Deep Dive | January 18, 2019 Premium US Digital Payments Take Off, with Unexpected Winners and LosersThe digital payments landscape is evolving rapidly as consumers and merchants adopt more innovative modes of payments. Cash is declining worldwide, while credit and debit cards have gained popularity. Mobile payment and wallet services are also gaining traction, supported by growing smartphone use, faster data rates and greater Internet penetration. Read More
Deep Dive | January 18, 2019 Premium Aldi and Lidl in the US: Aldi Climbs the Grocery RankingsAldi is America’s eighth-biggest grocery retailer by estimated 2018 revenues, according to Euromonitor International. It has grown revenues by an estimated CAGR of 12.7% over the past five years. After a shaky start in the U.S. market, Lidl has diversified into a range of store formats. Lidl is continuing to open stores at a steady pace, and its recent acquisition of the 27-strong Best Market Chain suggests a renewed impetus to grow its footprint in the U.S. Read More
Event Coverage | January 18, 2019 Register for Free Access Luxury FirstLook 2019—Digital Acceleration: Key TakeawaysCoresight Research attended Luxury Daily’s Luxury FirstLook 2019: Digital Acceleration conference in New York. The event was packed with senior executives from luxury brands, retailers, agencies, publishers and service providers. We were there to discuss digital acceleration, but most in the room agreed luxury companies are still in the early stages of adopting cutting-edge technology tools – not keeping up with their more digitally savvy clientele. Read More
Store Tracker | January 18, 2019 Premium Weekly Store Openings and Closures Tracker 2019, Week 3: Gymboree to Close 800 Stores, Chico’s Set to Close 250 Stores Over Three YearsYear to date in 2019, U.S. retailers have announced 1,725 store closures and 1,379 store openings. Read More
Flash Report | January 18, 2019 Register for Free Access Walgreens Boots Alliance and Microsoft Forge Partnership to Explore Digital Health OpportunitiesDrugstore retailer WBA and technology giant Microsoft have entered into a seven-year agreement which includes developing software and technology for patient care management and retail store operations. This alliance follows close on the heels of last month’s deal with Alphabet’s life sciences business Verily to help patients manage medication. Through this partnership, WBA will be able to leverage Microsoft’s cloud services suite Azure. The suite of tools and applications uses several cutting-edge technologies, such as cloud, AI, the Internet of Things (IoT) and blockchain. Microsoft has developed a host of healthcare tools, such as a smartphone app to connect users with healthcare providers and AI-based software engines to crunch masses of patient data to help detect possible health conditions sooner. Read More
Company Earnings Update | January 18, 2019 Register for Free Access Primark (LSE: ABF) 1Q19 Trading Update: Store Expansion Lifts SalesPrimark increased its revenues 4% year over year, at both constant currency and actual exchange rates. This was below the consensus estimate of 5.5% constant-currency growth recorded by StreetAccount. Sales growth was driven by an increase in the retail selling space partially offset by a modest decline in same-store sales. Operating margins improved due to lower purchasing costs (led by a weaker U.S. dollar) and better stock management, the company did not provide figures. U.K. sales grew 1% year over year, which ABF claimed was ahead of the overall U.K. apparel market. The company pointed to positive U.K. comparable sales in September and October, a weak November and a December that exceeded its expectations. Read More
Company Earnings Update | January 18, 2019 Register for Free Access Casino Group (ENXTPA: CO) 4Q18 Update: French Protests Drag on Sales GrowthCasino Group reported that group comparable sales excluding automotive fuel were up 3.6% year over year in 4Q18, versus the 3.3% rate reported for 3Q18 and just shy of the 3.7% consensus estimate recorded by StreetAccount. Total group sales were up 0.2% year over year. Read More
Analyst Corner | January 17, 2019 Register for Free Access Weinswig’s Weekly January 18, 2019This week’s note “From the Desk of Deborah Weinswig” sums up the discussion of the future of physical stores that we heard at NRF 2019: Retail’s Big Show this week. Read More
Deep Dive | January 17, 2019 Premium 10 Tech Startup Trends Reshaping Retail in 2019: Get Ready for Digital DisruptionThe retail industry has undergone a significant transformation over the past decade, and continues to evolve quickly. In 2019, the market will be defined by emerging technologies that change the way consumers interact with brands, by new engagement formats and channels, as retailers look to collaboration more with startups to future-proof their businesses. Read More
Event Coverage | January 16, 2019 Register for Free Access NRF 2019 Day 3: Hearing About Mission-Driven Brands, China’s Digital Leadership and How Inclusion Can Fuel GrowthOver the course of the day, we heard multiple panelists emphasize that consumers want to know what companies and brands stand for, and not just what they are selling. Companies are increasingly taking stands on social and political issues and we expect this trend to continue into 2019. In 2018, Dick’s Sporting Goods took a stand on gun control; Patagonia has a long heritage of being a mission-driven company and has given over $100 million to support environmental issues including air, water, and soil. The company also announced it would donate all the proceeds of the recent corporate tax cut to entities that combat climate change, saying the environment needed the money more. Read More
Company Earnings Update | January 16, 2019 Register for Free Access Boohoo (LON: BOO) 3Q19 Trading Update: Sales Surge Prompts Raise in Full-Year Revenue GuidanceFor the four months ended December 31, U.K. sales grew 33% year over year, to £180.0 million. At constant currency, rest of Europe sales increased by 54% year over year to £44.4 million, U.S. sales increased 80% to £70.4 million, and rest of world sales increased 32% year over year to £33.4 million. Read More
Insight Report | January 15, 2019 Premium US Holiday Comparable Sales Growth Results: A Mixed Picture So FarAs US retailers report comparable sales for the 2018 holiday season, we’re seeing a mixed bag of results. Some retailers such as Costco and Boot Barn did well, reporting strong comparable sales growth and beating consensus estimates. Retailers such as Target, Barnes & Noble and Buckle showed sequential comparable sales growth improvement, but not as strong. Comparable sales at Macy’s and L Brands weakened sequentially. Read More
Event Coverage | January 15, 2019 Register for Free Access NRF 2019 Day 2: Challenging Old ParadigmsCoresight Research Founder and CEO Deborah Weinswig discussed AI in retail with experts from Guess, JD and Markable in a panel discussion called The Intelligence Revolution is Here. Weinswig discussed the massive opportunity in AI in a range of areas from communicating with customers, to optimizing prices and products, to managing inventory and delivering experiential retail. Read More
Insight Report | January 15, 2019 Premium New Retail Briefing #1: JD.com and Alibaba RestructureOn December 21, 2018, JD.com announced it would restructure its operations with JD Mall, the company’s main revenue-generating unit. JD Mall will be divided into three business departments, including serving customers; business support services; and, infrastructure control and risk management. JD.com said in its announcement that the new structure will enable it to better focus on customers. JD Mall’s restructuring also aims to diversify its management team and assuage investors that Liu Qiangdong, JD’s founder and CEO, is not the only person driving decision-making at the company. Read More
Event Coverage | January 14, 2019 Register for Free Access NRF 2019 Day 1: The Big Apple’s Big Show Does Not DisappointRich Roll, author and athlete, set the tone for the panel discussion The Wellness Revolution: Consumer Behavior in a New Retail Era, when he outlined what he sees as the secret of success for his podcast. “One reason (it) works is because it is honest and unpolished,” noted Roll. “We are starved for connection and something that is real.” Roll started a health and wellness podcast The Rich Roll Podcastmidlife after spending part of his career as a corporate attorney. Each of his podcasts has an average of 250,000 to 750,000 downloads, and he’s totaled over 50 million downloads. He encouraged retailers to embrace corporate culture that values honesty and integrity. Read More
