Tipsheet: QVC Buys HSN | Ex-Target to Caribou | Costco +6% | Kroger Sues Lidl

 

QVC buying Home Shopping Network in deal valued at $2.1 billion at CNBC. “Liberty Interactive will purchase the 62 percent of HSNi that it didn’t already own in an all-stock deal valued at $2.1 billion.” Read more

 

Costco June Comp Sales +6.0% “Costco reported net sales of $12.17 billion for the month of June, the five weeks ended July 2, 2017, an increase of  seven percent from $11.33 billion during the similar period last year.” Press release

 

KROGER VS. LIDL – Kroger sues Lidl for trademark infringement by Steve Watkins at Cincinnati Business Courier. “Kroger argues in the lawsuit it filed in U.S. District Court in Richmond, Va, that Lidl’s Preferred Selection store brand and logo are too close to Kroger’s trademarked Private Selection store brand.” Read more

 

Former Target executive hired as president of Caribou Coffee by Marianne Wilson at CSA. “John Butcher, who most recently served as senior VP merchandising: beauty and DermStore, has been tapped as president of Caribou Coffee…Butcher left Target in June amid a major restructuring of the chain’s merchandising division.” Read more

 

Auto parts suppliers hurting from latest rival — Amazon by Josh Kosman at NY Post. “O’Reilly Automotive, blamed poor weather in the period for its lackluster revenue, an executive at a rival chain said…“There is no doubt the internet is having an impact on sales and margins,” the executive told The Post, noting that the weather was not a significant factor for his chain.” Read more

 

…Weak sales at O’Reilly Automotive send shares tumbling 20% at CNBC. “(O’Reilly) announced comparable-store sales growth of 1.7 percent for the second quarter, below its previous guidance of 3 to 5 percent growth.” Read more

 

Hobby Lobby to pay $3 million fine, forfeit ancient artifacts at CNN. “The dealers working with Hobby Lobby falsely labeled the shipments as “ceramics” and “samples” and illegally shipped them to Hobby Lobby stores and two corporate offices, according to the DOJ.” Read more

 

The Buckle June Comp Sales -5.8% Press release

 

Antitrust regulators sign off on Cabela’s sale to Bass Pro by Paige Yowell at Omaha World-Herald. “Now, investors will most likely turn their attention to the sale of Cabela’s World’s Foremost Bank, a subsidiary that operates the company’s credit card. The bank must be sold before the deal with Bass Pro can close…Meanwhile, the Oct. 3 merger deadline, after which all parties could walk away from the deal, is not that far off.” Read more

 

Fred’s June Comp Sales -1.6% Press release

 

**A message from the Las Vegas Souvenir & Resort Gift Show – get ready for the nation’s largest souvenir show! We bring together 1,300+ booths filled with the latest introductions from every major souvenir and resort supplier. The show welcomes even more made in America products, a new Boardwalk section and a special spotlight on Gourmet gifts. Look for new events and educational offerings, too . September 13-16, 2017. Register Now | Exhibitor List

 

Amazon, Dish and a Shared Vision of a Wireless ‘Internet of Things’ at Wall Street Journal. “Now, the satellite-television mogul is turning his attention to the technology world and a new—and somewhat surprising—potential partner has emerged: Amazon.com Inc. The two men—eccentric billionaires with geek tendencies and shared interest in space and robotics—have gotten to know each other better over the past year and have discussed a partnership to enter the wireless business, according to people familiar with the matter.” Read more (subs.)

 

YouGov: Most improved brands among millennials (Ace Hardware #16) at Adweek. List/Read more

 

…Brands with the highest current customer scores for millennials (Amazon #4, Walmart #5, Target #13, Walgreen #16, CVS #20) at Adweek. List/Read more

 

ALEXA HEAD START – Amazon pushes Alexa ordering with $10 for first-time voice shoppers by Sarah Perez at TechCrunch. “Those who shop from an Echo, Echo Dot, Echo Show, Amazon Tap, Fire TV or Fire tablet will gain access to Prime Day deals on July 10th, from 4 pm to 6 pm PT, two hours before they’re open to the general public.” Read more

 

Alibaba is joining Amazon and Google in the smart speaker game by Mike Snider at USA Today. “…unveiled its Tmall Genie speaker Wednesday in Beijing…The speakers will be available to the general public on August 8. For now, Alibaba’s Tmall Genie speaks Mandarin and will only be available only in China.” Read more

 

WALMART LEANS INTO WINE – Wal-Mart says its culinary center is a game changer by Kim Souza at Talk Business. “Wal-Mart is focusing on its quality branded wines in an effort to change consumer perception. “I don’t think anyone really thinks of Wal-Mart as a destination for fine wine, but we want to change that perception,” Dominguez said. “One of the things we are doing is really leaning into quality wines this year.” Read more

 

NEXT – Amazon is now developing its own wines by Jason Del Rey at Recode. “The new line includes a Pinot Gris for $20, a Red Blend for $30 and a Pinot Noir for $40 — not extravagant prices, but higher than I would expect for Amazon, which always is thinking about mass appeal.” Read more

 

Ikea to host ‘Head Start’ event at NYU for startup bootcamp candidates by Anthony Noto at New York Business Journal. “The program will kick off July 6 with an event at NYU Data Future Lab in Lower Manhattan, where CEOs will be able to meet with a team of five people consisting of representatives from both IKEA and Rainmaking.” Read more

 

PriceSmart Q3 net warehouse club sales increase 3.8% Press release

 

Amazon puts an additional $260M into its Indian business by Catherine Shu at TechCrunch. “The infusion of capital comes in time to prepare Amazon India for the holiday shopping season, which centers around the Dussehra and Diwali festivals in the fall.” Read more

 

Jeans company True Religion latest retailer to seek bankruptcy protection via Toronto Star. Read more

 

Shopping-Mall Owners Pay Up to Stay Relevant in Amazon Era by Sarah Mulholland at Bloomberg. “The math is pretty obvious, pretty compelling, but there are risks,” St. Juste said in an interview. “This hasn’t been done before on a broad scale.” Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories

Walmart shopper discovers razor blade on shopping cart

“Sons of Anarchy” Spinoff to Be Reshot, Key Roles Recast

Dak Prescott accused of using machine to sign autograph

Ex-Amazon manager’s modular, smart housing startup Blokable is raising cash

Wal-Mart upgrades to Angus beef

‘Serial entrepreneur’ moves on from Lumber Liquidators

Read Tipsheet Extra Stories

 

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