Home Depot Q1 US Comp Sales +7.1% “Comparable store sales for the first quarter of fiscal 2015 were positive 6.1 percent…the Company raised its fiscal 2015 sales guidance and now expects sales will be up approximately 4.2 percent to 4.8 percent and comp sales will be up approximately 4.0 percent to 4.6 percent.” Read the release

 

Home Depot sales and earnings beat thanks to the ‘continued recovery of the US housing market’ at Reuters. “Revenue rose 6 percent to $20.89 billion. Excluding items, the company earned $1.16 per share. Analysts on average had expected a profit of $1.15 per share and revenue of $20.81 billion, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.” Read more

 

Walmart Q1 Comp Sales +1.1% “E-commerce sales globally increased approximately 17%. Consolidated operating income declined 8.3%, due to impacts from currency fluctuations and investments in associate wages & training and e-commerce.” Read the release

 

Wal-Mart revenues and earnings miss by Akin Oyedele at Business Insider. “The world’s largest retailer reported first quarter diluted earnings per share of $1.03, missing expectations for $1.05, according to Bloomberg. The company posted revenues of $114.88 billion, below the consensus forecast for $116.23 billion.” Read more

 

Dick’s Sporting Goods Q1 Comp +1.8% “The Company expects to open approximately 45 new DICK’S Sporting Goods stores and relocate seven DICK’S Sporting Goods stores in 2015. The Company also expects to open approximately nine Field & Stream stores and relocate one Golf Galaxy store in 2015.” Read the release

 

Lane Bryant owner to buy Ann Taylor stores for $2.15 billion by Samantha Masunaga at LA Times.  Read more

 

J.C. Penney bag appearance on Mad Men’s finale was a big surprise by Maria Halkias at Dallas News. “Usually a movie or TV producer works with the company to feature new or vintage Penney branding, she said. But in this case, no one at the company recalls receiving a request from Mad Men. And no one is complaining in Plano.” Read more

 

***A Message from CLUG: The World’s Smallest Bike Rack is Now Available. The CLUG Bike Clip is targeted at the urban cyclist and the casual enthusiast who are short on storage space for their bikes.  CLUG is a patent pending, high quality product that made the list of 2014 Best Stuff by GQ Magazine in their December 2014 issue.  See the video.  See the sell sheet.  Retailers:Contact info@shiftmarketinggroup.net to request a product sample.

 

The ‘adventure’ of doing business with Wal-Mart by Kim Souza at The City Wire. Read more

 

Feds propose multi-pronged plan to bolster decline in bees by Seth Borenstein at AP via Yahoo. “Lessening “the effects of pesticides on bees is a priority for the federal government,” the report said.” Read more

 

Restoration Hardware plans largest U.S. store for Las Vegas by Jennifer Robison at Las Vegas Review Journal. “At more than 70,000 square feet, the store will be Restoration Hardware’s first Nevada location…The Atlanta store is currently the biggest outpost, at 68,000 square feet. The typical Restoration Hardware store is about 10,000 square feet.” Read more

 

Atlanta No. 1 city for mosquitoes by Phil Hudson at Atlanta Business Chronicle. See the top 10 city list

 

The 10 most-purchased brands in the world at Business Insider. See Kantar’s top 10 list

 

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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 really happening in the world of retail. Contact us at info@shiftmarketinggroup.net.