Today’s Tipsheet: Costco +6% | D.Gen +2.3% | Bullseye Promotes Poppins | Costco’s Cheap Meds
Costco November Comp Sales Flat, +6% Excluding Gas and Foreign Exchange “Costco…reported net sales of $9.68 billion for the month of November…an increase of three percent from $9.43 billion during the similar period last year.” Read more
Dollar General Q3 Comp Sales +2.3% “We achieved 7.3 percent sales growth, 2.3 percent same-store sales growth and adjusted diluted earnings per share growth of 11 percent,” said Todd Vasos, Dollar General’s chief executive officer.” Read the release
Reuters: Dollar General’s quarterly sales miss estimates “The company’s same-store sales rose 2.3 percent, also below the 2.7 percent growth expected by analysts polled by research firm Consensus Metrix.” Read more
Rite Aid Comp Sales for November +0.9% “November front-end same store sales increased 1.2 percent. Pharmacy same store sales, which included an approximate 267 basis points negative impact from new generic introductions, increased 0.7 percent.” Read the release
Target’s Bullseye to Promote ‘Mary Poppins’ by Adrianne Pasquarelli at Ad Age. “ABC and Target are pulling a bit of marketing magic out of their magical carpet bag when the brands broadcast “Mary Poppins” as part of the temporary return of The Wonderful World of Disney at 8 p.m. on Dec. 12. The brands will use Hollywood legend Dick Van Dyke, who starred in the film 51 years ago, and Bullseye, the bull terrier Target mascot, to promote the program.” Read more
H-E-B opens smallest store ever in downtown San Antonio by Katie Burke at San Antonio Business Journal. “The South Flores location…is not only the first downtown store for H-E-B, it’s the first grocery store in the entire downtown area.” See the 11 pics / Read more
Consumer Reports: Costco has the second lowest price for prescription drugs See the ranking by retailer
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Target settles class-action suit over data breach claims for $39 million by Evan Ramstad at Star Tribune. “The suit may set a precedent as the first time a U.S. retailer has absorbed most of the costs incurred by financial firms in a data breach. Home Depot and several other retailers are locked in similar litigation.” Read more
Supervalu replaces Save-A-Lot CEO by Clare Kennedy at Minneapolis/St.Paul Business Journal. “Eric Claus, 59, has for two years been chairman and CEO of Red Apple Stores Inc., a Mississauga, Ontario-based discount chain with 156 stores across Canada. Claus also serves on the board of directors for Rona.” Read more
Fred’s November Comp Sales +1.7% Read the release
Holiday Gift Giving Down in the Workplace “…with only 31 percent planning to give gifts to their co-workers at their level (down from 38 percent in 2014), 28 percent planning to give gifts to their boss (down from 34 percent in 2014), and 19 percent planning to give gifts to other colleagues (down from 24 percent in 2014).” Read the release
Sears Canada same-store sales rise for first time in 2 years at Reuters. “Sears Canada Inc said its same-store sales rose 0.4 percent in the third quarter – the first rise in two years.” Read more
Food Giants Announce Major New Labeling Initiative by Tamar Haspel at Fortune. “More than 30 food giants, including Pepsi, ConAgra, Hormel, Campbell Soup, Land O’Lakes, Coca-Cola, Nestle, Hershey, and General Foods, have signed on to participate in the SmartLabel Initiative. The SmartLabel will include ingredients, allergens, animal welfare, environmental policies, and, perhaps the most controversial attribute, whether the food contains genetically modified organisms (GMOs).” Read more
Controversial Coca-Cola ad depicts whites introducing soda to ‘poor’ Mexicans by Justin Wm. Moyer at Washington Post. “It’s outrageous for the indigenous,” Diana Turner, a spokesman for Consumer Power, told the Associated Press.” See the ad / Read more
…Coke Pulls Mexican Ad After Outcry by E.J. Schultz at Ad Age. Read more
Actor Nick Cannon Joins RadioShack As Chief Creative Officer “RadioShack and I are going to create a lot of cool things together in the coming months, and I can’t wait to tell you all about it,” added Nick Cannon.” Read the release
Tipsheet Extra Stories
Rev. Jesse Jackson says Amazon, Costco needs more minorities
Freshii will open its 8th location within a Chicago-area Target store
New Jersey Residents Claim Amazon is Delivering a Traffic Nightmare to their Town
A Sour, Hard-to-Eat, Occasionally Deadly Fruit Makes Comeback
Walmart #1 in Faith Equality Index
Dollar General Names John W. Garratt as Chief Financial Officer
OpenTable Reveals 100 Best Restaurants in America
Contact Jason Long, jlong@eyeonretail.net