The total number of people who play video games in the United States fell from 2011 to 2012. This represents another challenge to major console manufacturers, particularly Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: MSFT), Sony Corp. (NYSE:…
Bloomberg points out the shipping prices show that the Christmas season should be good for retailers in the United States but bad for those in Europe. The shipping lanes of the Pacific and Indian…
SUPERVALU Inc. (NYSE: SVU), nearly beaten to death over the last several months by Wall St., will close roughly 60 stores and take a charge as high as $90 million. The company may add…
Dollar General (NYSE: DG) this morning reported fiscal second-quarter earnings of $0.64 per share on $3.95 billion in revenue. The results compare to $0.42 per share and $3.58 billion in the same period a…
The world’s largest coffee store chain, Starbucks Inc. (NASDAQ: SBUX) will offer customers a $10 store gift card for $5 through daily-deal company Living Social, a competitor to Groupon Inc. (NASDAQ: GRPN). Starbucks made…
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (NYSE: WMT) is generally considered a very important barometer when it comes to the economy and spending habits of Joe Public. If that remains true going forward, then the layaway economy…
Campbell Soup Co. (NYSE: CPB) reported adjusted fourth quarter 2012 earnings per share (EPS) of $0.41 on $1.61 billion in sales before markets opened today. In the same period a year ago, the food…
Smithfield Foods Inc. (NYSE: SFD) reported adjusted first quarter 2013 earnings per share (EPS) of $0.40 on $3.09 billion in sales before markets opened today. In the same period a year ago, the food…
Consumers boosted their spending in July by a seasonally adjusted 0.4%, according to the latest Commerce Department data. That was the biggest gain in five months, as aftertax incomes continued to grow modestly. The…
Several retailers are announcing August same-store sales today, and the reports are generally good. The good results are pushing share prices close to or above current highs. Here’s a rundown: Macy’s Inc. (NYSE: M)…
Costco Wholesale Corp. (NASDAQ: COST) reported that for August, comparable-store sales gained 6% year-over-year, and that its total sales increased 8% to $7.4 billion. Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters had a consensus estimate of…
Troubled retailer Sears Holdings (NASDAQ: SHLD), which was formed by a 2005 merger of Sears and Kmart, was thrown out of the S&P 500 as of September 4. It will be replaced by specialty chemical company LyondellBasell (NYSE: LYB),…
Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) has launched a new online service that allows potential iPhone or iPad customers to ask questions of an Apple Store specialist. “You can talk directly to a trained Specialist over…
H.J. Heinz Co. (NYSE: HNZ) reported adjusted first quarter 2013 earnings per share (EPS) of $0.87 on $2.79 billion in sales before markets opened today. In the same period a year ago, the food…
Retail sales have been soft since early summer, and August doesn’t appear to be a get-well month for retailers either. Research firm Retail Metrics projects that August sales will rise just 1.7% compared to…