Retail Callouts (9/17): NKE, AdiBok, TGT, JWN, HBC, WMT, AMZN

09/17/14 10:05AM EDT

Wednesday (9/17)

  • PIR - Earnings Call: 4:30pm

Thursday (9/18)

  • RAD - Earnings Call: 8:30am

COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS

 

NKE - NIKE LEBRON 12: ENGINEERED FOR EXPLOSIVENESS

(http://nikeinc.com/news/nike-unveils-new-lebron-12#/inline/33236)

  • "The LEBRON 12 is designed to enhance James’s explosiveness while combining three key benefits: superior cushioning, harnessed support and natural flexibility."

Retail Callouts (9/17): NKE, AdiBok, TGT, JWN, HBC, WMT, AMZN - 9 17 chart1

Takeaway: The Lebron 11 sold about $300mm at retail despite the fact that King James wore the shoes only 35 times during the 2013-14 NBA regular season and playoffs, 36% of the time. The new 12's feature a few surface tweaks, but for the most part look very similar to last year’s model. The one notable addition - hexagonal  Nike Zoom air bags on the sole. Not the type of innovation we are used to seeing from NKE around these releases, which allow the brand to take up AUR because of new technology. The new model will retail for $200, flat when compared to the Lebron 11, after a 10% price hike last year. 

 

AdiBok - Adidas Shares Jump on Report of Hedge Funds’ Interest in Stakes

(http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-09-17/adidas-shares-jump-on-report-of-hedge-funds-interest-in-stakes.html)

 

  • "Adidas AG rose the most in more than 10 months in Frankfurt trading on a report that hedge funds including Third Point LLC may take a stake and are pushing to remove Chief Executive Officer Herbert Hainer."

 

Takeaway: Hainer has been feeling the heat since the big guide down at the end of July. The golf business is a big black eye for the CEO, but let’s not forget that NKE has been eating Adi's lunch in in almost every category and geographic region across the globe…including its own back yard. Over the last 6mnths of reported results for each company Adi has grown sales in W. Europe 6%, compare that to Nike at 24%. Not a big shock that investors are calling for Hainer's job given that he has started to divert his attention towards other interests including the role of President and Business Chairman of the Bayern Munich football club (a role he stepped down from on 9/8). That, and the fact that he's been unable to consistently grow the core brand in key markets on a sustainable basis without relying on acquisitions.

OTHER NEWS

 

TGT, JWN, HBC - Comments on Entering Canada

 

HBC’s CEO explains why Target botched its Canadian launch—and why Saks will do better

(http://www.torontolife.com/style/quoted-goods/2014/09/16/hbcs-ceo-calls-targets-failures/)

  • "I’m opening up two stores, not 100-and-whatever stores. They paid $1.8-billion for leaseholds, then they paid $10-million per store to fix them up. They had no office, they had no buyers, they had no planners, they had no distribution centre, they had no POS [point-of-sale] system, they had no IT backbone. They created everything from scratch while we’re coming in very quietly opening up two stores with existing infrastructure."

Starting with one store was a good idea: Nordstrom

(http://www.thestar.com/business/2014/09/16/starting_with_one_store_was_a_good_idea_nordstrom.html)

  • "'It’s been surprising, the amount of work to be done to open in another country. We knew it going in, but it is literally every business function … the complexities of opening, just operationally, have been challenging,' he said."
  • "'We’re opening one store. I feel good about that decision because we can respond to one store and see what happens. We will open our doors and we will look to respond to customer comments right off the bat.'"

 

NKE - Nike pulls Adrian Peterson merchandise off Twin Cities shelves

(http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/eye-on-football/24712073/nike-pulls-adrian-peterson-merchandise-off-twin-cities-shelves)

  • "Another NFL sponsor clearly is getting uncomfortable with the recent Ray Rice and Adrian Peterson incidents."
  • "This time, it's Nike, which, according to the Associated Press, has pulled Peterson's merchandise off the shelves of its Twin Cities store."

TGT - TargetExpress to open in San Diego

(http://www.chainstoreage.com/article/targetexpress-open-san-diego)

  • "Target plans to open its sixth TargetExpress store, in the South Park area of San Diego, in July 2015."
  • "At approximately 19,000 sq. ft., the store will be about 14% of the size of a standard Target store (135,000 sq, ft.). Similar to other TargetExpress locations, it will offer an edited assortment that is locally relevant."

 

WMT - Wal-Mart Under Fire by Xinhua for Dismissed China Workers

(http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-09-17/wal-mart-under-fire-by-xinhua-for-dismissed-china-workers.html)

  • "'Wal-Mart Stores Inc. sent a chilling message to whistle-blowers by firing four Chinese staff who accused it of food-safety violations, and authorities should intervene, a state-media commentary said."
  • "'Relevant authorities need to step in quickly, and not let such suspected acts of revenge be carried out with impunity,' Xinhua reporter Zhang Chen said in a four-sentence post to the official Xinhua News Agency’s microblog.

 

AMZN - UPS Boosts Seasonal Hiring, Plans for Surge in Deliveries

(http://online.wsj.com/articles/ups-boosts-seasonal-hiring-plans-for-surge-in-deliveries-1410873555)

  • "United Parcel Service Inc. said Tuesday that it plans to hire between 90,000 and 95,000 seasonal employees this year and is taking additional steps to support an expected surge in deliveries during the holiday season."
  • "Last year, the company had initially expected in October to hire 55,000 seasonal workers, but it ended up actually hiring 85,000 for the season."
  • "The logistics company said much of the sharp increase in package deliveries this year will be driven by e-commerce purchases, and the surge will begin in October and continue through January 2015. Last Christmas season, nearly 60% of all U.S. deliveries by UPS were e-commerce packages to consumers, compared with about 40% for all of 2012."

WMT - Wal-Mart Spokesman Quits Over Falsified Resume

(http://www.wwd.com/retail-news/people/wal-mart-spokesman-quits-over-falsified-resume-7919891?module=Business-latest)

  • "On Tuesday, it was learned that Tovar’s departure was precipitated by the fact that he falsified his résumé. Wal-Mart found out that Tovar had never finished school at the University of Delaware, but claimed on his résumé to have earned a bachelor’s degree."

MW - Men's Wearhouse promotes Blake to president

(http://www.retailingtoday.com/article/mens-wearhouse-promotes-blake-president)

  • "The Men's Wearhouse board of directors has promoted Mary Beth Blake to the position of president and chief merchandising officer. She was previously EVP and chief merchandising officer, and will continue reporting to CEO Doug Ewert."
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