Insight Report | July 2, 2020 Premium 1Q20 US Retail Inventory Tracker: Discretionary Sectors Post Lower Inventory Turnover as Lockdowns HitIn our quarterly US Retail Inventory Tracker reports, we analyze inventory trends among those US retailers listed in the Coresight 100. We look at the inventory levels of various retailers in 1Q20 and assess why levels may have changed from the year-ago period—with many companies witnessing heavy impacts from the coronavirus crisis. Read More
Insight Report | June 25, 2020 Premium US Independence Day Retail Preview 2020: Consumer Spending Expected To Decline Versus Last YearWith Independence Day just around the corner, we estimate total US consumer spending on the occasion this year, in the context of easing coronavirus lockdowns. We propose actions that retailers could take to drive sales for Independence Day. Read More
Insight Report | June 25, 2020 Premium May 2020 Monthly Consumer Update: US, UK and ChinaAnalyzing consumer demand in May 2020, we saw a partial rebound in the US and the UK after the severe impacts of the Covid-19 crisis in April, while China continued to see improvements. Read More
Store Tracker | June 19, 2020 Databank Members Weekly US and UK Store Openings and Closures Tracker 2020, Week 25: The Children’s Place To Close Hundreds of StoresOur Weekly US and UK Store Openings and Closures Tracker reports on store closures, openings and bankruptcies. This week, there are highlights from Chico’s, Guess and The Children’s Place in the US, and Poundstretcher and Travis Perkins in the UK. Read More
Insight Report | June 18, 2020 Premium Aldi’s One-Year Anniversary in China: Key Learnings for International GrocersWith discount supermarket Aldi celebrating its one-year anniversary in China, we discuss the retailer’s success in the market and the learnings it could offer to other foreign grocers. We explore the five key components of Aldi’s strategy in the China market—including the retailer’s adoption of technology in a new retail model, its focus on fresh food, the implementation of cost-saving strategies and the role of online stores in offering imported goods to consumers. Read More
Insight Report | June 17, 2020 Premium May 2020 US Retail Sales: Total Year-over-Year Growth Turns Positive; Declines at Discretionary Sectors Ease While Food Stores and Nonstore Retailers See Strong GrowthMost sectors witnessed the easing of sales declines in May, as US consumers resumed spending following the reopening of stores post lockdown. Growth in total US retail sales excluding gasoline and automobiles turned positive on a year-over-year basis, driven by double-digit growth at food stores, home-improvement retailers and nonstore retailers. Read More
Event Coverage | June 17, 2020 Register for Free Access Open for Business with David Hardiman-Evans, Ocado Solutions: The Impact of Covid-19 on Traditional and Online GroceryAs part of our Open for Business webinar series, we hosted David Hardiman-Evans, SVP, North America at Ocado Solutions. We present the transcript from this webinar, in which Hardiman-Evans offered insights into the dynamic changes in the online grocery sector amid the coronavirus crisis—covering key topics such as consumer demand and loyalty, assortment rationalization and fulfillment models. Read More
Insight Report | June 15, 2020 Premium Earnings Insights 1Q20, Week 4 and Wrap-Up: Retailers Cite Pent-Up Demand as They Report Higher-than-Anticipated Sales Productivity RatesOur weekly Earnings Insights reports feature highlights from recent management commentary at major US retailers as they report first-quarter 2020 earnings. We condense what retail companies are reporting, with a focus on the impact of the coronavirus crisis. This week, there are highlights from companies that reported in the week ended June 14, including Five Below, Macy’s and PVH Corp. This is the fourth and final report in the first-quarter Earnings Insights series. As such, we also summarize the performance of retailers reported in the prior weeks. Read More
Store Tracker | June 12, 2020 Databank Members Weekly US and UK Store Openings and Closures Tracker 2020, Week 24: Signet Jewelers To Close Many StoresOur Weekly US and UK Store Openings and Closures Tracker reports on store closures, openings and bankruptcies. This week, there are highlights from RH, RTW Retailwinds and Signet Jewelers in the US, and Debenhams and Monsoon Accessorize in the UK. Read More
Insight Report | June 12, 2020 Premium Five Months to Singles’ Day: A Tactical Guide for How To Prepare for the Shopping Festival This YearWith five months to go until Singles’ Day 2020, we provide a six-step reference guide for brands and retailers to use in preparing for the shopping festival against the backdrop of the coronavirus crisis. Read More
Event Coverage | June 10, 2020 Register for Free Access Open for Business with Alex Gourlay, Co-COO of Walgreens Boots Alliance: Adapting to Coronavirus-Led Consumer Shifts in the Food, Drug and Mass SectorAs part of our Open for Business webinar series, we hosted Alex Gourlay, Co-COO of Walgreens Boots Alliance. We present the transcript from this webinar, in which Gourlay offered insights into how his company responded quickly to the coronavirus crisis and leveraged digital opportunities to connect with consumers. Read More
Store Tracker | June 9, 2020 Databank Members US Store Closures 2020 Outlook: Covid-19 Update—Prolonged Impact Set To Drive Up ClosuresThis report assesses the outlook for physical retail over the remainder of 2020—updating our previous expectations in light of the escalating impact of the coronavirus crisis. We compare year-to-date store closure data with 2019 and discuss a potential rise in bankruptcies, which may become a reality for many struggling retailers. We also update our prediction for the total number of closures we expect to see in the US in the full-year 2020. Read More
Insight Report | June 9, 2020 Premium JD.com Kicks Off This Year’s 6.18 Shopping Festival: A Boost for Online and Offline Retail Post CrisisJD.com launched its annual 6.18 Shopping Festival on May 25, 2020, marking the start of the event’s pre-sale period. We explore how the e-commerce platform has upgraded its services for this year’s festival, including by integrating physical retail promotions for a boundaryless shopping experience. Read More
Company Earnings Update | June 5, 2020 Register for Free Access Costco Monthly Sales, May 2020: Comp Growth Accelerates as E-Commerce Sales DoubleCostco’s global same-store sales increased year over year in May, and e-commerce growth accelerated. We review the comparable sales metrics reported by Costco for May 2020 and consider the factors that impacted results—including the coronavirus crisis and gasoline price deflation. Read More
Store Tracker | June 5, 2020 Databank Members Weekly US and UK Store Openings and Closures Tracker 2020, Week 23: Tuesday Morning Files for BankruptcyOur Weekly US and UK Store Openings and Closures Tracker reports on store closures, openings and bankruptcies. This week, there are highlights from Burlington Stores, Dollar Tree and Tuesday Morning in the US, and ALDO and Monsoon Accessorize in the UK. Read More