“Consumer Reports Slams Target:  Says Hacking Fix is “Second-Rate” “ by Martha White at Time.  “The publication looked at the offering and says Target “fumbled” when it offered what the publication calls “second-rate credit-monitoring services.”…Consumer Reports can recommend this deal in its present form only as being better than nothing, and only for consumers who understand its significant shortcomings,” the publication says.”  Read more

 

“Claim:  Crime Rates Dropped Quicker in Areas Without a Walmart” by Shaunacy Ferro at Fast Company.  “Overall, there was a sharp decline in crime in the U.S. in the 1990s. It also happened to be a period of growth for Walmart. Looking at more than 3,000 U.S. counties, the researchers, from the University of South Carolina and Sam Houston State University, found that where Walmart expanded, crime rates tended to stagnate, where they otherwise would have been expected to fall.”  Read more

 

“Private Label Continues to Notch Gains (But is Growth Plateauing at the Macro Level?)” by Kim Souza at The City Wire.  “IRI said a prime example of what can happen in the convenience store segment can be seen at Ahold’s Stop and Shop stores. The retailer began offering a broad selection of tiered private label products under the brands Stop & Shop (basic), Nature’s Promise (organic line), Simply Enjoy (snack foods) and Guaranteed Value, a less expensive tier. Private label now accounts for 40% of the products sold at Ahold’s Stop & Shop stores, IRI noted.”  Read more

 

Earnings Watch…

“Cabela’s Releases Earnings Tomorrow” at WKRB  Read more

“Home Depot Hosts Q4 Conference Call on 2/25/14”  Read the Release

 

“Supervalu’s first national sale expo could draw 3,000 to St. Paul, MN” by Nick Halter at Minn./St. Paul Bus. Journal.  “The Sales 4 All Seasons expo will run Aug. 12 through Aug. 14 at the RiverCentre, the Eden Prairie-based company said in a news release.  The event is taking the place of three smaller, regional shows it held across the country. It will give grocery retailers a sneak peek at new products, information about new trends and training.”  Read more

 

“Palo Alto Condo for Sale:  Live Next to Apple CEO Tim Cook for only $2,849,000” by Lauren Hepler at Silicon Valley Business Journal.  “Google Ventures Managing Partner Bill Maris is looking for a big return on the 2,065-square-foot Palo Alto condo that he purchased in 2010, according to a report by Trulia.  One selling point: The home is directly next door to Apple CEO Tim Cook’s Palo Alto crib.”  Read more

 

“Kroger buys tech coupon company You” by Alexander Coolidge at Cincy Enquirer.  “Founded in 2008, YOU Tech has grown dramatically and now includes over 10,000 retail stores representing over $100 billion in retail sales and 100 million US households. The company currently serves approximately two dozen retailer clients operating 65 store banners.”  Read more

 

“Whole Foods to let customers pay using Square” by Mark Calvey at San Fran.  Business Times.  “San Francisco mobile payments company Square said Tuesday that it signed up Whole Foods as the second national retailer to use its service…”With Square reportedly eying an initial public offering sometime in 2014, this is a huge win for the company, even if it’s still a small sampling of what it could ultimately become,” reports Chris Ciaccia of TheStreet.com.”  Read more

 

“Forget Cigarettes. A Less-Common Cold Season Pinches CVS” by Kyle Stock at Businessweek.  “Why did the company post a slight decline in “front-of-store” purchases? Because the U.S. in the recent quarter didn’t see nearly the outbreak of colds as it did in the year-earlier period. The entire “cough and cold” business was down about 5 percent, and CVS reported taking a hit due to the flu season’s slow start.”  Read more

 

“Big Lots Moms Breakdance for Twinkies and Sno Balls” by Lewis Lazare at Chicago Business Journal.  See the TV Ad / Read more

 

“Wayfair names COO” by Kyle Alspach at Boston Business Journal.  “Boston-based Wayfair.com has promoted executive James Savarese to be chief operating officer.  Savarese had previously been serving as senior vice president of operations for Wayfair, an online retailer of home furnishings and décor.”  Read more

 

“Random:  Here’s The MVP Guest List For Tonight’s White House State Dinner” by Brett LoGiurato at Business Insider via SF Gate.  “The White House has released the guest list for Wednesday night’s State Dinner in honor of French President Francois Hollande.Per usual, the guest list has some big names. Here are some of the more notebale names on the list…”  See the list

 

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