Tipsheet: Fortune 500 Retailers | D.Tree Countersues | Tops -3.4% | At Home +5.8%

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Introducing the 2017 Fortune 500 List (Walmart #1, CVS #7, Costco #16, Kroger #18, Home Depot #23) Full list | Biggest Jumps | Most Profitable

 

At Home Q1 Comp Sales +5.8% Press release

 

Tops Q1 Comp Sales -3.4% Press release

 

Duluth Trading Co. Q1 Net Sales +21.9% Press release

 

Claire’s Q1 Comp Sales +4.4% / North America +0.3% Press release

 

United Natural Foods Q3 Net Sales +11.1% Press release

 

Walmart built a giant vending machine that retrieves groceries by Hayley Peterson at Business Insider. “(Walmart) is testing a giant self-service kiosk in the parking lot of a supercenter in Warr Acres, Oklahoma, where customers can pick up online grocery orders without interacting with employees.” Pics/Read more

 

Kohl’s kicks off summer internship program by Melanie Lawder at Milwaukee Business Journal. “Over the next few months, the 170 interns placed at (HQ) will be immersed in Kohl’s culture, mentored by employees, tasked with real work assignments and come in contact with the organization’s leaders…” Pics/Read more

 

Macy’s considering turning Big Apple store roof into public park by Lisa Fickenscher at NY Post. “Macy’s brass are considering plans to develop the rooftop of its massive 2.2 million-square-foot 34th Street store, adding restaurants and open green space, including trees and benches, it said Tuesday.” Read more

 

…Macy’s has identified at least 50 of its 841 stores that are ripe for a parking lot makeover — or other type of real estate repurposing. “We don’t need the massive parking lots that we had in the 1970s,” Doug Sessler, the head of Macy’s real estate division, told analysts during the company’s investor day on Tuesday.” Read more

 

Dallas Is The Home Of The World’s First Energy-Positive Big Box Store by Dan Solomon at Texas Monthly. “The (TreeHouse) store is the first big-box (27,000 square foot) retailer in the world that’s not just carbon-neutral, but which is actually “energy positive”—that is, which generates more electricity than it uses, feeding the excess back into the grid with the help of Tesla Powerpack batteries.” Read more

 

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KROGER – For the first time in more than four decades, downtown Cincinnati will have a grocery store by Chris Wetterich at Cincinnati Business Courier. Pics/Read more

 

…CEO Rodney McMullen: Kroger has been working with city officials on a downtown Cincinnati store for about a decade by Steve Watkins at Cincinnati Business Courier. Read more

 

Dollar Tree countersues Dollar Express, alleges funds siphoned via Business Insider. “Dollar Tree accused Sycamore of siphoning tens of millions of dollars from Dollar Express, failing to pay for at least $50 million in goods and services provided to Dollar Express during a transition period and failing to rebrand Family Dollar stores as Dollar Express.” Read more

 

Love’s Travel Stops names new vice president, director at FleetOwner. “Gary Price has been promoted to vice president of operations, and Tony Cribb has been promoted to division director.” Read more

 

Home Depot Runs 100,000 Radio Commercials — In One Week at Radio Ink. “That’s more than double the number two advertiser GEICO (42,250)….Lowe’s fell completely out of the Media Monitors top ten to 11th…AutoZone was 4th (26,030).” Read more

 

Sears is closing 66 more stores by Kevin McCoy at USA Today. “The closing will include 49 Kmart stores and 17 Sears stores, with most closing by September.” Read more

 

Ikea Canada on target to double its footprint by 2025, says new president by Linda Nguyen at Canadian Press via Vancouver Sun. “Its plan is to have 24 locations by 2025, with one store slated for opening in Halifax in the fall and another in Quebec City by the summer of 2018.” Read more

 

The U.S. government’s patent chief has just unexpectedly resigned by Tony Romm at Recode. Read more

 

Sears resolves its spat with Craftsman power-tool vendor One World by Michael Sheetz at CNBC. Read more

 

…Sears sues second Craftsman vendor to maintain tool supply by Becky Yerak at Chicago Tribune. “Ideal, under a “transition” period in the contract, however, is supposed to continue to supply products for six months, through the end of October, but Ideal did so for only one month, Sears alleges.” Read more

 

CHARLOTTE – Harris Teeter Goes Retro in Publix Battle by Katherine Peralta at Charlotte Observer. “Publix may have opened in South End two years ago, but the retro logo adorning the new Harris Teeter on South Boulevard, just half a mile away from its rival, sends a clear message: “We were this neighborhood’s original grocery store.” Read more

 

bebe stores, inc. Announces Completion of Reorganization Press release

 

Relax, it’s just close friends Bill Gates and Warren Buffett testing mattresses at Nebraska Furniture Mart by Kurt Schlosser at GeekWire. “Gates shared a new blog post and video about his trip to Nebraska Furniture Mart, a megastore owned by Buffett’s company. As if it was cut from Hollywood’s latest buddy comedy, the video showcases why Gates and Buffett have remained close for more than 25 years.” Pic/Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories

Mom arrested for yanking son’s teeth out with pliers at Walmart bathroom

Man set fires at Home Depot, townhouse complex after he was turned down for job

Tracy Morgan refuses to testify under oath in Walmart insurance dispute

Macy’s warning crashes stock, sinks shares of rival retailers

Jack Trout, Co-Author of ‘Positioning,’ Dies at 82

Colombian grocery delivery app Mercadoni raises $6.2M

Etsy really wants to keep Etsy sellers away from Shopify

Netflix, ABC Hacker Promises More Leaks: “Hollywood Is Under Attack”

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Tipsheet: Amazon SNAP Fighter | Michael’s -1.2% | Drexler Out | Hollar’s Pride

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Michaels Q1 Comp Sales -1.2% “I am encouraged with the improving trend in customer transactions this quarter, especially given the headwinds we faced as we anniversaried last year’s coloring trend,” said Chuck Rubin, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.” Press release

 

HD Supply Q1 Net Sales +5.2% – Announces Sale of HD Supply Waterworks Business Unit Press release

 

Fred’s Q1 Total Pharmacy Comp +3.3% Press release

 

Lands’ End Q1 Comp Sales +2.1% / Revenue Dips “Retail segment net revenue decreased 2.8% to $40.0 million, as compared to the same period last year, primarily due to fewer Lands’ End Shops at Sears.” Press release

 

J.Crew’s Mickey Drexler to step down as CEO by Lisa Fickenscher & Josh Kosman at NY Post. “Drexler, whose 10 percent stake makes him the largest individual investor in J.Crew, will remain chairman of the New York company.” Read more

 

…Jim Brett Joins J.Crew as CEO “Mr. Brett most recently served as President of West Elm, a member of the Williams-Sonoma, Inc. portfolio..Mr. Brett was the Chief Merchandising Officer for the Urban Outfitters Division of Urban Outfitters, Inc.” Press release

 

Amazon offers Prime discount to those on government benefits via CNBC. “Amazon says customers who get benefits such as through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or food stamps, can pay $5.99 per month for membership.” Read more

 

…Takes direct aim at Wal-Mart by Laura Stevens & Sarah Nassauer at Wall Street Journal. “Wal-Mart generated about $13 billion in sales last year from shoppers using the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, accounting for around 18% of the money spent through the program nationwide.” Read more (subscription)

 

Cabela’s shareholders will vote July 11 on selling company to Bass Pro by Paige Yowell at Omaha World-Herald. Read more | Press release

 

Giant Eagle to offer up to 100 buyouts by Rachel Treisman at Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “This is the second buyout Giant Eagle has offered in the last nine months, with the company eliminating 350 corporate positions through a mix of voluntary buyouts and layoffs last October.” Read more

 

**A message from the Internet Retailer Conference & Exhibition – Show Starts Today! Whether you’re focused on solutions in content or search marketing, maximizing your mobile commerce platforms or minimizing customer disengagement, you’ll find what you need at IRCE. Chicago McCormick Place West June 6-9. Website | Exhibitor list | Register now

 

Casey’s Q4 Grocery/Other Comp Sales +1.5% “Casey’s annual goal was to increase same-store sales 6.2%…”In spite of the pressures experienced by many in the industry, we continue to be a leader in same-store sales growth in this category” said (CEO) Handley.” Press release

 

Nearly two-thirds of U.S. internet users visited Amazon in the first quarter: Wells Fargo by Tonya Garcia at MarketWatch. Read more

 

Some of Amazon’s own brands are becoming super popular online by Jason Del Rey at Recode. “In batteries, for example, the AmazonBasics brand has become the most popular online, accounting for an estimated third of all digital sales in batteries as of last summer. In the baby wipe category, the Amazon Elements brand, which is two-and-a-half years old, holds an estimated 15 percent-plus of online market share — behind only Huggies and Pampers.” Read more

 

Mills Fleet Farm aims to double its size within 6 years by Rick Romell at Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “Wisconsin, home to 18 Mills stores, will see a good share of that growth…That, and the strong possibility that Mills will expand into Illinois, could bring the retailer into closer competition with the similarly named but separate Blain’s Farm & Fleet.” Read more

 

Aldi’s in Australia: Shoppers can save almost $80 on a basket vs. leading supermarket brand products by Lucy Cormack at Sydney Morning Herald. Read more

 

IRI: Only 8% of U.S. shoppers have used a click-and-collect program but 82% would “definitely” or “probably” use it again Press release

 

Carl Icahn vs. AutoZone/O’Reilly/Advance Auto Parts by Josh Kosman at NY Post. “The billionaire investor is looking to acquire thousands of auto-repair shops, with the idea that they will buy products directly from his own distributor, AutoPlus, instead of the national car-parts chains, sources told The Post.” Read more

 

Ahold Delhaize Posts 10 Private Brand Jobs by Christopher Durham at My Private Brand. Read more

 

Shipt raises $40 million to challenge dominant grocery delivery startups by Jonathan Shieber at TechCrunch. “Shipt is looking to aggressively expand beyond the 47 metro areas and 20 million families it currently serves to roughly 100 cities within the next year. Astonishingly, the original crew of investors is essentially doubling down their $20 million investment from a little less than a year ago.” Read more

 

India overtakes China as the most promising market for retail expansion by Lauren Thomas at CNBC. “Vietnam was number six on the list, moving ahead five spots from last year as the country boasts more liberal investment laws. Also in Asia, Malaysia and Indonesia placed third and eighth place, respectively, the report said.” Read more

 

Amazon reportedly eyeing Android-based ‘Ice’ smartphone, possibly focused on India by Nat Levy at GeekWire. Read more

 

Apple finally wakes up to QR codes, but it’s too late by Jon Russell at TechCrunch. Read more

 

How the online Dollar store Hollar found success with thrifty millennial moms by Rina Raphael at Fast Company. “It fills us with a tremendous amount of pride that 80% of the shipments being sent out of our warehouse is to outside California and New York,” Yeom adds. “It’s going to Middle America. And we embrace it.” Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories

Heidi Klum’s fashion label strikes deal with grocery store chain

Cabela’s hometown has ‘lost a lot of people’ amid pending sale to Bass Pro

Possible Marsh buyer could be known soon

Watch eBay’s new TV ad that fires a shot at the Amazon-ification of online shopping

Jury awards Kim Lund $45.2M for her stake in Lunds & Byerlys

Seattle City Council passes sugary drink tax with loopholes for small businesses (and diet)

ABC “Pink Slime” Trial Opens With Scathing Attacks on Media Bias

Kroger delays store construction across Cincinnati region

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Eye on Retail Tipsheet is must-read material for 20,000+ retail execs every weekday morning. Tipsheet stories are carefully curated bright and early every morning to ensure fresh and unique content.

 

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Tipsheet: Target CMO Q&A | F.Dollar’s ‘Scheme to Kill’ | F.Below +2.6% | RH +9%

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Five Below Q1 Comp Sales +2.6% “Net sales increased by 20.8% to $232.9 million from $192.7 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2016.” Press release

 

Forbes Q&A with Target CMO Rick Gomez by Jennifer Rooney. “Rooney: How have you helped the organization navigate the transition after the departure of (Jeff) Jones? Gomez: I have the utmost respect for Jeff. I have learned a lot from him. I think I had a bit of an advantage in that I had been at this company for four years. I had a jumpstart. I understand the culture and the brand, and the culture is constantly changing and evolving.” Read more

 

Wal-Mart testing use of employees to offer final mile delivery by Kim Souza at Talk Business. “One store in Northwest Arkansas and two and in New Jersey were used to conduct the tests for about four weeks. They delivered dozens of packages to customer homes, most often the day after they were ordered online.” Read more

 

…raises insurance liability question by Michael Tilley at Talk Business. “How do you know when that 25-year old driver forgets to pay his premiums … and doesn’t tell Wal-Mart about it, and it just cancels out in the middle of the year?” Clark explained.” Read more

 

Restoration Hardware Q1 Comp Sales +9.0% Press release

 

Fred’s May Comp Sales +0.8% “Fred’s total sales for the month decreased 3.1% year-over-year to $160.1 million from $165.2 million in May 2016. The decrease in sales is related to the closure of 39 underperforming stores in the first quarter.” Press release

 

Family Dollar’s ‘scheme to kill’ Dollar Express cost thousands of jobs, suit says by Katherine Peralta & Rick Rothacker at Charlotte Observer. “Had Dollar Express known defendants’ true intentions, Dollar Express never would have purchased the stores,” the suit reads. “Similarly, defendants’ false representations enabled them to obtain the pre-merger approvals from the (Federal Trade Commission) required to consummate the merger.” Read more

 

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Lululemon Q1 Comp Sales -2.0% Press release

 

…Lululemon To Close Most Tween-Focused Ivivva Stores by John Kell at Fortune. “…close about 40 of the company’s 55 ivivva-branded stores and convert half of the remaining stores to Lululemon-branded shops. It will also close all of the ivivva showrooms and other temporary locations.” Read more

 

Senior lenders at odds with J.Crew over debt restructuring by Josh Kosman at NY Post. “Instead of gaining a quick legal remedy to its financial problems as hoped, J. Crew is facing a drawn-out court battle and a possible 2018 trial. By then, however, it may run out of cash — and other options, sources said.” Read more

 

How Panera Solved Its ‘Mosh Pit’ Problem by Julie Jargon at Wall Street Journal. “Today, online orders make up more than a quarter of its company-owned restaurant sales, and the average time customers spend waiting in line to order food has shrunk to one minute.” Read more (subscription)

 

China: Online sales for physical goods account for 12.4% of retail sales by Frank Tong at Internet Retailer. Read more

 

Blue Apron’s big post-IPO challenge: Making more money from existing customers by Jason Del Rey & Rani Molla at Recode. “In the filing, the company claims its cost to acquire each customer…is $94…If you want a more recent number like, say, over the last 12 months, you get cost per customer of around $460 — not $94 — if you divide marketing costs over that timeframe by customers added during that period.” Read more

 

Walmart’s 2017 Shareholder Meeting is Underway… Webcast

 

Gen Z Power List: Meet the Brands, Platforms and Creators That Teens Love (Forever 21, Brandy Melville…) at Adweek. Read more

 

Office Depot Announces Deal to Sell Operations in Mainland China Press release

 

Macy’s Promotes Yasir Anwar to Executive Vice President, Chief Technology Officer “Mike Robinson has been named executive vice president, product management and customer experience…Prior to joining Macy’s, Anwar was the head of engineering at Walmartlabs, where he built next generation platforms for Walmart Global eCommerce. Previously, Anwar was the head of engineering for Samsclub.com.” Press release

 

Canada Goose posts smaller-than-expected quarterly loss via CNBC. “Direct-to-consumer sales surged more than 174 percent to C$36.5 million in the quarter.” Read more

 

Walmart’s insurance company is demanding Tracy Morgan be grilled under oath by Karen Ruiz at Daily Mail. “(The insurance company) is even demanding a list of medicines he was prescribed after the crash, any records of physical or mental examinations and documents related to his appearance on Saturday Night Live and The Emmys – and information regarding his ability to drive a Lamborghini after the accident.” Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories

See the Fortune 100 Companies Doing the Most to Stop Climate Change

NY Times: Walmart is accused of punishing workers for sick days

ShopRite signs on for five more years as LPGA tourney sponsor

$153 million sale gives Costco and Microsoft a new landlord in Issaquah

Sherwin-Williams closes on deal for Valspar

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Eye on Retail Tipsheet is must-read material for 20,000+ retail execs every weekday morning. Tipsheet stories are carefully curated bright and early every morning to ensure fresh and unique content.

 

Subscribe to Eye on Retail Tipsheet here

 

Contact us: Send story tips, press releases and advertising inquiries to info@eyeonretail.net

 

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Tipsheet: Kmart Breach | D.Gen +0.7% | Wmart Mtg Day 1 | Ex-H.Depot Podcast

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Dollar General Q1 Comp Sales +0.7% “Same-store sales were driven by positive results in the consumables and apparel categories, partially offset by negative results in the home and seasonal categories.” Press release

 

Hackers breach Kmart’s credit card payment system via Fortune. “The company said its Kmart store payment data systems were infected with a form of malicious code that was undetectable by its current antivirus systems, adding it was later able to remove the malicious code.” Read more

 

Express Q1 Comp Sales -10% “…compared to a 3% decrease in the first quarter of 2016.” Press release

 

Walmart U.S. execs talk success, challenges and opportunity by Kim Souza at Talk Business. “More than 3,000 of the 1.5 million Walmart U.S. employees donned in matching blue t-shirts filed into Bud Walton Arena early Wednesday (May 31) to kick off the retail giant’s annual shareholder week. What they heard first from top U.S. executives was “thank you.” Walmart U.S. COO Judith McKenna opened the meeting saying just that, “Thank you for the difference you have made.” Read more

 

…Washington Post: Walmart is preparing to take on Amazon. But first, parachuting M&M’s. by Abha Bhattarai. “An accounts payable specialist sang the “Star-Spangled Banner.” Actor and former professional football player Terry Crews emceed, and pop singer Julia Michaels performed. Bags of caramel chocolate M&Ms parachuted from the ceiling…” Read more

 

…1,500 Wal-Mart International employees meet in shareholders week, encouraged to take home company culture by Jeff Della Rosa at Talk Business. “(Cheesewright) said the company’s international division is not the “biggest, but we’re the most interesting by a long, long way.” Unlike the U.S. division, it has 65 store formats, and is in the fourth consecutive year of improving quarterly sales. “I don’t think there’s any other segment that has done that,” he said.” Read more

 

“Crazy Good Turns” podcast from ex-Home Depot execs focuses on interesting charities at Atlanta Journal Constitution. “Frank (Blake) and I are both big music fans,” Shaw said. “After we retired, we even considered opening a live music venue but quickly saw the folly in that. Music definitely augments the experience and brings a richness that might not otherwise be there.” Read more

 

CEO says Supervalu will scout for more wholesaler acquisitions as retail wanes by Dan DeBaun at Minneapolis/St.Paul Business Journal. “I’m a grocery wholesaler. I’ve run retail, but I’m first and foremost a wholesaler and that’s where I believe where our strengths lie,” (CEO) Gross said. “That is our core business and that’s where our growth lies.” Gross’ remarks took place during the RBC Capital Markets Consumer and Retail Conference in Boston.” Read more

 

**A message from the Internet Retailer Conference & Exhibition – June 6th is Showtime! You need the right strategies, technologies and connections to enhance your e-commerce business. Whether you’re focused on solutions in content or search marketing, maximizing your mobile commerce platforms or minimizing customer disengagement, you’ll find what you need at IRCE. Chicago McCormick Place West June 6-9. Website | Exhibitor list | Register now

 

Amazon should buy Macy’s, analysts say by Andy Brownfield at Cincinnati Business Courier. Read more

 

Whole Foods under more pressure from activist investor, Ex-Kellogg exec nominated for board by Will Anderson at Austin Business Journal. Read more

 

Netflix CEO: We’re like Starbucks, and Amazon is like Walmart by Taylor Soper at GeekWire. “What (Amazon does) is incredible at their breadth. We want to focus on how we can be the embodiment of entertainment, joy, movies, and TV shows.” Read more

 

Payless may close more than 300 additional stores at Atlanta Business Chronicle. Read more

 

Walmart is bringing VR instruction to all of its U.S. training centers by Lucas Matney at TechCrunch. “Each location will have an Oculus Rift headset and gaming PC showcasing a collection of VR training content. The virtual reality instruction Walmart will be using is entirely 360-degree video-based and will include interactive on-screen cues asking trainees to make decisions after encountering various situations.” Read more

 

Amazon partners with UC Berkeley for first foray into investigative journalism by Monica Nickelsburg at GeekWire. Read more

 

A “Fireside Chat” by Marc Lore on June 7th at 1:25 p.m. EDT Press release

 

Dallas-Fort Worth is now Wal-Mart’s biggest online grocery market in the nation by Maria Halkias at Dallas Morning News. “Some North Texas Wal-Mart stores are filling 900 orders a week. The average for the region is around 500 to 600 orders a week, said Jason Fogerty, Wal-Mart’s Dallas area market coach for e-commerce.” Read more

 

Users “Gush” About Amazon’s New Grocery Pickup Service at Field Agent “As a very early indication, AmazonFresh pickup looks like a winner. Prime members practically gushed about what they saw…” Video/Pics/Read more

 

Amazon begins offering refunds for unauthorized in-app purchases by Devin Coldewey at TechCrunch “There’s no big hurry: you have a full year to submit your requests for refunds.” Read more

 

Williams-Sonoma Announces New Board Members Press release

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories

Hillary Clinton: Jeff Bezos saved The Washington Post

Paul Allen rolls out world’s largest airplane

Girl, 16, ‘stabs her Uber driver to death after stealing a machete from Walmart

Yuengling’s Ice Cream has opened its first freestanding store

The unlikely pairing of the PGA Tour and Arby’s rests on a golfer known as Beef Johnston

HP CEO says an intern helped spur ‘the birth of a new category’ in printing

Student launches ‘Do it in the back seat’ seat belt campaign

Read Tipsheet Extra Stories

 

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Eye on Retail Tipsheet is must-read material for 20,000+ retail execs every weekday morning. Tipsheet stories are carefully curated bright and early every morning to ensure fresh and unique content.

 

Subscribe to Eye on Retail Tipsheet here

 

Contact us: Send story tips, press releases and advertising inquiries to info@eyeonretail.net

 

Website: www.eyeonretail.net