EQUITY RETAIL BLOG

Retail outlook continues to improve, slowly but surely

This story in today’s Wall Street Journal reminds us that although the news of late has been good for retail, the recovery process is a slow and lengthy one. Retail Improves, but Doubts Persist By KRIS HUDSON U.S. malls and shopping centers continued their slow, fitful recovery from the recession in the fourth quarter, holding relatively steady in […]

Downgrades Hit Supervalu and Safeway Stocks

Downgrades Hit Grocery Stocks| Supervalu stock | Safeway stock | Kroger stock Stocks Off to Rocky Start After 2010 Growth The crystal ball is decidedly cloudy for supermarket stocks in the coming year, with the prospect of creeping inflation weighing against the possibility of improvement in employment and the economy. Against a backdrop of heavy […]

Target's Grocery Format is Gearing Up For Growth

A couple weeks ago The New York Times published an article called “Shopping at Target? Now You Can Pick Up a Dozen Eggs.” The focus of the story was on Target’s advertising, but it revealed much more than who their ad agencies were and how much ad money they spent. The story mentioned Target’s marketing […]

Retail sales recover as buyer fears ease

Retail sales rose for the fifth straight month in November. “It was the return of the retail industry,” said Michael Niemira, chief economist for the International Council of Shopping Centers. Retail sales recover as buyer fears ease (from the Boston Herald)

Weis Launches 6th 'Price Freeze'

I think this is a supermarket we’ll be hearing more about in 2011. Weis Launches 6th ‘Price Freeze’ Happy New Year!

A&P, Pathmark grocery distributor may shut down

The following story is from the Newark Star Ledger. It’ll be interesting to see how this affects A&P’s reorganization plan. N.J. grocery distributor for A&P, Pathmark warns of 1,100 layoffs

Safeway's Blackhawk Launches in Tesco

From Supermarket News: Safeway’s Blackhawk Network subsidiary has launched its gift-card services in more than 600 Tesco stores in the United Kingdom, the parties said Wednesday.“It is an honor to work with one of the leading retailers in the world,” Jim Strabo, managing director of Blackhawk Network Europe, said in a statement. “Tesco is known […]

Shoppers Crowd the Malls in Christmas Countdown

The article below from the AP is another in what has been a stream of positive stories about holiday retail sales, with one industry analyst saying “it’s the first normal Christmas in three years.” Here are a few sales figures from the October 31 through December 18, 2010 time period as compared to the same period a year ago: Clothing – […]

Rite Aid Bullish on Save-A-Lot Combos

A&P Seeks to ‘Right-Size’ in Chapter 11

This story from Supermarket News provides a good summary of what’s going on with A&P right now, coupled with some interesting company history. For example: “Founded by entrepreneurs George Gilman and George Huntington Hartford in the 1850s, the Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company was once the largest food retailer in the U.S., operating more […]