(May 2012)
Shoppers floundered in April, unable to keep up the momentum of spending fueled by balmy days, coveted bright color trends, and a general feeling of buoyancy in the preceding months
(April 2012)
March retail sales continued the strong momentum we saw building in January and February. The combination of an early Easter (two weeks earlier than last year), warm weather, and the acceptance of strong new fashion trends around bright colors and colored jeans has motivated shoppers to keep spending.
(March 2012)
Retailers across the board beat analysts’ sales estimates in February. Retail finished the month feeling somewhat optimistic for the first time in ages, but are the sales increases coming at too steep a price?
(February 2012)
At the beginning of January, pundits expressed optimism that 2011 holiday sales came in on the high side of consensus estimates. But we were skeptical that the stronger sales were really indicative of the improving health of retail.
(January 2012)
In this edition of our monthly viewpoint, we take a look at December performance and offer our Top 10 Predictions for the retail industry in 2012.
(December 2011)
After a strong showing on Black Friday and Cyber Monday, what can retailers expect for the holiday season? Macroeconomic indicators paint a positive picture but historically Black Fridays/Cyber Mondays have been poor predictors of holiday performance. Success will depend on connecting with an increasingly savvy, comparison-app-equipped consumer—and it’s not too late for retailers to take steps to prepare for the holiday and protect their margins.
(November 2011)
Economic recovery is a question mark for retailers and consumers alike. While the issues vary by retail segment, retailers across the board face important questions about increasing risk in costs, margins, inventory, and the consumer. Heading into Holiday 2011, retailers need to think seriously about two central issues: The Big Picture—how consumers are feeling against the backdrop of a potentially stabilizing economy; and The Retail Reality—a renewed focus on inventory, planning, and the Web.
(October 2011)
September sales were stronger than expected, leaving some analysts to wonder aloud if everyone has been overly pessimistic.
(September 2011)
In the August edition of Viewpoint on Retail Performance we look beyond comp sales and dig beneath the surface to provide a more clear picture of the retail industry as we enter Q3.
(August 2011)
In this edition of our monthly retail viewpoint, we examine July sales across sectors and discuss the implications we see looming for the fall season.
(July 2011)
This edition of our monthly analysis of retail comps takes a look at June’s numbers while taking stock of the first half of 2011. We made 10 predictions for 2011 – here’s how we’ve fared so far.
(June 2011)
This edition of our monthly analysis of retail comps looks at May’s numbers, the continued impact on rising costs, and the coming impact on pricing.
(May 2011)
This edition of our monthly viewpoint on retail performance looks at April’s strong numbers despite unpredictable conditions and the holiday shift, and examines the growing need for speed to market.
(April 2011)
This edition of our monthly viewpoint on retail performance looks at March’s comp sales numbers in light of the Easter shift, global uncertainty, and the recent drop in consumer confidence.
(March 2011)
The strong February comp store results reported this month show continued consumer desire to increase shopping spend. Higher-end retailers and value players have thrived during the past few months, while whose stuck in the middle continue to trudge along.
(February 2011)
The traditional banking business model is under severe stress. Banking on Innovation examines the role of breakthrough thinking in banking, and provides a framework for how banks can develop and implement new ideas to supercharge performance and accelerate growth.
(January 2011)
We begin 2011 amid a renewed sense of optimism in consumer spending. Many expect we will continue along the road toward recovery, but the journey will be long and slow and, given consumer confidence levels, we expect more turbulence in 2011.