Friday Tipsheet: H.Depot CEO on CNBC | Big Bass Pro Sign | 40 More @ Target

 

Home Depot CEO Craig Menear Appears on CNBC by Krystina Gustafson at CNBC. “Tough winter weather and issues at West Coast ports pressured the home improvement retailer’s business in recent months, Menear said. He believes Home Depot will sustain its momentum through low oil prices and a looming Federal Reserve interest rate hike. “We’re not overly concerned about it,” Menear said of a rate increase.” See the video / Read more

 

Target circles back, lays off 40 in HR by Tom Webb at Twin Cities/Pioneer Press. “Thursday’s 40 layoffs at its Minneapolis headquarters are included among the 1,700 jobs cuts announced last week, said Target spokeswoman Molly Snyder. Target “delayed making a small group of position eliminations” until Thursday, she said.” Read more

 

Amazon Gets Drone Permission from FAA by Alex Fitzpatrick at Time via Fortune. “The Federal Aviation Administration gave Amazon’s drones what’s called an experimental airworthiness certificate, which lets the company fly its aircraft for research, testing and crew training purposes…However, the FAA is not yet allowing Amazon to conduct commercial drone flights.” Read more

 

…See FAA Statement  Read more

 

2015 BrandSpark Most Trusted Brands (Paint-Behr, Soft Drink-Coca Cola, Ice Cream-Breyers) See the full list by category

 

***A message from Orchard Road Canning – New designer inspired cap art for the home canning consumer. The decorative series of canning caps features three custom designs: Wild Daisy, Fruit and Gingham. Available in Regular Mouth. Finally, something unique and differentiated to drive incremental sales in the home canning and storage categories!  See the decorative designs. Request product samples: info@shiftmarketinggroup.net.

 

Signage Being Added To Bass Pro Shops Pyramid in Memphis at WHBQ Fox 13. “The signage is so big in fact; they are having to install it in sections.” See the video / Read more

 

Target’s breach settlement: “The odds of anyone getting $10,000 is virtually zero” by Kavita Kumar at Star-Tribune. “Legal experts said it’s unlikely many customers will be able to show a lot of documented proof of significant damages.“The odds of anyone getting $10,000 is virtually zero,” said Eric Goldman, a law professor at Santa Clara University in California.” Read more

 

Sears Rebuts ‘Pay Early’ Critics by Krystina Gustafson at CNBC. “Why would that be a bad thing if we can afford to do so and we get a discount or other benefit from doing it?” (Sears CFO Rob) Schriesheim wrote on the company’s blog.” Read more

 

…compares it to a family that would prefer to pay off its credit cards early if it was able and there was a benefit to doing so. at Chicago Tribune. Read more

 

WSJ Q&A with Macy’s CFO by Kimberly S. Johnson at WSJ. Read the Q&A (Subscription)

 

Sprouts set to open 200th store by Tim Gallen at Phoenix Business Journal. “The 27,500-square-foot store is the 17th Sprouts location in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.” Read more

 

St. Louis: Brick-and-Mortar Furniture Shop Strikes Ecommerce Gold by Gwen Moran at Entrepreneur. “Goedeker’s has transformed itself into a fleet-footed e-tail powerhouse with a national customer base. Goedeker says the site features more than 200,000 products and brings in 92 percent of the company’s revenue. Meanwhile, the staff has grown from the 15 people the store employed seven years ago to more than 90.” Read more

 

Michaels Q4 Comp Sales +1.4% by Maria Halkias at Dallas Morning News. “Port delays are hurting current quarter results, too, chief executive Chuck Rubin said during a call with analysts…adding that any store walk-through will reveal empty pegs where product is slotted to go.” Read more

 

‘Exclusively for white people’ stickers put on Austin stores at SF Gate. “Mayor Steve Adler said the stickers discovered Wednesday morning were “an appalling and offensive display of ignorance in our city.” The stickers also say “Maximum of 5 colored customers / colored BOH staff accepted,” apparently referring to the “back of house” operations at a restaurant.” Read more

 

Tostitos Is Giving Free Dip to People Named Chip by E.J. Schultz at Ad Age. “To plug the promotion, Tostitos created a video that includes Erik Estrada, who of course starred in the 1970s/1980s TV show “CHiPs”.” Read more

 

***

Eye-on-Retail Tipsheet is created early every weekday morning and read by retail merchants and executives worldwide. We love data, earnings reports, executive presentations and stories off the beaten path that get at what’s happening in the world of retail. Contact us at info@shiftmarketinggroup.net.