Retail & Wholesale

Burlington Stores targets the value-conscious, middle-class consumer. The number of customers making purchases at the company’s stores is large.

The Vanguard European Stock Index Fund was the worst performer for 2015 among the ten funds in this review.

US drugstores typically generate revenues by selling prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications, health and beauty products, and general merchandise.

The Retail Pharmacy USA division is Walgreens Boots Alliance’s (WBA) largest revenue generator.

Walgreens became a wholly owned subsidiary of Walgreens Boots Alliance after a merger.

Signet launched a new collection called Ever Us in October 2015. It’s meant to meet the need for jewelry that represents the bond between two people.

Frequent recalls not only affect the consumer satisfaction and brand image of Kraft Heinz’s products but also increases the cost factor.

Burlington Stores derives its revenue from the sale of value-priced apparel, coats, and family footwear, baby furniture, accessories, home décor, and gifts.

Burlington follows an EDLP model, which helps customers get up to 60–70% savings off prices of similar merchandise in department and specialty stores.

As of December 15, Kohl’s was trading at a forward PE multiple of 10.2x. Kohl’s is trading at a premium valuation compared to Macy’s and Dillard’s.

One of the most important growth drivers for Apple in China is the growing percentage of people in China’s upper middle class.

With the increasing focus on health and wellness, the organic food channel has grown at more than twice the pace of the conventional food channel.

Although Sprouts purchases from a large number of suppliers, the company is still dependent on these suppliers for a large part of their purchases.

Sprouts is a value player in the organic grocery sector, selling groceries at competitive prices from small-box stores averaging 28,000–30,000 square feet.

Kohl’s sells private label merchandise as well as national brands. The company purchases merchandise from several domestic and foreign suppliers.

Walmart (WMT) is a mass merchandiser. It’s the world’s largest retailer. It has over 11,100 stores in ~27 countries. It has a market cap of over $275 billion.

At the end of fiscal 2015, Tiffany had a total inventory of $2.4 billion and inventory turnover of 0.73x, implying potential low sales and excess inventory.

Tiffany & Co. has presences to differing degrees in the Asia-Pacific, Japan, Europe, and Other regions.

Tiffany’s key strategic objectives for growth include expanding marketing communications, opening stores in key markets, and enhancing in-store experience.

It’s important for investors to understand SUPERVALU’s current strengths and weaknesses as well as its potential opportunities and threats.

Advertising and promotional events from Unilever and PG’s home cleaners and a rise in the popularity of store brands pose threats to Clorox.

Signet Jewelers’ well-known, exclusive brands aim to influence consumers in their buying decisions. Sterling Jewelers thus provides 32% branded assortments.

Whole Foods’ net margin was among the highest in its peer group in fiscal 2015. The 12-month trailing net margin for Whole Foods stood at 3.5%.

Whole Foods’ sales for fiscal 2015 earned $15.3 billion—a 8.4% rise over the previous fiscal year, and a 9.6% average rise over the past three fiscal years.

Whole Foods has only trailed Costco in per-foot sales metrics. Costco averaged more than $1100 between fiscal 2011 and fiscal 2015.

Signet aims to advance its vertical integration, including the sourcing and manufacturing of rough diamonds, which should help improve its supply chain.

Organic products are no longer available solely at farmers’ markets and specialty stores but are now available at local and traditional grocery stores.

Home Depot’s same-store sales grew 5.1% overall, marking the 18th straight quarter of positive comps for the retailer.

Whole Foods spends less on advertising and marketing than conventional supermarkets, relying on word-of-mouth recommendations and customer testimonials.

The global e-commerce market is expected to grow at a CAGR (compound annual growth rate) of 17 from $1.3 trillion in 2014 to $2.5 trillion by the end of 2018.

We will do a SWOT analysis for Kroger (KR) and look at the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats for the company.

Kroger (KR) is a well-established player in the natural foods market. The company offers over 15,000 natural and organic food items.

Kroger’s (KR) revenue reached an all-time high of $108 billion in fiscal 2015, which ended January 31, 2015, up by 10.3% from fiscal 2014.

Ross Stores’ inventory management system is supported by its strong supplier relationships and the strategic location of its buying offices.

Efficient supply chain management is vital to a retailers’ day-to-day operations. A good distribution network optimizes product freshness, reduces waste, and lowers costs.

In 2013, grocery stores accounted for 90% of the country’s food and beverage store sales, while supermarkets accounted for 95% of the total grocery store sales.

The Kroger Co. (KR) is the largest supermarket chain in the US by revenue, operating 2,625 supermarkets at the end of fiscal 2015, which ended January 31, 2015.

2Q15 marked the 26th consecutive quarter of positive same-store sales growth for Ross Stores. Its last fall in same-store sales growth was in the 4Q08.

In fiscal 2014, women’s apparel accounted for 29% of Ross Stores’ sales of $11 billion. Home accents is also a key category at 24% of total sales.

Walmart’s (WMT) e-commerce business is slated to grow the fastest of all its channels, at 20%–30% per annum from fiscal 2016 to fiscal 2019. E-commerce sales were $12.2 billion in fiscal 2015, a growth rate of 22%.