Company Earnings Update | January 25, 2019 Register for Free Access Kimberly-Clark (NYSE: KMB) 4Q18 Results: Sales Slow, New Strategy to Guide GrowthThe personal care segment reported sales of $2.2 billion, down 2% year over year, and operating profit of $436 million, down 11% due to higher input costs and operating expenses as well as currency exchange effects. Higher sales volumes drove North America sales, increasing 4% year over year, driven by growth in Pull-Ups training pants, GoodNites youth pants and Depend adult care products. Developed markets outside North America saw sales decrease 4% while net selling prices dropped slightly. Read More
Company Earnings Update | January 25, 2019 Register for Free Access P&G (NYSE: PG) 2Q19 Results: Innovation Driving Growth, Competition Remains ToughP&G reported net sales of $17.4 billion for the three months ended December 31, 2018, up 0.2% year over year. Operating income came in at $3.9 billion, down 0.6% year over year. Gross margin on net sales decreased 130 basis points to 48.9% and operating margin fell 70 basis points to 22.3%. Due to income tax charges caused by a transitional impact of the US Tax Act, diluted earnings per share were $1.22, an increase of 31.2% compared to the previous year. Management said the strong result was driven by the company’s focus on product superiority, productivity and improving its organization and culture. Read More
Company Earnings Update | January 24, 2019 Register for Free Access Burberry (LSE: BRBY) 3Q19 Update: Limited Edition Products Drive Excitement and SalesBurberry reported a 1.1% retail revenue decline for 3Q19 to £711 million. Comparable store sales rose 1%, driven by mid-single-digit comps in mainland China and Korea. There was very little change in price, thus the increase in comps was volume driven. A net two store closures eliminated 1% of retail selling space. Read More
Company Earnings Update | January 24, 2019 Register for Free Access Ahold Delhaize (ENXTAM: AD) 4Q18 and FY18 Update: Strong Performance Prompts Narrowing of GuidanceAhold Delhaize reported a trading update for its fourth quarter and FY18: In 4Q18, net sales were €16.5 billion, up 3.0% at constant currency, roughly in-line with the consensus of €16.48 billion by StreetAccount, but lower than the 3.6% growth recorded in the previous quarter. Net consumer online sales grew 26.4% at constant exchange rates. For FY18, net sales increased 2.5% year over year at constant exchange rates to €62.8 billion. Net consumer online sales reached €3.5 billion. Read More
Flash Report | January 24, 2019 Register for Free Access JD.com Takes Flight in Indonesia with Drone Delivery TrialJD.com’s drone delivery is the first time a Chinese drone has been used for delivery in Southeast Asia, and is also the first time the Indonesian government has granted permission to use a drone for logistics purpose. Read More
Company Earnings Update | January 23, 2019 Register for Free Access Carrefour (ENXTPA: CA) 4Q18 Update: Latin America Picks Up the Slack as France Is Hit by DisruptionCarrefour reported group comparable sales excluding automotive fuel were up 1.9% year over year in 4Q18, versus 2.1% growth in 3Q18 and ahead of the consensus estimate of 1.0% recorded by StreetAccount. Performance in France was weak and growth was driven by Latin America. Total sales at actual exchange rates were down 2.3% year over year, impacted by currency effects. Read More
Company Earnings Update | January 21, 2019 Register for Free Access VF Corp (VFC) 3Q19 Results: Raises Guidance as Active Segment Propels GainsVF Corp. reported adjusted fiscal 3Q19 EPS of $1.31, up from $1.01 in the year-ago quarter and above the $1.10 consensus estimate. Total revenues were $3.94 billion, up 8.0% year over year (10% at constant currency). Excluding Kontoor Brands (scheduled to be spun off at the end of April), revenues rose 12%. By segment, Outdoor revenues rose 11% to $1.61 billion; Active revenues increased 16% to $1.14 billion; Work segment revenues rose 9% to $62.6 million and Jeans revenues declined 27% to $67.8 million. By channel, direct-to-consumer (DTC) rose 9%, Digital (within DTC) rose 21% and Wholesale increased 6%. By region, Asia Pacific sales rose 16%, led by China, up 23%; followed by a 9% gain in the U.S., 7% in the Americas (non-U.S.) and 4% in EMEA. Read More
Company Earnings Update | January 18, 2019 Register for Free Access Primark (LSE: ABF) 1Q19 Trading Update: Store Expansion Lifts SalesPrimark increased its revenues 4% year over year, at both constant currency and actual exchange rates. This was below the consensus estimate of 5.5% constant-currency growth recorded by StreetAccount. Sales growth was driven by an increase in the retail selling space partially offset by a modest decline in same-store sales. Operating margins improved due to lower purchasing costs (led by a weaker U.S. dollar) and better stock management, the company did not provide figures. U.K. sales grew 1% year over year, which ABF claimed was ahead of the overall U.K. apparel market. The company pointed to positive U.K. comparable sales in September and October, a weak November and a December that exceeded its expectations. Read More
Company Earnings Update | January 18, 2019 Register for Free Access Casino Group (ENXTPA: CO) 4Q18 Update: French Protests Drag on Sales GrowthCasino Group reported that group comparable sales excluding automotive fuel were up 3.6% year over year in 4Q18, versus the 3.3% rate reported for 3Q18 and just shy of the 3.7% consensus estimate recorded by StreetAccount. Total group sales were up 0.2% year over year. Read More
Company Earnings Update | January 16, 2019 Register for Free Access Boohoo (LON: BOO) 3Q19 Trading Update: Sales Surge Prompts Raise in Full-Year Revenue GuidanceFor the four months ended December 31, U.K. sales grew 33% year over year, to £180.0 million. At constant currency, rest of Europe sales increased by 54% year over year to £44.4 million, U.S. sales increased 80% to £70.4 million, and rest of world sales increased 32% year over year to £33.4 million. Read More
Insight Report | January 15, 2019 Premium New Retail Briefing #1: JD.com and Alibaba RestructureOn December 21, 2018, JD.com announced it would restructure its operations with JD Mall, the company’s main revenue-generating unit. JD Mall will be divided into three business departments, including serving customers; business support services; and, infrastructure control and risk management. JD.com said in its announcement that the new structure will enable it to better focus on customers. JD Mall’s restructuring also aims to diversify its management team and assuage investors that Liu Qiangdong, JD’s founder and CEO, is not the only person driving decision-making at the company. Read More
Flash Report | January 14, 2019 Register for Free Access Alibaba Strengthens Its Presence in Digitalization Consulting with A100 Partnership ProgramAlibaba has grown from simple online marketplace to a digital commerce powerhouse, with operations in sales, marketing, product delivery, supply chain, logistics and data analytics — pretty much the whole nine yards. At an event in Hangzhou, the company announced the launch of a new collaborative program called A100. Read More
Company Earnings Update | January 11, 2019 Register for Free Access Tesco (LSE: TSCO) 3Q19 and Christmas Update: Strongest U.K. Christmas Growth for a DecadeTesco, the U.K.’s biggest grocery retailer, reported results for 3Q19 (ended November 24, 2018), and the subsequent six-week Christmas period (ended January 5). For the core six-week Christmas period, Tesco grew comparable sales in its U.K. operations by 2.2%, above the consensus estimate of 1.4% from StreetAccount. The company said it outperformed the market in volume and value terms and versus the market “in all key categories: food, clothing and general merchandise.” Read More
Company Earnings Update | January 11, 2019 Register for Free Access Seven & i (TSE: 3382) 9M19 Results: Struggling at Home, Silver Lining in Overseas Convenience StoresJapan-based retailer Seven & i reported net sales of ¥4,110.6 billion for the nine months ended November 30, 2018, up 15.8% year over year. Operating income came in at ¥304.3 billion, up 2.9% year over year. Gross margin on net sales decreased by 200 basis points to 19.6% and operating margin fell by 60 basis points to 6.0%. Diluted EPS was ¥176.53, up 4.7% year over year. Below, we outline the performance of convenience store operations, superstore Ito-Yokado, food supermarket York-Benimaru and department store Sogo & Seibu. Read More
Company Earnings Update | January 11, 2019 Register for Free Access Marks & Spencer (LSE: MKS) 3Q19 Update: A Weak Quarter for Food and Clothing AlikeOn the management call, CEO Steve Rowe noted that the third quarter was “challenging.” He said that “market conditions were tough, particularly in November when footfall and online visits both dropped significantly,” he said. Rowe said the sales growth was in line with the company’s expectations and was “steady” in the first half. The company reduced inventory volumes, resulting in 25% less stock going into the December sale. Rowe pointed to an increase in sales of entry-level clothing products, saying “customers are looking for value, and we’re providing that.” The company lowered prices on 227 food products and stripped out “complex and confusing” promotions. Read More
