Recently Big Lots reported its second quarter earnings, which turned out to be higher than analysts’ expectations.  The retail company’s adjusted earnings for the quarter came in at  53 cents a share, beating analysts’ estimate of 40 cents.However, the EPS was lower compared to the year-ago quarter’s  59 cents. Revenue of $1.25 billion matched the Street expectations, while rising above the year-ago quarter’s $1.22 billion. For the full-year, the company reiterated its outlook on earnings range, i.e.

Target reported second-quarter earnings and sales - both of which surpassed analysts’ expectations. The retail giant’s earnings per share for the quarter came in at $1.82 (from the year-ago quarter’s $1.47), beating the $1.62 expected by analysts polled by Refinitiv. Revenue of $18.42 billion, too, exceeded analysts’ estimates of $18.34 billion. Same-store sales grew +3.4%, compared to 2.9% growth expected by analysts. Looking ahead, Target boosted its outlook on full-year earnings.Analysts polled by FactSet were expecting full-year per-share earnings of $5.94 a share on sales of $78 billion. While its physical stores showed a strong performance, Target (along with several traditional retailers) are apparently working on making shopping more convenient and attractive to consumers.

Dollar Tree's stock price increased almost +2% Tuesday, following a rating upgrade by J.P. Morgan. J.P.The investment bank set a $122 per share price target on the shares, representing a 17.5% upside from the stock's closing price on Monday. The bank’s analysts project high-single net income growth and low-double-digit consolidated EPS growth beyond FY19 for Dollar Tree.

 Walmart is going to begin delivering groceries inside shoppers’ homes.Right to their kitchen refrigerators.

Given Walmart’s massive scale, it’s easier for it to save big money by making little changes that have an impact.

After unsettling investors last quarter with a muted outlook for fiscal 2019, Dollar General's (NYSE: DG) first-quarter results released Thursday indicated that the current year may yet hold promise.Let's sift through the most important details of the quarter below, and also review management's outlook for the remainder of the year. Note that all comparative numbers in this article are presented against the prior-year quarter.

While Amazon still holds the sway when it comes to digital marketing, Walmart is gradually closing its gap with the e-commerce giant. The first quarter of 2019 witnessed Walmart’s comparable same-store sales growth of 3.4%, the best in 9 years, and a grand total of $80.3 billion in net revenue out of which the e-commerce segment accounted for 1.4%.The company revealed that e-commerce sales grew 37% compared to the year ago. In comparison, Amazon’s online sales stores increased by 10% to $29.5 billion, and physical stores were up a meager 1% to $4.3 billion after plunging 3% in Q4. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, e-commerce grew 10.4% during the first four months of 2019.

The retail behemoth also reiterated its guidance for the full-year. Adjusted earnings for the three months ending in April came in at $1.53 per share, which represents a +15% surge from the same period last year and is higher than analysts’ estimates of $1.43 per share (based on Refinitiv data). Total revenue increased just under +1% to $17.63 billion, exceeding analysts' estimates of $17.52 billion.Online sales now account for 7.1% of Target’s retail sales, up from 5.2% a year ago. For full fiscal year 2020 (ending in early January), Target expects low to mid-single digit growth for same store sales.

Target’s CEO thinks the retail industry is shaking out to show clear winners and losers. 

Walmart (NYSE: WMT) is the world's biggest company by revenue and the largest private employer on the globe.When it talks, especially about the global economy, investors and other interested parties tend to take note of what's said. 

The company may soon go public to strengthen long-term successes. However, preparations of floatation may take years before coming to fruition, so in the meantime the company must ensure that the UK chain receives adequate resources to realize its full potential. Meanwhile, the U.S retailer has instructed Asda to focus on improving its operations, including the implementation of £80 million of price cuts to take on rivals such as Aldi and Lidl.However, Asda itself is faced by greater challenges such as the threat of Amazon. Analysts believe that contemplations of IPO could mean that the U.S. retailer is struggling to find a plan B for its UK business, especially after its merger attempt with Sainsbury failed. But analysts also believe that these supermarkets need to sharpen their prices in the face of rapidly expanding low cost players like Aldi and Lidl.

Walmart’s first quarter earnings surpassed analysts’ expectations, amidst strong same-store sales in the U.S. coupled with the retail giant ‘s burgeoning online business. The company’s earnings per share of $1.13 edged past analysts’ estimates of $1.02. It is the fastest first quarter growth for the company’s comparable store sales in 9 years. On the back of solid growth in its online grocery business and strong sales in its home and fashion segments, Walmart experienced a +37% year-over-year growth in its U.S. e-commerce sales in the first quarter. Walmart only seems to be getting more and more relentless in its e-commerce expansion goals.

Walmart will begin offering next-day delivery on its most popular items. The nation's largest retailer said it's been building a network of more efficient e-commerce distribution centers to make that happen.The next-day service will cover 220,000 popular items from diapers and non-perishable food items to toys and electronics.  Next-day delivery, which will require a minimum order of $35, will be available in Phoenix, Arizona, and Las Vegas on Tuesday.

Walmart is raising the minimum age to buy tobacco products and e-cigarettes at its U.S. stores to 21, amid pressure from regulators to cut tobacco sales and use among minors. The world’s largest retailer also said it will also stop selling fruit and dessert flavored e-cigarettes, which critics say can hook teenagers on vaping. The new rules will take effect in July at all its 5,300 U.S. stores, including its Sam’s Club warehouse locations.Previously, Walmart’s minimum purchase age was 18, aside from a number of states where the legal age is 21.

The world’s biggest retailer, Walmart, is all set to open its first online pet pharmacy along with the opening of dozens more veterinary clinics in its stores, as it hopes to tap on the growing pet market and lure more U.S. pet owners who are spending billions of dollars each year on their dogs and cats. Walmart is expected to open more than 80 veterinary clinics in its stores on top of its already existing 21 clinics across six states.In these stores, pets can receive vaccines, care for minor illnesses and other routine exams. Additionally, Walmart would offer low-cost prescriptions through its online pharmacy called WalmartPetRX.com for pets to rival the top pet e-commerce business Chewy.com. Analysts have figured a rough 60% rise in the number of pet related items sold on its website last year.

Grocery giant Walmart is all set to launch its first subscription business, but for kid’s apparel. Walmart announced on Thursday that it is partnering with Kidbox, a subscription-box company akin to Stitch Fix but focused solely on selling clothes for babies, girls and boys. Moving forward, Kidbox will be responsible for curating as many as six different boxes each year on Walmart.com.Kidbox will curate based on a quiz before placing the order. The move is not unprecedented as Walmart has already partnered with Lord & Taylor adding premium brands to its website.

Physical clothing, electronics, and home furnishing stores are taking a hit as online penetration led by the e-commerce giant Amazon proliferate in their sales. According to the estimates provided by UBS online sales growth is likely to rise to 25% by 2026 from 16% today, and this will lead to closures of roughly 75,000 physical stores, excluding restaurants. In a note to its clients this week, the investment firm said “store rationalization needs to accelerate meaningfully as online penetration continues to rise.” The estimate implies that for every 1% increase in online penetration, roughly 8,000 to 8,500 stores need to close.Additionally, 7,000 grocery stores may also close if online grocery penetration rises to 10%, from 2%, by 2026. In 2019, already over 5,000 store closures have been declared by retailers like Gap, Victoria’s

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