COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS
J. CREW - Infographic: Privately-Held Retailer Could Be Next "In" Fashion IPO; PrivCo-Estimated $5.25B IPO Value; 75% More Than Take-Private Price in 2011
(http://www.privco.com/jcrew-next-fashion-ipo-valuation-infographic)
- "J. Crew could use the IPO proceeds to pay down its heavy debt load and decrease interest expenses in order to increase cashflow.
Takeaway: J Crew went private in 2010 for $3bn. A $5.25bn price tag this time around would represent a 75% boost in value. What we find interesting is that J Crew was on the tape in March as being bought by Fast Retailing for $5bn, but the deal crumbled when FAST went through the numbers in detail (and shortly after, J Crew released weak results). Now it looks like Drexler is getting his $5bn price tag after all. But we're not at a market top or anything.
SIGMA Update
These 10 companies represent what should be the last of our weekly SIGMA reviews for Retail earnings for 2Q14 earnings. As a reminder, the analysis triangulates sales, inventories and margins. The vertical axis is the spread between sales and inventories -- the higher on the scale, the better. The horizontal axis is the y/y change in EBIT margin. In effect, you want to be either in the upper right hand quadrant, or headed there. The opposite holds true for the lower left. The two winners are ULTA and LULU, but the market has obviously reacted on those two names. RH is interesting, as margins look very good, but inventories climbed meaningfully. We'd note, however, that the nature of the furniture business -- where product is almost all ordered for future delivery (you don't walk out of the store with a couch) -- gives us confidence that higher RH inventories will drive accelerated top line in 3Q.
ULTA - 2Q14 Earnings
LULU - 2Q14 Earnings
RH - 2Q14 Earnings
OXM - 2Q14 Earnings
VRA - 2Q15 Earnings
FIVE - 2Q14 Earnings
MW - 2Q14 Earnings
WTSL - 2Q14 Earnings
RSH - 2Q14 Earnings
HBC - Q214 Earnings
OTHER NEWS
WMT - Walmart rolls out new extreme value private-label brand
(http://www.sartech.ca/content/templates/GB_HeadlineNews.aspx?articleid=1978&zoneid=34)
- "Walmart has taken its value-pricing model even lower with the debut of a house brand, Price First, in select U.S. markets."
- "Among the first products to be introduced are condiments such as ketchup, mustard and mayonnaise; macaroni and cheese; peanut butter and jelly; pasta and packaged baking mixes. Non-food items include foam plates and bowls (97 cents for a 40-count package), paper napkins (97 cents for a 150-count pack) and four rolls of bathroom tissue for 68 cents, according to media reports.
- The plain packaging features a solid blue coloured label with the product name in simple white letters."
HD, TGT - Home Depot’s Malware Hints That Its Hackers Weren’t Target’s
- "Home Depot Inc. was hacked with a malicious software program that plunders store registers while disguising itself as antivirus software, according to two security researchers."
- "The credit card-stealing program used in the attack on the Atlanta-based retailer is being dubbed FrameworkPOS, and differs significantly from the software used last year to hack Target Corp., said Dan Guido, chief executive officer of Trail of Bits, an information security company."
GME - GameStop's Mobile Data Determines Brick-and-Mortar Inventory
- "Despite the flood of online and mobile games in recent years, GameStop remains set on owning the brick-and-mortar gaming space. But the retailer is leveraging mobile commerce with tracking technology like beacons to better understand why shoppers still like the in-store experience and which products they’re buying."
- "One of the first steps GameStop took with digital was the launch of a loyalty program in 2010 called Power-Up. Top-tier members in the program (who pay $15 for added perks) spend three to four times more than nonpaying members. And members in that group who have also downloaded GameStop’s app spend 80 percent more than those who don’t have the app."
LOW - Ad of the Day: NFL Fans Are Beside Themselves in Funny New Lowe's Campaign
- "Toward the end of a tough week for the league, Lowe's will break a new NFL campaign, themed 'Make your football self happy,' during Thursday's CBS telecast of the Baltimore Ravens game against the Pittsburgh Steelers."
- "Four humorous spots from BBDO New York show men and women being urged by their inner pigskin selves to get their home improvement projects done—so they'll be free to watch pro football on Sunday."
GPS, AAPL - Report: Apple hires Gap marketing director
(http://www.chainstoreage.com/article/report-apple-hires-gap-marketing-director?ad=news)
- "Apple Inc. has reportedly hired Marcela Aguilar, senior global director of marketing communications for Gap Inc., to be its new director of global marketing communications, according to AdAge. Aguilar, who has worked at Gap since 2011, is credited as helping to drive the company’s resurgence in brand awareness, especially among Millennials."
VSI - Vitamin Shoppe CEO to retire in 2015
(http://www.chainstoreage.com/article/vitamin-shoppe-ceo-retire-2015?ad=news)
- "Tony Truesdale, who has served as CEO of Vitamin Shoppe Inc. since 2006, has announced his intent to retire on June 27, 2015 to spend more time with his family and his external board work. The board of directors of the Vitamin Shoppe will be commencing a search for a new CEO, which will include both internal and external candidates, who will then implement the next stages of the company's long-term growth plans."
CHS - Chico’s expands e-commerce with Borderfree
(http://www.chainstoreage.com/article/chico%E2%80%99s-expands-e-commerce-borderfree)
- "Chico’s FAS Inc. has partnered with Borderfree to expand its e-commerce capabilities globally. Through this partnership, Chico’s FAS will now be able to transact with shoppers in more than 100 countries and territories worldwide in more than 60 global currencies."
