratford approaches £500m of sales

    2012-05-16T09:38:00Z

    Westfield Stratford City has notched up almost £500m of sales since opening last September.

  • News

    GameStop anticipates double-digit sales decline

    2012-05-16T07:00:00Z

    GameStop has warned investors that it anticipates double-digit sales declines for its first quarter. The 12.5% like-for-like sales drop now forecast by the retailer backs up market research from NPD that shows four months of double-digit decreases for the sector.NPD estimates that in April sales of video game software in ...

  • Tourist spend is being fuelled by visitors from China and Southeast Asia
    Analysis

    How to attract international shoppers

    2012-05-14T07:00:00Z

    As a big summer of tourism approaches, Alison Clements finds out why the UK has such appeal to international shoppers, what they like to buy and how retailers can attract them.

  • News

    Revenue increase for pharmacy retailer CVS

    2012-05-11T07:00:00Z

    Pharmacy retailer CVS’s revenues increased 19.9% to $30.8bn (£19bn) for the three months ended March 31. Revenues in the retail pharmacy segment, which operates drugstores, rose 9.9% to $16bn (£9.8bn) while total same-store sales climbed 8.4% as pharmacy sales grew 9.8% and front-store sales increased 5.3% on a same-store basis.Revenues ...

  • News

    Best Buy chief marketing officer resigns

    2012-05-11T07:00:00Z

    Consumer electronics specialist Best Buy has disclosed that chief marketing officer Barry Judge has resigned. Judge held the position since 2008 and is “leaving the company to explore the next chapter in his career”, Best Buy spokesman Greg Hitt said.The retailer declined to say who will replace Judge, stating that ...

  • Target will stop selling Kindle as Amazon continues to grab market share
    Analysis

    Target’s Kindle decision reflects Amazon threat

    2012-05-11T00:00:00Z

    It emerged last week that US-based retailer Target is to stop selling Amazon’s Kindle e-readers and tablet PCs in recognition of the growing competition from the ecommerce retailer.

  • News

    First-quarter sales increase for Publix

    2012-05-09T07:00:00Z

    Grocer Publix’s first-quarter sales rose 4.2% to $7.1bn (£4.4bn), up from last year’s $6.8bn (£4.2bn). Like-for-like sales increased 3.3% while net earnings climbed 2.8% to $409.4m (£253m) compared with $398.2m (£246.2m) in the same period in 2011.Publix currently operates 1,051 stores in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama and Tennessee.

  • Fresh & Easy chief operating officer Jeff Adams is to switch to lead Tesco’s Turkish arm
    News

    Fresh & Easy chief operating officer joins Tesco Turkey

    2012-05-04T09:28:00Z

    Fresh & Easy chief operating officer Jeff Adams has changed roles and is now leading Tesco’s Turkish business.

  • News

    Safeway reports net income increase

    2012-05-04T07:00:00Z

    Grocer Safeway reported net income for the first quarter ended March 24 increase to $81.6m (£50.2m) compared with $25.1m (£15.4m) in the same period last year.Total sales rose 2.4% to $10bn (£6.1bn), while like-for-like sales excluding fuel remained flat.Chairman and chief executive Steve Burd said: “Strong cost controls helped us ...

  • News

    Amazon reports strong sales results

    2012-05-04T07:00:00Z

    Amazon reported better than expected results for the three months ended March 31. Sales rocketed 34% to $13.18bn (£8.1bn), driven by strong sales of Kindle products and digital media. Net income declined 35% to $130m (£80m) compared with $201m (£123m) in the same period last year as it invested in ...

  • News

    Target remodels 90 stores to include fresh food

    2012-05-04T07:00:00Z

    Target has begun remodelling 90 stores across the US and aims to complete the programmed by the end of June.The remodels are the second of three phases this year, which include the addition of fresh food to its general merchandise stores.Almost 1,000 Target stores offer an expanded food layout at ...