Anand Kumar, Associate Director of Retail Research

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Insight Report | August 14, 2020 Premium

July 2020 US Retail Traffic and In-Store Metrics: Traffic Declines by 46%, and More Steeply Toward the End of the Month

July 2020 saw total US nonfood store traffic decline by 46.4% year over year, worsening from June’s decline as states rolled back reopening plans due to a spike in the number of coronavirus cases. We review store traffic changes through the month and the sectors most impacted by the current crisis.

Insight Report | August 10, 2020 Premium

Earnings Insights 2Q20, Week 1: Retailers’ Path to Recovery Is Being Led by Digital Business

Our weekly Earnings Insights reports feature highlights from recent management commentary at major US retailers as they report second-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 August 9 and earlier, including Amazon, Capri Holdings, CVS Health and VF Corporation.

Insight Report | August 7, 2020 Premium

Costco Monthly Sales, July 2020: Comp Growth Accelerates Further, but E-Commerce Growth Decelerates

Costco’s global same-store sales increased year over year in July. Reflecting a return to stores by shoppers, the acceleration in total comparable sales growth came despite a slowing in e-commerce growth. We review the comparable sales metrics reported by Costco for July 2020 and consider the factors that impacted results—including currency fluctuations and gasoline price deflation.

Insight Report | July 31, 2020 Premium

June 2020 Monthly Consumer Update: US, UK and China

Analyzing consumer demand in June 2020, we saw a strong rebound in the US and the UK, while China continued to see improvements.

Insight Report | July 23, 2020 Premium

REITs Becoming Retailers: Mall Owners Are Looking To Acquire Struggling Retailers

Amid the rise of bankruptcies in the retail industry and increasing brick-and-mortar store closures due to the coronavirus pandemic, we discuss a selection of US retailers that are potentially facing acquisition by mall owners—and we analyze the strategy behind REITs becoming retailers.

Insight Report | July 17, 2020 Premium

June 2020 US Retail Sales: Total Sales Jump 9%; Declines Ease in Apparel while Several Nonfood Sectors Surge

Discretionary sectors witnessed the easing of sales declines in June, suggesting pent-up demand in nonfood categories post lockdowns. On a year-over-year basis, total US retail sales excluding gasoline and automobiles saw extraordinary growth in the context of a post-crisis environment.

Deep Dive | July 8, 2020 Premium

1Q20 US Earnings Season Wrap-Up: Reviewing the Covid-19 Impact

First-quarter 2020 retail earnings include the negative impact on sales caused by the coronavirus outbreak. We assess the recent performance of US retailers in terms of revenues, earnings per share and comps, considering consensus estimates and year-over-year changes. With retail sectors weathering the Covid-19 crisis in different ways, sales declines are now easing due to stores reopening post lockdown, but the pace of recovery will vary.

Insight Report | June 25, 2020 Premium

Beauty Insights: Opportunities in India’s Beauty and Personal Care Market

As part of our Beauty Insights series, we explore the beauty and personal care market in India and the opportunities that it presents to international brands and retailers. We detail the industry’s key growth drivers—considering population demographics, the e-commerce channel and evolving consumer trends—and discuss the competitive landscape, which includes international players such as L’Oréal, Estée Lauder and Sephora. We also assess the impact of the coronavirus crisis on the India’s beauty sector against the backdrop of easing nationwide lockdowns.

Insight Report | June 25, 2020 Premium

US Independence Day Retail Preview 2020: Consumer Spending Expected To Decline Versus Last Year

With 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.

Insight Report | June 25, 2020 Premium

May 2020 Monthly Consumer Update: US, UK and China

Analyzing 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.

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 Growth

Most 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.

Deep Dive | June 16, 2020 Premium

US Apparel Retail: Post-Crisis Outlook

We explore the impacts of the coronavirus crisis on the apparel retail sector and present an outlook for the remainder of 2020 based on a three-phase V-shaped recovery. To analyze the sector, we look closely at select US retailers, including American Eagle Outfitters, Gap Inc. and Hanesbrands. We summarize our key estimates for 2020 in an infographic.

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 Rates

Our 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.

Insight Report | June 8, 2020 Premium

Earnings Insights 1Q20, Week 3: Reopened Apparel Stores See Sales Productivity of Over 70% Versus Last Year

Our 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 7, including American Eagle Outfitters, Gap Inc. and RH.

Company Earnings Update | June 5, 2020

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Costco Monthly Sales, May 2020: Comp Growth Accelerates as E-Commerce Sales Double

Costco’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.