January 25, 2019 Company Earnings Update Register for Free Access Kimberly-Clark (NYSE: KMB) 4Q18 Results: Sales Slow, New Strategy to Guide GrowthThe personal care segment reported sales of $2.2 billion, down 2% year over year, and operating profit of $436 million, down 11% due to higher input costs and operating expenses as well as currency exchange effects. Higher sales volumes drove North America sales, increasing 4% year over year, driven by growth in Pull-Ups training pants, GoodNites youth pants and Depend adult care products. Developed markets outside North America saw sales decrease 4% while net selling prices dropped slightly.
January 25, 2019 Company Earnings Update Register for Free Access P&G (NYSE: PG) 2Q19 Results: Innovation Driving Growth, Competition Remains ToughP&G reported net sales of $17.4 billion for the three months ended December 31, 2018, up 0.2% year over year. Operating income came in at $3.9 billion, down 0.6% year over year. Gross margin on net sales decreased 130 basis points to 48.9% and operating margin fell 70 basis points to 22.3%. Due to income tax charges caused by a transitional impact of the US Tax Act, diluted earnings per share were $1.22, an increase of 31.2% compared to the previous year. Management said the strong result was driven by the company’s focus on product superiority, productivity and improving its organization and culture.
January 25, 2019 Store Tracker Databank Members Weekly Store Openings and Closures Tracker 2019, Week 4: House of Fraser’s Intu Stores Set to Stay OpenYear to date in 2019, U.S. retailers have announced 1,674 store closures and 1,380 store openings.
January 25, 2019 Analyst Corner Register for Free Access Weinswig’s Weekly January 25, 2019hree Ways China Will Lead Digital Retail Trends in 2019 — and Why These Trends Are Likely to Drive Consolidation Among Major Platforms China continues to lead the world in the integration of online and offline retail, most notably through Alibaba Group’s New Retail concept. We predict that retailers in the U.S. and Europe will increasingly adopt elements of New Retail in 2019. But what else is worth keeping an eye on in Chinese digital retail? This week, we discuss three digital trends we expect to see in 2019, and we note that all three are likely to strengthen the competitive advantages enjoyed by China’s market-leading apps and platforms, such as WeChat, Douyin (also known as TikTok) and Tmall.
January 24, 2019 Company Earnings Update Register for Free Access Burberry (LSE: BRBY) 3Q19 Update: Limited Edition Products Drive Excitement and SalesBurberry reported a 1.1% retail revenue decline for 3Q19 to £711 million. Comparable store sales rose 1%, driven by mid-single-digit comps in mainland China and Korea. There was very little change in price, thus the increase in comps was volume driven. A net two store closures eliminated 1% of retail selling space.
January 21, 2019 Question of the Week Free Report Where do U.S. adults shop most often for skin care and cosmetic products?Question of the Week January 21 2019 – Where do U.S. adults shop most often for skin care and cosmetic products?
January 21, 2019 Company Earnings Update Register for Free Access VF Corp (VFC) 3Q19 Results: Raises Guidance as Active Segment Propels GainsVF Corp. reported adjusted fiscal 3Q19 EPS of $1.31, up from $1.01 in the year-ago quarter and above the $1.10 consensus estimate. Total revenues were $3.94 billion, up 8.0% year over year (10% at constant currency). Excluding Kontoor Brands (scheduled to be spun off at the end of April), revenues rose 12%. By segment, Outdoor revenues rose 11% to $1.61 billion; Active revenues increased 16% to $1.14 billion; Work segment revenues rose 9% to $62.6 million and Jeans revenues declined 27% to $67.8 million. By channel, direct-to-consumer (DTC) rose 9%, Digital (within DTC) rose 21% and Wholesale increased 6%. By region, Asia Pacific sales rose 16%, led by China, up 23%; followed by a 9% gain in the U.S., 7% in the Americas (non-U.S.) and 4% in EMEA.
January 18, 2019 Deep Dive 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.
January 18, 2019 Event Coverage 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.
January 18, 2019 Store Tracker Databank Members 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.
January 18, 2019 Flash Report 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.
January 18, 2019 Company Earnings Update 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.
January 17, 2019 Deep Dive 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.
January 16, 2019 Event Coverage 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.
January 15, 2019 Insight Report 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.
