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Wholesale Clubs & Warehousing

Crucial Gas Pricing Advantage Boosts BJ’s Wholesale Club Profits in Q3

BJ’s Wholesale Club posted an encouraging 24% jump in profits for the third quarter (ended Nov. 1), to $28.2 million ($0.48/share) from $22.7 million ($0.35/share) a year earlier, Reuters reports.

The warehouse club is “one of the few bright spots in retail” as consumers trade down, consolidate trips, and maximize their dollars via the warehouse club channel,” wrote JPMorgan analyst Charles...
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More Bankruptcies: National Wholesale Liquidators, Harold’s

Discount retailer National Wholesale Liquidators and upscale clothing chain Harold’s have both filed for Chapter 11 protection.

National Wholesale Liquidators, founded in 1984, is a privately held company that sells housewares and electronics at discounted and wholesale prices. It has more than 50 stores - many of which are in the Mid-Atlantic region - and offers more than 120,000 items...
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October Retail Sales Roundup

As October sales figures poured in from retailers, same-store sales for the category fell 0.9% - the first real drop in seven months. Excluding the effect of the shifting Easter holiday, however, it is the first decline since at least 2000, according to Retail Metrics (via The New York Times).

Excluding Wal-Mart, the drop would have been 4.2%, according to the International Council of Shopping...
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10 Retailers Bucking the Trend

Despite the slowdown in consumer spending and subsequent sales drops at retailers across most sectors, a few companies have managed to pull through, posting positive financial results and continuing their plans for expansion, writes Retail Info Systems News.

Below, the 10 “surprisingly successful” retailers that are beating the odds:

Target: Target announced plans to open 45 new stores and...
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Consumers Changing Shopping Habits, Focusing on Value this Holiday Season

With the economy weighing heavily on their minds, many Americans plan to spend less and shop differently and more carefully during this year’s holiday season, according to Deloitte’s 23rd Annual Holiday Survey of retail spending and trends.

Among the findings of the study:

• A record number of consumers say they are pessimistic about the economy:
  • Over half (53%) say they expect the economy to...
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Discount Retailers Report Mixed September Results

Wal-Mart and Costco reported same-store gains in September, with sales rising 2.4% and 9% respectively. Sales at Target stores open at least a year fell 3%.

Below, fiscal results from the discount retail giants:

Sales of food and medicine at Wal-Mart helped offset the impact of hurricanes Gustav, Hanna and Ike, which resulted in 341 store closings and a 0.4% decrease in total sales. Analysts...
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Product Sampling Boosts Awareness, Sales, Purchase Propensity - ASAP

Product sampling reaches 70 million consumers every quarter, and one-third of customers who try a sample will buy the sampled product in the same shopping trip, according to the Product Sampling Study by Arbitron and Edison Media Research, reports MediaBuyerPlanner.

Sampling also secures considerable results in both brand awareness and loyalty, according to Arbitron. More than half - 58% - of...
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Weakest Retail Holiday Season Since ‘91 - Forecast

Holiday sales this year will be the weakest in 17 years, growing just 1.5% year-over-year in the fourth quarter - the lowest since 1991’s 1.2% Q4 growth - for combined key holiday retail segments, TNS Retail Forward forecasts.

“The holiday sales forecast represents a weakening from modest third-quarter growth as the boost from tax rebates runs out,” said Frank Badillo, senior economist for TNS...
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Same-Store Sales Weaken as Consumer Spending Slows

August same-store sales growth weakened to 2.0% over the year-earlier period for about 40 retailers reporting monthly results (pdf) on Thursday, TNS Retail Forward reports.

August’s result is down from the 2.8% sales-weighted composite reported last month and down from the 3.1% composite reported in August of 2007.

August’s results were led by stronger-than-average results at Warehouse Clubs,...
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Costco Sales Up 9% in August

August gas prices were 40% higher than the same period a year earlier, helping to boost Costco’s US same-store sales by three full percentage points to reach 9% (via Marketwire).

International same-store sales growth increased 6% but was negatively affected by foreign exchange rates. On a local currency basis, international comparable sales increased 8% in August.

Total net sales in August...
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