The latest dismal results at Dillard’s are likely to intensify a struggle over the company’s family-based leadership. The Barington Capital Group and Clinton Group, hedge funds owning more than five percent of Dillard’s class A stock, launched a proxy fight in March demanding management changes. At the time, the funds announced their intention to nominate four candidates to...
Retail Industry Archive
November 2008
Retailers preparing for a grim holiday season can’t discount the role technology will play in where shoppers choose to spend — and not spend — their cash. Twitter, for example, promises to ease bargain hunting for harried customers accustomed to dashing from store to store in search of deals. Case in point: The news Web site Syracuse.com will help upstate New Yorkers navigate...
We’re about to be inundated with news about Black Friday, the big shopping day after Thanksgiving. But feel free to ignore it, since retailers actually launched the holiday season weeks ago. Back on Aug. 14, for instance, Sam’s Club fired the first shot when it said it would help holiday caterers develop trendy menu options. On Oct. 1, Wal-Mart announced price rollbacks on a range...
Lenox files for bankruptcy protection — Lenox Group Inc. joined the growing number of businesses falling victim to the sour economy recently: The Minnesota-based company, famed for its Lenox tableware and Department 56 collectibles, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection earlier this week. The company seeks court approval for $85 million in debtor-in-possession financing from its...
Having just finished writing a lengthy story about almost-bust, electronics mass retailer Circuit City for a weekly newspaper, I keep wondering about the value of business books. The one I have in mind is the 2001 work “Good to Great” by business author Jim Collins who studied hundreds of companies before settling on 11 that were able to make the difficult step from “good” to...
Retail Roundup: Mervyns Buyout Firms Profit While Employees Lose Jobs, Wal-Mart to Sell iPhone, More
Mervyns buyout firms profit while employees lose jobs — Cerberus Capital Management and other private equity investors in Mervyns raked in $250 million from the company’s liquidation, yet 18,000 employees facing layoffs are still waiting to see if the retailer will raise enough to secure their accrued vacation pay. Find an interesting recap of how the owners came out on top here....
New Wal-Mart CEO named — Wal-Mart, the world’s largest retailer, will soon be under new leadership: Company officials announced on the morning of Nov. 21 that Mike Duke will replace H. Lee Scott Jr. as CEO of the massive chain, effective Feb. 1. Duke, 58, currently serves as the head of the company’s international division and will bring to his new job the experience he has...
360 Texas Wal-Marts to be powered by wind – Wal-Mart recently inked a four-year contract with Duke Energy, which will power hundreds of the chain’s Texas stores using wind energy. DE is expected to provide up to 226 million kilowatt-hours of power annually to about 360 stores, resulting in the reduction of about 139,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide, the equivalent of what 25,000...
Mexican billionaire sees ‘great value’ in Circuit City — Although Circuit City Stores Inc. recently filed for bankruptcy protection, one of the world’s richest men believes the company may still have a future. Ricardo Salinas Pliego, who owns a 28 percent stake in the company, is “banking on a great trademark, which is Circuit City,” says Luis Nino de Rivera,...
Steve & Barry’s to say goodbye — Steve & Barry’s is preparing to announce this week that it will close its doors forever, according to a WSJ article that cited two people familiar with the chain’s troubles. In October, BNET reported that S&B announced plans to close 103 of its 276 locations shortly before the company welcomed Harold Kahn on board as the new...
- Nordstrom, Saks Sales Turnaround Spells Hope for Department Stores
- Dollar Stores Holding New Shoppers Even as Recovery Buoys Rivals
- Faced with Walmart and History, Retailers Can't Avoid Deep Holiday Discounts
- Big 5 Sporting Goods Outperforms Peers With Big Discounts
- Kohl's Greens Up Its Image, and the Timing Couldn't Be Better
- Family Dollar Trying to Capture Higher-Income Customer
- Walmart Explores Routes to Conquering Amazon
- Kmart Rejuvenates Jaclyn Smith So Shoppers Forget Martha Stewart
- Sears Launches Its Own Black Friday, Targeting Apparel for Deep Discounts
- Consumers Plan More Online Spending But Wait While Watching Deals
- Walmart Prepares Facebook Push in Drive for Marketing Efficiency
- Vitamin Shoppe's IPO Highlights a Retail Sector With Spunk
- Macy's Believes It Can Boost Holidays with Santa and Queen Latifah
- Z Gallerie's Second Chance a Good Sign for Furniture Chains?
- Walmart Price Separation Leaving Retailers Behind, including Kroger
- TheFind.com Give Bargain Hunters More Options Online
- Target Challenged on Consumer Perception
- Booksellers Take On Walmart, Target, Amazon Over Discounts -- But It's Just Business as Usual
- Kohl's Staying Afloat on Consumers Trading Down
- Gap Stands Behind Flailing Banana Republic
- Wegmans Takes a Bite Out of Back to School
- Target Talks Cheap but Can't Resist Chic
- Wal-Mart, Target and Costco Shine as Private Labels Challenge National Brands
Subscribe to Retail blog comments RSS 
Industry Transcripts by Seeking Alpha
Archives
Recommended Sources
About Retail Industry
BNET Retail provides daily industry trends and news coverage with insights for managers and executives about the key players in the consumer retail industry. In addition to detailed retail company profiles, we bring you industry analysis on new retailers, products, mergers and acquisitions, consumer spending figures, and a host of other important issues pertinent to the retail sector.