Daily Archives: August 17, 2017

Posted on by

Auction for the rarest Wonder Woman comic books on eBay begins August 17

Wonder Woman #1, Sensational Comics #1 and All-Star Comics #8 up to be sold with a portion of proceeds going towards Trafficking Hope.

San Jose, CA, 2017-Aug-17 — /EPR Retail News/ — Today, three of the rarest Wonder Woman comic books of all time will be sold on eBay beginning August 17 at 5pm PDT — Wonder Woman #1 CGC 9.0, Sensational Comics #1 CGC 9.6 and All-Star Comics #8 CGC 9.4. This unique comic book collection has yielded the single highest graded copies of Sensation Comics #1 and All-Star Comics #8. Two of these comics have only been rumored to exist in these record breaking conditions until now, making this an exciting time for comic book history and Wonder Woman fans across the world. Visit: www.eBay.com/WonderWoman

Wonder Woman made her comic book debut in All Star Comics #8 in December 1941. Her cover debut followed on Sensational Comics #1 in January 1942, and the first full length comic devoted exclusive to her was Wonder Woman #1 the following July. In total, these three books make up the definitive debut, cover art and origin for Wonder Woman as an inspirational and beloved comic book character.

The comics are being sold on eBay by seller Darren Adams, owner of Pristine Comics. Darren previously sold Action Comics #1 on eBay in 2014, for a record $3.2 million. “As a comic book collector, these three Wonder Woman books are truly one-of-a-kind. All three are all in near-perfect condition, which really excites me as a collector – to think that comics in this condition, which are over 75 years old, are still out there,” said Adams. “eBay did such a phenomenal job helping me to sell the Action Comics #1 a few years ago, and I firmly believe their global marketplace will help get the reach and connect with other comic book enthusiasts like myself with these sales.”

The upcoming Wonder Woman sale is expected to break records as well. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to Trafficking Hope, a nonprofit dedicated to the prevention of human trafficking, through eBay for Charity.

“With the rise in popularity of the Wonder Woman franchise this year, we’re excited to be able to bring the three most important books from her Golden age origin story to our 171 million eBay users. eBay provides access to items you can’t find anywhere else and we’re thrilled to be able to give shoppers the chance to own the highest graded definitive Wonder Woman key comic books in history,” said Sam Bright, Senior Director of Art & Collectibles at eBay.

eBay & Wonder Woman by the Numbers – Global

  • Total YTD GMV for Wonder Woman sales on eBay is up by 52% YOY.*
  • The most popular Wonder Woman items sold on eBay since 2015 include: stamps, comic books, Funko-Pops, costumes and temporary tattoos.*
  • There are over 200,000 average daily live listings for Wonder Woman products on eBay.*
  • The costliest Wonder woman related item ever sold on eBay is the All Star Comics #8 CGC Comic Book for $81,000*

eBay & Wonder Woman by the Numbers – U.S.

  • Total YTD GMV for Wonder Woman sales on eBay is up by 59% YOY.*
  • The most popular Wonder Woman items sold on eBay since 2015 include: stamps, comic books, Funko-Pops, costumes, and temporary tattoos.*
  • This year alone, Wonder Woman has been searched for on eBay over 460,000 times.*
  • There are currently more than over 150,000 live listings for Wonder Woman products on eBay.*
  • With more than a billion listings and an audience of 171 million users around the world, eBay offers the best choices—including rare and valuable collectibles that you can’t find anywhere else—making it easy to find the things you want.

 

*Data gathered from eBay sales of Wonder Woman merchandise between January 1, 2004 – July 10, 2017.

About eBay
eBay Inc. (NASDAQ: EBAY) is a global commerce leader including the Marketplace, StubHub and Classifieds platforms. Collectively, we connect millions of buyers and sellers around the world, empowering people and creating opportunity through Connected Commerce. Founded in 1995 in San Jose, Calif., eBay is one of the world’s largest and most vibrant marketplaces for discovering great value and unique selection. In 2016, eBay enabled $84 billion of gross merchandise volume. For more information about the company and its global portfolio of online brands, visit www.ebayinc.com.

Contact:
(408) 376-7400

Source: eBay

Posted on by

Nordstrom declares quarterly dividend of 37 cents per share

SEATTLE, 2017-Aug-17 — /EPR Retail News/ — Nordstrom, Inc. (NYSE:JWN) announced today (Aug. 16, 2017) that its board of directors approved a quarterly dividend of 37 cents per share payable on September 12, 2017, to shareholders of record at the close of business on August 28, 2017.

About Nordstrom

Nordstrom, Inc. is a leading fashion specialty retailer based in the U.S. Founded in 1901 as a shoe store in Seattle, today Nordstrom operates 354 stores in 40 states, including 122 full-line stores in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico; 221 Nordstrom Rack stores; two Jeffrey boutiques; and two clearance stores. Additionally, customers are served online through Nordstrom.com, Nordstromrack.com and HauteLook. The company also owns Trunk Club, a personalized clothing service serving customers online at TrunkClub.com and its seven clubhouses. Nordstrom, Inc.’s common stock is publicly traded on the NYSE under the symbol JWN.

Contact:
Investors:
Trina Schurman
206-303-6503

Media:
Gigi Ganatra Duff
206-303-3030

Source: Nordstrom, Inc.

Posted on by

Lowe’s Companies, Inc. to host Q2 2017 conference call on August 23, 2017

MOORESVILLE, N.C., 2017-Aug-17 — /EPR Retail News/ — In conjunction with the Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE: LOW) second quarter 2017 earnings press release, you are invited to listen to its conference call to be broadcast live over the internet on Wednesday, August 23, 2017 at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time with: Robert A. Niblock, chairman, president and chief executive officer; Rick D. Damron, chief operating officer; and Marshall A. Croom, chief financial officer.  Supplemental slides will be available fifteen minutes prior to the start of the conference call.

What: Second Quarter 2017 Earnings Conference Call Webcast
When: 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, August 23, 2017
Where: Visit Lowe’s Investor Relations website at http://www.Lowes.com/investor

Click on Webcasts and then on Lowe’s Second Quarter 2017 Earnings Conference Call

How: Listen live online and view the supplemental slides by following the directions above

A webcast replay of the call can be accessed from 12:00 p.m. ET on August 23, 2017 throughNovember 20, 2017 by visiting http://www.Lowes.com/investor and clicking on Webcasts and then on Lowe’s Second Quarter 2017 Earnings Conference Call.

Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE: LOW) is a FORTUNE® 50 home improvement company serving more than 17 million customers a week in the United States, Canada and Mexico. With fiscal year 2016 sales of $65.0 billion, Lowe’s and its related businesses operate or service more than 2,370 home improvement and hardware stores and employ over 290,000 people. Founded in 1946 and based in Mooresville, N.C., Lowe’s supports the communities it serves through programs that focus on K-12 public education and community improvement projects. For more information, visit Lowes.com.

Media Inquiries:

704-758-2917
PublicRelations@Lowes.com

SOURCE: Lowe’s Companies, Inc.

Posted on by

H&M partners with artist Ace Tee to create a new collection

H&M partners with artist Ace Tee to create a new collection

 

H&M has teamed up with artist Ace Tee to create a new collection, characterised by an urban street style. The collection will be available from 7th September 2017 at hm.com.

STOCKHOLM, Sweden, 2017-Aug-17 — /EPR Retail News/ — Inspired by her personal style, the collection pays homage to the fashion and light-heartedness of the 90´s: streetwear fashion that is feminine and cool at the same time. A colour palette of black and white is combined with bright orange and vibrant yellow. Band t-shirts and track pants are paired with a fitted wrap top and a short kimono. A tight body, leggings and a sporty top in camouflage print create an urban look. A short wrap skirt and matching jacket fit the 90’s double denim look. A fan scarf, colorful sunglasses, choker and socks are the perfect accessories to complete the cool looks.

“Working together with H&M was such a great experience for me. I love this collection as it reminds me of my idols and the 90´s. There is something for everyone”, says Ace Tee about the collection.

Ace Tee gained an international reputation a short time after her song ‘Bist du down’ became viral. Ace Tee´s voice and music carry the easy and cool vibe of the 90`s. With her collection that is being sold online worldwide she follows her vision of a global movement of community.

“I am deeply convinced that music and fashion can connect people beyond nationality, gender and age. I am happy if I can achieve the same feeling with my collection”, says Ace Tee.

Contact:

Head of Media Relations
Sofia Jegerborn
+46 8 796 39 95

Source: H&M

###

Posted on by

UK unemployment rate to fall to just 4.4% in Q2 2017; the lowest rate since 1975

London, 2017-Aug-17 — /EPR Retail News/ — Figures released today (August 16, 2017) by the ONS show a fall in the UK unemployment rate to just 4.4% in the second quarter of this year, which is the lowest rate since 1975. In absolute terms this equates to an extra 125,000 people in employment since the first quarter of 2017.

Nominal wage growth has picked up to 2.1%, after several months of slowing. However, the effects of inflation over this period of 2.6% leaves real wages in negative territory, down 0.5% on last year. This means consumer spending power is still being squeezed –  not great news for retailers who are facing challenges on many fronts.The pick-up in wage growth is a positive sign, and with the number of unemployed per job vacancy also falling in recent months, economic theory would suggest that pressures on wages in future will be upwards. However recent history has showed us that reality can defy economic models. A combination of job creation in less productive areas of the economy, increases in flexible working contracts and technology weakening bargaining power of workers have led to slowing wage growth despite a tightening labour market. So it may be too early to call an end to the real wage squeeze. We will have to wait and see.

Contact:
BRC Press Office
TELEPHONE: + 44 (0) 20 7854 8924
EMAIL: media@brc.org.uk
OUT OF HOURS: +44 (0) 7557 747 269

Source: BRC

Posted on by

RILA opens applications for its first annual (R)Tech Retail CEO Innovation Awards

Arlington , VA, 2017-Aug-17 — /EPR Retail News/ — ​The Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA), the trade association for America’s most recognized and innovative retail brands, announced its call for applications for its first annual (R)Tech Retail CEO Innovation Awards.

“As today’s top retail leaders gather at RILA’s CEO Forum, this will be the perfect opportunity to showcase new technologies that are transforming the industry,” said Sandy Kennedy, President of RILA. “To move the industry into the future, our awards program will focus on technologies that create ultra-personal and ubiquitous shopping experiences. By streamlining the path to purchase, retailers are listening to the wants of consumers and creating seamless experiences, integrating the physical with digital. We look forward to connecting America’s retailers with industry innovators.”

The Awards will highlight innovations that enable retail’s future. Winners will be invited to showcase, pitch and network with the most powerful retail chief executives at RILA’s annual Retail CEO Forum January 21-23 in Tucson, AZ.

Applicants should focus their innovations on advancing Ubiquitous and Ultra-Personal Shopping, that is, shopping that will be invisible and ubiquitous, embedded into natural gestures and conversation, managed through a connected ecosystem, and considering all channels and all customers. The (R)Tech Center believes that this trend is driving change in the industry more than any other.

Applications are due on September 8. Learn more and apply at www.rtech.org/awards.

RILA is the trade association of the world’s largest and most innovative retail companies. RILA members include more than 200 retailers, product manufacturers, and service suppliers, which together account for more than $1.5 trillion in annual sales, millions of American jobs and more than 100,000 stores, manufacturing facilities and distribution centers domestically and abroad.

Contact:
Christin Fernandez
Vice President, Communications
Phone: 703-600-2039
Email: christin.fernandez@rila.org

Source: RILA

Posted on by

Wegmans Food Markets starts recruitment for 225 full-time positions at its Natick Mall store, scheduled to open in spring 2018

NATICK, MA, 2017-Aug-17 — /EPR Retail News/ — Wegmans Food Markets today (August 16, 2017) announced the start of recruitment for full-time positions at its store in Natick Mall, which is scheduled to open in spring 2018. The Natick store will employ approximately 550 people, most of whom will be new to the company and hired locally. Of these, there are 225 full-time positions to be filled starting now.

“Jobs with Wegmans offer competitive pay and benefits packages, career growth and development, and flexible scheduling,” said Marybeth Stewart, Wegmans human resources manager for New England. “We’re hiring for full-time positions across the entire store, including entry-level management, customer service, and a strong focus on restaurant and culinary roles, such as line cooks and sous chefs.”

Job seekers are encouraged to apply online at www.wegmans.com/careers or call 508-960-0104 for more information. Interviews are conducted by appointment only and hiring for part-time jobs will begin at a later date.

The Natick Wegmans is an innovative concept for the 101-year-old company. The space, a former department store with direct access to the mall, will house the 134,000-sq. ft. supermarket on two floors, including more than 100 seats for in-store café dining. Another 12,500 sq. ft. on the second floor will feature two restaurant concepts. Wegmans is also seeking a complementary tenant for the 45,000-sq. ft. third floor of the building.

“Wegmans consistently earns its reputation as a great place to work, in part because of family ownership that fosters a caring atmosphere and an emphasis on work-life balance,” said Wegmans Natick Store Manager Rich Boscia. “We’re growing and hiring for year-round, full-time positions with great benefits during a difficult time for many other retailers. Join us: this is the perfect place to work if you’re passionate about food and want to share that passion with others.”

Wegmans entered New England with its Northborough location in 2011, growing its presence steadily ever since. Now operating four stores in the state, the company is also actively hiring and training new employees for a fifth location, opening in Medford on Sunday, Nov. 5.

Wegmans Food Markets, Inc. is a 93-store supermarket chain with stores in New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Virginia, Maryland, and Massachusetts. The family-owned company, recognized as an industry leader and innovator, celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2016. Wegmans has been named one of the ‘100 Best Companies to Work For’ by FORTUNE magazine for 20 consecutive years, ranking #2 in 2017.

Press Contact:
Valerie FoxMedia Relations Coordinator
585-720-5713
valerie.fox@wegmans.com

Source: Wegmans Food Markets, Inc.

Posted on by

CBRE to use Kahua to manage its wide range of projects across its global client base

Kahua’s cloud-based collaborative platform will boost efficiency and drive superior client outcomes across CBRE’s global project management offering

Los Angeles, 2017-Aug-17 — /EPR Retail News/ — CBRE Group, Inc. and Kahua announced today (August 16, 2017) that the companies have entered into a global, strategic agreement whereby CBRE will use Kahua to manage a wide range of projects across its global client base.

“Kahua is a modern, intuitive, cloud-based solution that dramatically changes how projects are executed and managed, and holds the potential to unlock significant efficiencies, data and insights,” said Sandeep Davé, Chief Digital and Technology Officer for CBRE’s Global Workplace Solutions business. “After careful review and testing, we determined that Kahua provides the premier global collaborative network for real estate and construction project management and plan to implement it internally and with our global customers. This relationship is another example of how CBRE, as the market leader, is bringing to bear transformative technology solutions to the corporate real estate industry.”

The Kahua Network, delivered as an Application Platform as a Service, connects CBRE with its global clients and their project teams, allowing applications, business processes and information to be shared across organizations to more effectively manage capital assets.

CBRE has made an equity investment in Kahua and will have an executive join Kahua’s Board of Directors. Through this long-term agreement, CBRE and Kahua will continue to jointly develop application technology that will address the unique needs of real estate occupiers, owners, contractors, architects and engineers operating within the project management supply chain. CBRE and Kahua are confident that leveraging the solution across the lifecycle of capital assets under CBRE management will significantly improve productivity throughout the supply chain.

The agreement brings a new form of collaboration across the entire lifecycle of capital assets and will change the way capital assets are delivered and managed. CBRE has already launched projects in The Kahua Network with clients in markets across the Americas, EMEA and APAC regions and is rapidly training over 5,000 project managers worldwide on the platform.

“CBRE is an innovative leader in our industry. We are excited to extend the Kahua Network to CBRE and their global customers,” said Scott Unger, CEO of Kahua. “Our strategic relationship with CBRE will further our mission to deliver value and productivity improvements to the real estate, design and construction industry.”

About Kahua
Kahua is changing the way that capital assets are delivered and managed. The Kahua Network is the world’s leading collaborative network for real estate and construction project management. Delivered as a secure, scalable Application Platform-as-a-Service (aPaaS), The Kahua Network enables users to easily share data, documents and workflows across all applications and projects, and among all authorized network participants. Kahua supports leading mobile devices and tablets, integrates with third party applications and numerous accounting systems, and enables customers and certified development partners to quickly modify existing applications or build custom applications that operate on The Kahua Network. To learn more, visit www.kahua.com.

Forward-Looking Statements
Certain of the statements in this release regarding CBRE’s use of, and investment in the Kahua technology that do not concern purely historical data are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.  Forward-looking statements are made based on our management’s expectations and beliefs concerning future events affecting us and are subject to uncertainties and factors relating to our operations and business environment, all of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond our control. Accordingly, actual performance, results and events may vary materially from those indicated in forward-looking statements, and you should not rely on forward-looking statements as predictions of future performance, results or events. Numerous factors could cause actual future performance, results and events to differ materially from those indicated in forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, our ability to successfully integrate the Kahua technology into CBRE’s global Project Management operations as well as other risks and uncertainties discussed in our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Any forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this release. We assume no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, changes in assumptions or changes in other factors affecting forward-looking information, except to the extent required by applicable securities laws. If we do update one or more forward-looking statements, no inference should be drawn that we will make additional updates with respect to those or other forward-looking statements. For additional information concerning factors that may cause actual results to differ from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements and other risks and uncertainties to our business in general, please refer to our SEC filings, including our Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016, and our Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2017. Such filings are available publicly and may be obtained from our website at www.cbre.com or upon request from the CBRE Investor Relations Department at investorrelations@cbre.com.

About CBRE Group, Inc.
CBRE Group, Inc. (NYSE:CBG), a Fortune 500 and S&P 500 company headquartered in Los Angeles, is the world’s largest commercial real estate services and investment firm (based on 2016 revenue). The company has more than 75,000 employees (excluding affiliates), and serves real estate investors and occupiers through approximately 450 offices (excluding affiliates) worldwide. CBRE offers a broad range of integrated services, including facilities, transaction and project management; property management; investment management; appraisal and valuation; property leasing; strategic consulting; property sales; mortgage services and development services. Please visit our website at www.cbre.com.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Robert McGrath
212.984.8267
robert.mcgrath@cbre.com

SOURCE: CBRE Group, Inc.

Posted on by

7‑Eleven® Bring Your Own Cup (BYOC) Day is back, Aug. 18 and 19

IRVING, 2017-Aug-17 — /EPR Retail News/ — Dust off your sand buckets, punchbowls, beach cups or other unique containers. The highly anticipated Bring Your Own Cup (BYOC) Day is back at participating 7‑Eleven®stores Aug. 18 and 19, from 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. each day.

On BYOC, Slurpee® fans can fill a cup, or container that can serve as a cup, with their favorite Slurpee drink or try 7‑Eleven’s newest Cotton Candy Slurpee flavor.

Regardless of cup size, the cost is $1.50, which is the price of an average medium Slurpee drink. All cups must be leak-proof, safe, sanitary and fit upright within the 10-inch diameter BYOC display cutout in stores. Please leave trash cans, kitchen sinks and inflatable swimming pools at home, as they are not eligible.

To up 7‑Eleven’s cup game, available through the end of August, customers can also purchase an exclusive shiny, selfie-inducing Chrome Dome Slurpee cup and lid. The metallic dome top is perfect for taking funhouse-style reflective photos to share on Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

“Each year, Bring Your Own Cup Day gives our customers the freedom to show their creativity in our stores and on social media,” said Laura Gordon, 7‑Eleven vice president of marketing and brand innovation. “This year, we decided to give our customers the chance to double their creative expression by extending the fun to 2 days, August 18 and 19.”

7‑Eleven encourages fans to share fun cup choices and Slurpee drink experiences with photos on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram using the hashtag #BYOCupDay. For more information, visit https://www.7‑Eleven.com/Slurpee.

In addition to the United States, 7‑Eleven stores in Australia, Canada, the Philippines and Malaysia have also held BYOC days. Bring Your Own Cup Day is not available in Cook County, Illinois.

Source: 7‑Eleven Inc.

Posted on by

Sunoco LP to present at the Citi MLP/Midstream Infrastructure Conference

DALLAS, 2017-Aug-17 — /EPR Retail News/ — Sunoco LP (NYSE: SUN) (“SUN” or the “Partnership”) today (Aug. 16, 2017) announced that its senior management will hold 1×1 meetings with institutional investors at the Citi MLP/Midstream Infrastructure Conference in Las Vegas on August 16-17 .

Presentation materials to be used during these meetings are available on the company’s website at www.sunocolp.com in the Investor Relations section under Events & Presentations.

Sunoco LP (NYSE: SUN) is a master limited partnership that operates 1,353 convenience stores and retail fuel sites and distributes motor fuel to 7,937 convenience stores, independent dealers, commercial customers and distributors located in 30 states. Our parent — Energy Transfer Equity, L.P. (NYSE: ETE) — owns SUN’s general partner and incentive distribution rights.

Contacts:
Investors:
Scott Grischow
Senior Director – Investor Relations and Treasury
(214) 840-5660
scott.grischow@sunoco.com

Derek Rabe
Senior Analyst – Investor Relations and Finance
(214) 840-5553
derek.rabe@sunoco.com

Media:

Alyson Gomez
Director – Communications
(469) 646-1758
alyson.gomez@sunoco.com

SOURCE: Sunoco LP

Posted on by

Kingfisher Q2 2017 earnings: sales reached £3.1 billion

LONDON, 2017-Aug-17 — /EPR Retail News/ —

  • Q2 LFL down 1.9% reflecting:
    • B&Q seasonal performance down 11% given weather boosted Q2 last year (+10%) and Q1 this year (+17%) (H1 2017/18: -1%)
    • continued weaker sales in France; and
    • continued business disruption from our ONE Kingfisher plan albeit with an overall improving trend
  • Remain comfortable with Year 2 consensus underlying EPS expectations(3): self-help cost initiatives already in place including c.£5m more of GNFR(4) benefits than previously guided (now c.£25m)
  • Remain on track to deliver Year 2 strategic milestones
  • Entered into binding acquisition agreement in August to significantly strengthen our position in Romania, subject to regulatory approval
  • Returned a further £168m (53m shares) year to date via share buyback of previously announced c.£600m capital return(5)

Véronique Laury, Kingfisher Chief Executive Officer, said:

“Q2 has broadly followed a similar course to Q1 although B&Q’s performance was impacted by seasonal swings across Q1 and Q2. We have also continued to experience some disruption across the businesses, although on an improving trend. Availability of this year’s unified and unique product is now approaching normal levels. We continue to adapt new processes as our transformation progresses, which will support the significant amount of change planned for H2.

“Having been very aware that this year would be challenging given the step up in transformation activity, we already have self-help plans in place to support our overall Year 2 performance, though we remain cautious on the H2 outlook for the UK and France as previously guided. We remain on track to deliver our Year 2 strategic milestones, and look forward to updating you on our wider progress in more detail at our H1 results.”

Q2 trading highlights by division (in constant currencies):

UK & IRELAND

  • Total sales -2.1%. LFL -1.0% reflecting continued strong Screwfix performance and modest price inflation offset by a softer B&Q performance
    • B&Q UK & Ireland sales -7.8% reflecting annualisation of completed store closure programme. LFL -4.7% including benefit from sales transference associated with store closures(6). LFL of seasonal -10.7% reflecting strong comparative (Q2 16/17: +9.6%) and the positive impact of weather on this year’s Q1. LFL of non-seasonal, including showroom -1.6%
    • Screwfix sales up +17.2%. LFL +10.8% driven by its leading digital capability, new and extended specialist ranges and new outlets

FRANCE

  • Total sales -3.3% (LFL -3.8%). Sales for the home improvement market (Banque de France data(7)) +0.4% in Q2
    • Castorama sales -2.3% (LFL -2.8%). LFL of seasonal -6.0%. LFL of non-seasonal, including showroom -1.3%
    • Brico Dépôt sales -4.5% (LFL -5.1%)

OTHER INTERNATIONAL

  • Sales in Poland +5.7% (LFL +4.0%) reflecting a continued good performance in a supportive market. LFL of seasonal +1.4%. LFL of non-seasonal, including showroom +4.6%

Footnotes

(1) Like-for-like sales growth representing the constant currency, year on year sales growth for stores that have been open for more than a year
(2) Brico Dépôt Romania, Brico Dépôt Portugal and Screwfix Germany
(3) Analyst consensus of underlying earnings per share of 26p for FY 2017/18, see http://www.kingfisher.com/index.asp?pageid=79 for more detail. Underlying earnings per share is used to report the performance of the underlying business at a Group level, including the sustainable benefits of our transformation programme. This is stated before the short-term costs associated with our transformation programme, exceptional items and FFVR, related tax items and prior year tax items
(4) GNFR (Goods Not For Resale) covers the procurement of all goods and services that Kingfisher consumes
(5) Through to end of FY 2018/19 (over and above the annual ordinary dividend); now returned £368m of the c.£600m
(6) c.1% LFL sales transference benefit from B&Q store closures remains full year guidance
(7) Includes relocated and extended stores http://webstat.banque-france.fr/en/browse.do?node=5384326

This announcement can be downloaded from www.kingfisher.com. Data tables for Q2 and H1 sales 2017/18 are available for download in excel format at http://www.kingfisher.com/index.asp?pageid=59

We can be followed on Twitter @kingfisherplc with the Q2 results tag #KGFQ2. Kingfisher American Depository Receipts are traded in the US on the OTCQX platform:(OTCQX: KGFHY) http://www.otcmarkets.com/stock/KGFHY/quote

Our next announcement will be our Half Year Results on 20 September 2017. The results will be presented as an audio webcast followed by a live Q&A.

Forward-looking statements

You are not to construe the content of this announcement as investment, legal or tax advice and you should make your own evaluation of the Company and the market. If you are in any doubt about the contents of this announcement or the action you should take, you should consult a person authorised under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (as amended) (or if you are a person outside the UK, otherwise duly qualified in your jurisdiction).

This announcement has been prepared in relation to the financial results for the Quarter ended 31 July 2017. The financial information referenced in this announcement is not audited and does not contain sufficient detail to allow a full understanding of the results of the group. Nothing in this announcement should be construed as either an offer or invitation to sell or any offering of securities or any invitation or inducement to any person to underwrite, subscribe for or otherwise acquire securities in any company within the group or an invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity under section 21 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (as amended).

Certain information contained in this announcement may constitute “forward-looking statements” (including within the meaning of the safe harbour provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995), which can be identified by the use of terms such as “may”, “will”, “would”, “could”, “should”, “expect”, “anticipate”, “project”, “estimate”, “intend”, “continue”, “target”, “plan”, “goal”, “aim” or “believe” (or the negatives thereof) or other variations thereon or comparable terminology. These forward-looking statements include all matters that are not historical facts and include statements regarding the Company’s intentions, beliefs or current expectations concerning, among other things, the Company’s results of operations, financial condition, changes in global or regional trade conditions, changes in tax rates, liquidity, prospects, growth and strategies. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve risks, assumptions and uncertainties that could cause actual events or results or actual performance of the Company to differ materially from those reflected or contemplated in such forward-looking statements. No representation or warranty is made as to the achievement or reasonableness of and no reliance should be placed on such forward-looking statements.

The Company does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement to reflect any change in circumstances or in the Company’s expectations.

Contacts:

Investor Relations:
+44 (0) 20 7644 1082
investorenquiries@kingfisher.com

Media Relations:
+44 (0) 20 7644 1030
corpcomms@kingfisher.com

Teneo Blue Rubicon
+44 (0) 20 7260 2700
Kfteam@teneobluerubicon.com

Source: Kingfisher

Posted on by

Barnes & Noble launches “The B&N Podcast” featuring in-depth conversations with today’s most popular authors

  • New Podcast Features In-Depth Conversations with Today’s Most Popular Authors Including John Grisham, Paula Hawkins, Imbolo Mbue, Colson Whitehead, and More
  • Podcast Available Today on BN.com, iTunes App Store and Stitcher

New York, New York, 2017-Aug-17 — /EPR Retail News/ — Barnes & Noble, Inc. (NYSE: BKS), the world’s largest bookseller, today (August 16, 2017) launched “The B&N Podcast,” featuring in-depth conversations with today’s most popular authors including Peter Gethers, John Grisham, Paula Hawkins, Imbolo Mbue, J. Courtney Sullivan, Colson Whitehead, and more. The Barnes & Noble Podcast goes behind the scenes with today’s most interesting writers, exploring what inspires them, their methods and what they were thinking when they wrote their books.

The B&N Podcast is available for listeners today on BN.com/podcast, the iTunes App Store and Stitcher. Barnes & Noble will be posting six to eight interviews each month, with many more huge names to come during the packed fall publishing season.“Barnes & Noble is already a destination for customers to meet the authors they love and have conversations about their favorite books,” said Fred Argir, Chief Digital Officer. “The B&N Podcast is a natural extension of those conversations, bringing the biggest names in literature directly to their audiences in a meaningful new way that only Barnes & Noble can deliver.”

The first series of episodes, which are available now, include discussions with:

  • Colson Whitehead, author of The Underground Railroad
  • John Grisham, author of Camino Island
  • Courtney Sullivan, author of Saints for All Occassions
  • Paula Hawkins, author of Into the Water
  • Peter Gethers, author of My Mother’s Kitchen: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, and the Meaning of Life
  • Imbolo Mbue, author of the latest Oprah Book Club pick, Behold the Dreamer.

In coming weeks, episodes featuring fan-favorite authors including Jennifer Finney Boylan, Yaa Gyasi, Jo Nesbo, and more, will become available. For more information customers can visit BN.com/podcast, or follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and Snapchat (bnsnaps), and like us on Facebook.

About Barnes & Noble
Barnes & Noble, Inc. (NYSE: BKS) is the world’s largest bookseller, and a leading retailer of content, digital media and educational products.  The Company operates 633 Barnes & Noble bookstores in 50 states, and one of the Web’s premier e-commerce sites, BN.com (www.bn.com).  The Nook Digital business offers a lineup of popular NOOK® tablets and eReaders and an expansive collection of digital reading and entertainment content through the NOOK Store®. The NOOK Store features more than 4.5 million digital books in the US (www.nook.com), plus periodicals and comics, and offers the ability to enjoy content across a wide array of popular devices through Free NOOK Reading Apps™ available for Android™, iOS® and Windows®.

General information on Barnes & Noble, Inc. can be obtained by visiting the Company’s corporate website at www.barnesandnobleinc.com.

Barnes & Noble®, Barnes & Noble Booksellers® and Barnes & Noble.com® are trademarks of Barnes & Noble, Inc. or its affiliates. NOOK® and the NOOK logos are trademarks of Nook Digital, LLC or its affiliates.

For more information on Barnes & Noble, follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and Snapchat (bnsnaps), and like us on Facebook. For more information on NOOK, follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook.

All Contacts:
Mary Ellen Keating
Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications
Barnes & Noble, Inc.
(212) 633-3323
mkeating@bn.com

Alan McNamara
Senior Director, Corporate Communications
Barnes & Noble, Inc.
(212) 633-3379
amcnamara@bn.com

Source: Barnes & Noble, Inc.

Posted on by

InvenTrust Properties names Paula Saban as Interim Chairperson of the Board of Directors

OAK BROOK, Ill., 2017-Aug-17 — /EPR Retail News/ — InvenTrust Properties, Inc. (“InvenTrust”, “IVT” or the “Company”) today (08/16/2017) announced that Paula Saban has been appointed Interim Chairperson of InvenTrust’s Board of Directors, effective August 14, 2017. The appointment of Ms. Saban follows the voluntary resignation of J. Michael Borden as Chairperson of the Board. Mr. Borden’s resignation is not due to any disagreement with the Company on any matter relating to the Company’s operations, policies or practices.

Mr. Borden, former Chairperson of the Board, said, “I feel deeply privileged to have served as Chairperson of the Board of InvenTrust these past two and a half years, working closely with the talented management team and Board of Directors, we helped transform InvenTrust into a pure-play retail REIT. I look forward to continuing to work hard as a member of the Board to create shareholder value in the future.”

“We are deeply grateful to Michael for his efforts and guidance as Chairperson of InvenTrust’s Board of Directors,” said Ms. Saban. “IVT has accomplished a number of significant corporate initiatives during his term as Chairperson that have positively impacted the Company. I am excited to be taking on the role of Interim Chairperson with the same drive and passion that Mr. Borden exhibited.”

Paula Saban has been a Director of InvenTrust Properties since October 2004. She brings more than 25 years of financial services and banking industry experience to her leadership role. Ms. Saban began her career in 1978 with Continental Bank, which later merged into Bank of America. From 1978 to 1990, she held various consultative sales roles in treasury management and traditional lending areas, managed client service teams and developed numerous client satisfaction programs. In 1990, Ms. Saban began designing and implementing various financial solutions for clients with Bank of America’s Private Bank and Banc of America Investment Services, Inc. Her clients included top management of publicly held companies and entrepreneurs. In addition to managing a diverse client portfolio, Ms. Saban was responsible for client management and overall client satisfaction. She retired from Bank of America in 2006 as a Senior Vice President/Private Client Manager. Together with her husband, Ms. Saban owns a construction products company, Newport Distribution, Inc., of which she is secretary and treasurer, and a principal stockholder.

In light of Ms. Saban’s experience in financial services and banking, among other things, our board believes that Ms. Saban has the necessary experience and insight to serve as interim Chairperson of the Board.

About InvenTrust Properties Corp.
InvenTrust Properties Corp. is a pure-play retail company with a focus on acquiring open-air centers with a disciplined approach, in key growth markets with favorable demographics. This acquisition strategy, along with our innovative and collaborative property management approach, ensures the success of both our tenants and business partners and drives net operating income growth for the Company. InvenTrust became a self-managed REIT in 2014 and as of June 30, 2017, is an owner and manager of 85 retail properties, representing 15.2 million square feet of retail space, and one non-core property.

Forward-Looking Statements Disclaimer
Forward-Looking Statements in this press release, which are not historical facts, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical, including statements regarding management’s intentions, beliefs, expectations, plans or predictions of the future and are typically identified by words such as “may,” “could,” “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “seek,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “potential,” “continue,” “likely,” “will,” “would” and variations of these terms and similar expressions, or the negative of these terms or similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by us and our management, are inherently uncertain. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations. For further discussion of factors that could materially affect the outcome of our forward-looking statements and our future results and financial condition, see our filings with the securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), including the Risk Factors included in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, as updated by any subsequent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, in each case as filed with the SEC. InvenTrust intends that such forward-looking statements be subject to the safe harbors created by Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, except as may be required by applicable law. We caution you not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which are made as of the date of this press release. We undertake no obligation to update publicly any of these forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, new information or future events, changes in assumptions or changes in other factors affecting forward-looking statements, except to the extent required by applicable laws. If we update one or more forward-looking statements, no inference should be drawn that we will make additional updates with respect to those or other forward-looking statements.

Contact:
Dan Lombardo
630-570-0605
dan.lombardo@inventrustproperties.com

Source: InvenTrust Properties Corp.

Posted on by

ICA Gruppen strengthens its digital ecosystem with new innovation hub ICAx

ICA Gruppen strengthens its digital ecosystem with new innovation hub ICAx

 

Solna, Sweden, 2017-Aug-17 — /EPR Retail News/ — The new innovation hub ICAx will strengthen ICA Gruppen’s ability to use digital technology to improve its customer offerings in and between the Group’s various companies. Within this hub ICA will work with its own digital development projects, strategic partnerships with other companies, and potentially also with acquisitions. The aim of the initiative is to accelerate development of digital services for ICA Gruppen’s various companies and strengthen the Group’s digital ecosystem.

The goal is that ICAx will deliver three to six new projects per year and also leverage internal ideas across ICA Gruppen in a structured manner.

“We will combine the stability, resources and customer base of a major corporation with the speed and agility from the start-up world,” comments Per Strömberg, CEO of ICA Gruppen. “By creating a separate unit dedicated to innovation and development as well as to forging strategic, digital partnerships with other enterprises, we will be able to more quickly develop services that improve our customer offering. We are prepared to make significant investments on developing services that create customer benefit. The goal is that customers will see new services from ICAx already by the end of this year.”

ICAx will be headed by Samuel Young, who has a long record of experience at ICA but comes most recently from his role as CEO of the company Smart Video. Samuel will report to Peter Muld, who is Chief Digital Officer at ICA Gruppen.

For more information:
ICA Gruppen press service
Telephone number: +46 10 422 52 52

Source: ICA Gruppen

###

Posted on by

ICA Gruppen Q2 2017 earnings: Consolidated net sales up by 3.7% to SEK 27,198 million

Underlying earnings stable; higher costs from new ventures

Solna, Sweden, 2017-Aug-17 — /EPR Retail News/ —

Second quarter of 2017 in summary

  • Consolidated net sales amounted to SEK 27,198 million (26,222), an increase of 3.7%
  • Operating profit excluding non-recurring items totalled SEK 1,094 million (1,154)
  • The sale of ICA Real Estate in Norway and inkClub, and costs ahead of the integration of the acquisition of IKI in Lithuania, affected operating profit excluding nonrecurring items by a combined total of SEK -53 million
  • Profit for the period was SEK 1,021 million (829). Profit includes capital gains on sales of non-current assets and impairment losses totalling SEK 165 million net (-37)
  • Earnings per share were SEK 5.06 (4.12)
  • Cash flow from operating activities amounted to SEK 2,001 million (1,785). Excluding ICA Bank, cash flow was SEK 1,836 million (1,463)
  • The sale of 12 properties to Secore Fastigheter was completed on 2 June, generating a capital gain of approximately SEK 150 million

After the end of the quarter

  • No significant events have taken place after the end of the quarter

Comment from the CEO of ICA Gruppen, Per Strömberg:

“We had stable underlying earnings during the second quarter, with Apotek Hjärtat – above all – posting a good quarter. Other businesses have been affected by divestments to varying degrees – particularly the sale of properties in Norway – as well as by ongoing activities and ventures. Higher costs have resulted in a slightly lower operating margin than a year ago, but with a high level of activity it is at the same time natural that there will be variations from quarter to quarter that affect earnings. In the long-term perspective we are on track to meeting our targets.”

Press and analyst meeting

ICA Gruppen is arranging a press and analyst meeting on Wednesday 16 August at 10.00 CET at Tändstickspalatset, Västra Trädgårdsgatan 15 in Stockholm. CEO Per Strömberg and CFO Sven Lindskog will present the interim report. The conference can also be followed at www.icagruppen.se/investerare.

To call in, please dial:

SE +46 8 5050 3050

UK +44 203 655 1001

Conference PIN: 1839741#

Calendar

10 November 2017                Interim report third quarter

14 December 2017                Capital Markets Day

8 February 2018                    Year-end report 2017

This information is such that ICA Gruppen AB is obligated to make public pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation. The information was submitted for publication at time 07.00 CET on Wednesday, August 16, 2017.

For further information, please contact:
Frans Benson
Head of Investor Relations
tel. +46 8-561 500 20
ICA Gruppen press service
Tel +46 10 422 52 52

Source: ICA Gruppen

Posted on by

ICA Gruppen Q2 2017 Sustainability Report: Continued decrease in GHG emissions and new circular system for reducing food waste

Solna, Sweden, 2017-Aug-17 — /EPR Retail News/ — “By virtue of our size we have a great responsibility, but on top of this we also clearly see that sustainability is a driver of growth. We see it in our figures, and it is also evident in numerous, independent studies. Companies with effective sustainability work are on average more profitable and deliver higher returns to their shareholders,” says Per Strömberg, CEO ICA Gruppen in his comments on the report.

See the Sustainability Report for more information, including:

  • ICA Gruppen’s greenhouse gas emissions decreased by 41% during the period July 2016–June 2017 compared with the base year 2006.
  • Continued growth in sales of ecolabelled, organic and ethically labelled products in ICA Sweden’s central assortment. In total, sales of such products during the period July 2016–June 2017 grew 8% compared with the corresponding period a year ago.
  • New packaging contributing to lower food waste. By changing over to a new form of packaging for large parts of the meat range, considerably longer shelf life has been achieved as well as improved flavour.
  • Food waste becomes fish in circular system. Waste from potatoes is being used to breed insects, which in turn are being used as fish feed for Arctic char sold under ICA Sweden’s private label.
  • During the spring Apotek Hjärtat changed over to using plastic bags made of sugar cane. When incinerated the bags produce 85% less CO2than petroleum-based bags.

For more information:
ICA Gruppen press service
Telephone number: +46 10 422 52 52

Source: ICA Gruppen

Posted on by

SPAR announces Cystic Fibrosis Ireland as its new national charity partner

Ireland, 2017-Aug-17 — /EPR Retail News/ — SPAR has announced that Cystic Fibrosis Ireland will be its new national charity partner for the next two years. SPAR has vowed to raise up to €300,000 during this time for Cystic Fibrosis Ireland through collection boxes in 400 SPAR stores nationwide, a donation on selected SPAR Own Brand products and a number of key events.

To mark this new partnership, SPAR Ireland recently hosted a coffee morning at luxury Dublin members club, Residence. The event was attended by well-known cystic fibrosis campaigner, Jillian McNulty, who successfully campaigned for the government funding of the Orkambi drug, which is used to treat the underlying causes of the disease.

Philip Watt, CEO Cystic Fibrosis Ireland said: “We would like to thank SPAR for choosing Cystic Fibrosis Ireland as their chosen charity. CF is a genetically inherited disease that primarily affects the lungs and the digestive system. Ireland has the highest incidence of cystic fibrosis in the world. Unfortunately there is no cure for cystic fibrosis, but medical and scientific research has greatly improved the treatment of this disease in recent years.”

Willie O’Byrne, Managing Director, BWG Foods (owners and operators of the SPAR Brand in Ireland) said: “SPAR is proud to work with Cystic Fibrosis Ireland as our charity partner. We hope that our support will continue to help improve the quality of the lives of those living with cystic fibrosis in Ireland. Aside from our charity boxes in stores, we will also be making a regular donation from the sale of our SPAR Own brand products and be involved in a number of fundraising events to raise as much funds as possible for Cystic Fibrosis Ireland.”

The funds raised by SPAR will be used to support the independent living of those with cystic fibrosis. Those living with this disease face many challenges in areas such as education, health, housing, employment and family support.

Cystic Fibrosis Ireland (CFI) is a voluntary organisation that was set up in 1963 to improve treatment and facilities for people with cystic fibrosis in Ireland. CFI seeks to provide the best possible quality of life for people with cystic fibrosis by raising funds through fundraising and donations from the public.

Contact:

SPAR International
Email: info@spar-international.com
Tel: +3120 626 6749

Source: Spar International

Posted on by

SpartanNash appoints Mark Shamber as Executive Vice President and CFO

SpartanNash appoints Mark Shamber as Executive Vice President and CFO

 

Experienced Food Distribution Executive Mark Shamber to Join Company in September

Byron Center, MI, 2017-Aug-17 — /EPR Retail News/ — SpartanNash (Nasdaq: SPTN) announced today (Aug 16th, 2017) that the Company has appointed Mark Shamber as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (CFO), effective September 11, 2017. Shamber previously served as Chief Financial Officer for United Natural Foods, Inc., a specialty and organic food distributor (NASDAQ: UNFI). Following his departure from UNFI at the end of 2015, Mark has been working as an independent consultant and serving as the Vice Chairman, Board of Directors of Day Kimball Healthcare, Inc. Earlier in his career, Shamber worked in the audit practice of Ernst & Young and in the finance department of Reebok International.

As SpartanNash’s CFO and Executive Vice President, Shamber will direct finance, mergers and acquisitions, treasury, internal audit, real estate, and risk management. He will report to SpartanNash’s President and Chief Executive Officer, David Staples.

“We look forward to having Mark join our team,” notes Staples. “Mark’s expertise in the food distribution industry, especially in the natural and organic space and with independent grocers and national chains, as well as his overall M&A prowess make him an excellent fit for SpartanNash and will help drive our future success.”

Staples continued, “Tom Van Hall, a critical member of our finance team for more than fourteen years, has been acting as SpartanNash’s interim CFO since July of 2017. We are most grateful for his contributions and commitment to remaining on board to assist with Mark’s transition.”

About SpartanNash

SpartanNash (Nasdaq: SPTN) is a Fortune 400 company whose core businesses include distributing grocery products to independent grocery retailers, national accounts, its corporate-owned retail stores and U.S. military commissaries. SpartanNash serves customer locations in 47 states and the District of Columbia, Europe, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Bahrain and Egypt. As of today, SpartanNash currently operates 150 supermarkets, primarily under the banners of Family Fare Supermarkets, VG’s Food and Pharmacy, D&W Fresh Market, Sun Mart, and Family Fresh Market. Through its MDV military division, SpartanNash is the leading distributor of grocery products to U.S. military commissaries.

Contact:
Tom Van Hall
Interim Chief Financial Officer
616-878-8023

Meredith Gremel
Vice President, Corporate Affairs & Communications
616-878-2830

Source: SpartanNash

Posted on by

SpartanNash Q2 FY2017 financial results: Consolidated Net Sales Increased 3.7% Driven by Growth in Food Distribution Segment

  • Reported Second Quarter EPS from Continuing Operations Improved to $0.56 per Diluted Share
  • Adjusted Second Quarter EPS from Continuing Operations Improved to $0.60 per Diluted Share
  • Experienced Food Distribution Executive Mark Shamber to Join Company as CFO in September

Byron Center, MI, 2017-Aug-17 — /EPR Retail News/ — SpartanNash Company (the “Company”) (Nasdaq: SPTN) today (Aug 16th, 2017) reported financial results for the 12-week second quarter and 28-week period ended July 15, 2017.

Second Quarter Results

Consolidated net sales for the second quarter increased $67.1 million to $1.89 billion from $1.83 billion in the prior year quarter. The increase in net sales was driven by contributions from the Caito Foods Service (“Caito”) acquisition and organic growth in the food distribution segment.

Reported operating earnings improved to $38.9 million from $32.6 million in the prior year quarter. The increase was primarily due to lower asset impairment and restructuring charges compared to the prior year and continuing favorable results in the food distribution segment. Adjusted operating earnings(1) improved to $41.4 million from $39.3 million in the prior year quarter as organic sales growth and favorable margins in food distribution mitigated the impact of a challenging retail environment, with additional favorable impacts from general cost control, supply chain efficiency improvements and lower incentive compensation expense. Please see the financial tables at the end of this press release for a reconciliation of each non-GAAP financial measure to the most directly comparable measure prepared and presented in accordance with GAAP.

Reported earnings from continuing operations improved $3.5 million to $21.1 million, or $0.56 per diluted share, compared to $17.6 million, or $0.47 per diluted share, in the prior year quarter. Adjusted earnings from continuing operations(2) for the second quarter improved to $22.6 million, or $0.60 per diluted share, from $21.7 million, or $0.58 per diluted share, in the prior year quarter. Current year adjusted earnings from continuing operations exclude net after-tax charges of $0.04 per diluted share primarily related to start-up costs associated with the new Fresh Kitchen operation and merger/acquisition and integration activities mainly associated with the most recent acquisition. Prior year adjusted earnings from continuing operations exclude net after-tax charges of $0.11 per diluted share primarily related to asset impairment charges, restructuring activities associated with the Company’s warehouse rationalization plan, and ongoing merger/integration activities.

Adjusted Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization (Adjusted EBITDA)(3) improved by 5.6 percent to $62.0 million, or 3.3 percent of net sales, compared to $58.7 million, or 3.2 percent of net sales, in the prior year quarter, marking the 3rd consecutive quarter of year-over-year improvement in Adjusted EBITDA.

“We continue to be very pleased with our food distribution segment’s performance despite challenging retail market conditions, as the creative solutions we offer our customers continue to contribute to their success as well as ours,” said David Staples, President and Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”). “On a consolidated basis, we delivered both top-line and earnings growth primarily due to increases in our food distribution segment and from ongoing improvements to our supply chain. As anticipated, we began to see an easing of deflationary pressures with overall food inflation coming in flat to slightly inflationary for the quarter, marking the first quarter without deflation in over a year. While the integration of our latest acquisition and the start-up of our new Fresh Kitchen facility have been slower than anticipated, we are excited about the potential they provide for both the fresh-cut fruits/vegetables and freshly prepared meal solution offerings, which are right in line with the ever-increasing consumer demand for convenience. During the quarter, we began shipping private brand products to U.S. military commissaries and look forward to the continued roll out of this program in the second half of the year. Additionally, at the beginning of the third quarter, we entered into an agreement to obtain all of the commissary distribution business from a DeCA provider exiting the business in the Southwest. We expect these two events to reverse the current military trends to positive by the fourth quarter. It is an exciting time at SpartanNash given the growth we are experiencing with our distribution customers and the new arenas we are entering, the positive changes we are bringing to our military business, and the continued enhancements we are making in our retail operations. We remain confident in our strategy and believe our expertise as a food wholesaler and retailer gives us a unique competitive advantage and enables us to deliver best-in-class solutions to our food distribution and retail customers.”

Gross profit margin for the second quarter was 14.3 percent compared to 14.4 percent in the prior year quarter primarily due to the mix of business operations.

Reported operating expenses for the second quarter were $232.1 million, or 12.2 percent of net sales, compared to $230.1 million, or 12.6 percent of net sales, in the prior year quarter. The lower expenses as a rate to net sales was primarily attributable to lower restructuring and asset impairment costs compared to the prior year quarter, benefits associated with supply chain improvements and lower incentive compensation costs, partially offset by higher expenses due to the recent acquisition and the mix of business operations. Second quarter operating expenses would have been $231.5 million compared to $223.4 million in the prior year quarter, representing 12.2 percent of net sales in both periods, if the previously mentioned adjustments were excluded.

Food Distribution Segment

Net sales for the food distribution segment increased $121.3 million, or 14.8 percent, to $941.6 million from $820.3 million in the prior year quarter, primarily due to contributions from the recent acquisition and organic sales growth from new and existing customers.

Reported operating earnings for the food distribution segment increased to $23.2 million from $19.2 million in the prior year quarter. The increase in reporting operating earnings was due to sales growth, favorable margins, supply chain optimization efforts and lower incentive compensation costs, partially offset by start-up and integration costs related to the recent acquisition, and higher depreciation and amortization expense. Second quarter adjusted operating earnings increased to $25.8 million from $21.6 million in the prior year quarter. Second quarter adjusted operating earnings in the current and prior year exclude $2.6 million and $2.4 million, respectively, of pre-tax charges primarily related to Fresh Kitchen start-up costs and merger/acquisition and integration costs in the current year, and restructuring charges related to the Company’s warehouse optimization plan in both periods. Adjusted operating earnings by segment(4) is a non-GAAP operating financial measure.

Military Segment

Net sales for the military segment were $471.1 million compared to $505.4 million in the prior year quarter. The decrease was primarily due to lower sales at the Defense Commissary Agency (“DeCA”) operated commissaries. Reported operating earnings for the military segment were $2.5 million in both the current and prior year quarter. Reported operating earnings were comparable to the prior year, representing a significant improvement from the first quarter year-over-year trend, as the impact of lower sales was offset by favorable margins and lower incentive compensation and health care costs. These trends are expected to improve over the remainder of the fiscal year as the Company begins to service new business in the Southwest and as the private brand program continues to roll out. Adjusted operating earnings increased to $2.5 million from $2.2 million in the prior year quarter.

Retail Segment

Net sales for the retail segment were $482.0 million in the second quarter compared to $501.8 million for the prior year quarter. The decrease in net sales was primarily attributable to $11.6 million in lower sales resulting from the closures and sales of retail stores as well as a 1.8 percent decrease in comparable store sales for the quarter, excluding fuel, which despite the challenging retail environment, was in line with past quarter results.

Reported operating earnings in the retail segment increased to $13.2 million from $10.9 million in the prior year quarter. The increase in reported operating earnings was primarily attributable to lower restructuring and asset impairment costs compared to the prior year quarter. Adjusted operating earnings were $13.1 million compared to $15.5 million in the prior year quarter. The decrease in adjusted operating earnings reflects the difficult sales environment and incremental margin investment in the Company’s fresh departments. Adjusted operating earnings exclude $0.1 million of pre-tax gains in this year’s second quarter and $4.6 million of pre-tax asset impairment and merger integration charges in the prior year quarter.

In connection with its store rationalization plan and obtaining new distribution business, the Company sold two of its retail stores in the second quarter to a new food distribution customer, ending the quarter with 151 corporate owned retail stores compared to 160 stores in the prior year quarter.

Balance Sheet and Cash Flow

Cash flow provided by operating activities for the year-to-date period was $38.4 million, compared to $56.3 million provided by operating activities in the comparable period last year. The change in cash flow was mainly due to changes in working capital, particularly higher accounts receivable balances at military as certain customers were addressing system conversion issues and payments were temporarily delayed.

Long-term debt and capital lease obligations, including current maturities, were $660.3 million at July 15, 2017 compared to $431.1 million at December 31, 2016. The increase was a result of the Company funding the recent acquisition with proceeds from the Company’s Credit Agreement. Net long-term debt(5) (including current maturities and capital lease obligations and subtracting cash) was $637.5 million as of July 15, 2017 compared to $406.7 million at December 31, 2016. The Company’s total net long-term debt-to-capital ratio is 0.4-to-1 and net long-term debt to Adjusted EBITDA(6) is 2.7-to-1, as of July 15, 2017.

Outlook

Mr. Staples continued, “Our first half results demonstrate the continuing execution of our business strategy, and we are excited about the growth opportunities developing in our food distribution and military segments. As we integrate the operations of our recent acquisition, refine and expand production in our new Fresh Kitchen facility, and onboard new military business, the positive momentum in our distribution operations will continue to drive growth as more customers will benefit from our expanded product offering and innovative solutions. Our strong track record of customer satisfaction and supply chain capabilities provide a solid foundation for continued organic growth and a healthy pipeline of prospects. In our retail segment, we are committed to providing a great shopping experience for our customers and continue to pursue other channels for providing quality products in a convenient and affordable manner while ensuring our merchandising efforts are aligned with ever-changing consumer demands. During the quarter we introduced Fast Lane, our new online ordering and curbside pick-up service, and anticipate rolling out the service to as many as 50 corporate-owned retail stores by the end of the year. Despite the difficult retail environment, we believe we are well positioned against the market backdrop and will continue to evolve our merchandising efforts and customer personalization initiatives to deliver an even better experience for our customers. As anticipated, we are beginning to see an easing of the recent deflationary pressures; however, we do not see a return to originally expected levels of inflation at this time. Given this trend and the difficult retail environment existing currently, we expect comparable store sales to be negative for the remainder of the year. As we move into the second half of the year, we remain committed to both top-line and earnings growth and delivering long-term value to our shareholders.”

Based on the first half results and outlook for the remainder of the year, the Company is refining its guidance for fiscal 2017. The Company expects adjusted earnings per share from continuing operations(7) of approximately $2.18 to $2.28, excluding merger/acquisition and integration costs and other adjusted expenses and gains, and reported earnings from continuing operations of approximately $1.83 to $1.90 per diluted share. For the third quarter of fiscal 2017, the Company anticipates earnings to be flat to slightly ahead of the prior year as continued strong performance in distribution operations will be partially offset by slower-than-anticipated contributions from the recent acquisition and a challenging marketplace at retail. On the acquisition front, the Company continues to see progress integrating operations, has begun limited production at the Fresh Kitchen facility, and remains confident about the ultimate growth potential and long-term vision for this business and its ready-to-eat categories. The performance of these operations, however, is currently not anticipated to meet original expectations for the current fiscal year but is projected to be accretive in fiscal 2018. To address the challenging retail landscape, the Company is continuing to invest in its store base, personalized marketing initiatives, customer convenience and experience, and the launch of its Our Family® brand into the Michigan region, which will provide the Company with a high quality, company-wide private brand program. For the military segment, the recently secured new business, together with increasing contributions from the DeCA private brand program, are expected to grow military’s sales and earnings in the second half of the fiscal year.

The Company continues to expect an easing of deflationary pressures with modest food inflation anticipated in the second half of the year. Accordingly, and depending on the variability associated with inflation by commodity and its related impact on LIFO, the Company does not expect the prior year deflation-related LIFO benefit of $0.07 per diluted share to repeat in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2017.

Due to changes in the timing of capital projects and several emerging long-term growth opportunities materializing more quickly than anticipated, the Company now expects capital expenditures for fiscal year 2017 to be in the range of $75.0 million to $78.0 million, depreciation and amortization to be approximately $83.0 million to $85.0 million, and total interest expense to be in the range of $23.0 million to $25.0 million.

Recent Developments

SpartanNash announced today that the Company has appointed Mark Shamber as Executive Vice President (“EVP”) and Chief Financial Officer (“CFO”), effective September 11, 2017. Mr. Shamber previously served as CFO for United Natural Foods, Inc., a specialty and organic food distributor (Nasdaq: UNFI). Following his departure from UNFI at the end of 2015, Mark has been working as an independent consultant and serving as the Vice Chairman, Board of Directors of Day Kimball Healthcare, Inc. Earlier in his career, Mr. Shamber worked in the audit practice of Ernst & Young, and in the finance department of Reebok International.

As SpartanNash’s EVP and CFO, Shamber will direct finance, mergers & acquisitions, treasury, internal audit, real estate, and risk management. He will report to David Staples, SpartanNash’s President and CEO.

Conference Call

A telephone conference call to discuss the Company’s second quarter of fiscal 2017 financial results is scheduled for 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time, Thursday, August 17, 2017. A live webcast of this conference call will be available on the Company’s website, www.spartannash.com/webcasts. Simply click on “For Investors” and follow the links to the live webcast. The webcast will remain available for replay on the Company’s website for approximately ten days.

About SpartanNash

SpartanNash (Nasdaq: SPTN) is a Fortune 400 company whose core businesses include distributing grocery products to independent grocery retailers, national accounts, its corporate owned retail stores and U.S. military commissaries. SpartanNash serves customer locations in 47 states and the District of Columbia, Europe, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Bahrain and Egypt. As of today, SpartanNash currently operates 150 supermarkets, primarily under the banners of Family Fare Supermarkets, VG’s Food and Pharmacy, D&W Fresh Market, Sun Mart, and Family Fresh Market. Through its MDV military division, SpartanNash is the leading distributor of grocery products to U.S. military commissaries.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains “forward-looking” statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These include statements preceded by, followed by or that otherwise include the words “outlook,” “momentum,” “believe,” “anticipates,” “continue,” “expects,” “guidance,” “potential,” “trend,” or “plan” or similar expressions. The statements in the “Outlook” section of this press release are inherently forward looking. Forward-looking statements relating to expectations about future results or events are based upon information available to SpartanNash as of today’s date, and are not guarantees of the future performance of the company, and actual results may vary materially from the results and expectations discussed. Additional risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the company’s ability to compete in the highly competitive grocery distribution, retail grocery, and military distribution industries. Additional information concerning these and other risks is contained in SpartanNash’s most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K, recent Current Reports on Form 8-K and other SEC filings. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements concerning SpartanNash, or other matters and attributable to SpartanNash or any person acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements above. SpartanNash does not undertake any obligation to publicly update any of these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that may arise after the date hereof.

(1) A reconciliation of operating earnings to adjusted operating earnings, a non-GAAP financial measure, is provided below.
(2) A reconciliation of earnings from continuing operations to adjusted earnings from continuing operations, a non-GAAP financial measure, is provided below.
(3) A reconciliation of net earnings to Adjusted EBITDA, a non-GAAP financial measure, is provided below.
(4) A reconciliation of operating earnings to adjusted operating earnings by segment, a non-GAAP financial measure, is provided below.
(5) A reconciliation of long-term debt and capital lease obligations to total net long-term debt and capital lease obligations, a non-GAAP financial measure, is provided below.
(6) The net long-term debt to Adjusted EBITDA ratio has not been adjusted for the recent acquisition’s results on a pro forma or annualized basis.
(7) A reconciliation of projected earnings per share from continuing operations to adjusted earnings per share from continuing operations.

Investor Contact:
Tom Van Hall
Interim Chief Financial Officer
(616) 878-8023

Media Contact:
Meredith Gremel
Vice President Corporate Affairs and Communications
(616) 878-2830

Source: SpartanNash Company

Posted on by

New infant wear line launches exclusively to Kmart – Spencer by Jaclyn Smith

New infant wear line launches exclusively to Kmart – Spencer by Jaclyn Smith

 

First-ever infant wear line designed by Jaclyn Smith available online and in select Kmart stores this September

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill., 2017-Aug-17 — /EPR Retail News/ — Jaclyn Smith, a beloved Kmart brand partner for more than 32 years, is unveiling an infant wear line exclusive to Kmart – Spencer by Jaclyn Smith. Launching in select stores on September 17 and available now for online presale at Kmart.com*, Jaclyn drew inspiration from her granddaughter Bea, born last year, in designing a collection with her daughter Spencer Margaret. The new line embodies precious childhood moments with soft, classic baby pieces and products. Spencer by Jaclyn Smith makes it easier than ever for new and expecting parents to get ready for their baby’s arrival by offering comfortable yet trendy everyday baby essentials at an affordable Kmart price.

“This collection truly embodies the emotions and cherished time when a baby joins a family,” said actress, model, Kmart designer and first-time grandmother Jaclyn Smith. “The delicate whimsical prints, playful artwork and modern color palette for baby girls and boys celebrates the sweet moments of welcoming a baby to the family that moms, dads – and grandmothers like me – are sure to love.”Inspired by the unbreakable bond between a mother and daughter, Spencer by Jaclyn Smith represents the magical connection a newborn makes across multiple generations.”When my mother approached me about designing a layette collection I was delighted to help bring the idea to life,” said Jaclyn’s daughter, Spencer Margaret Richmond. “As a new mom, I know the importance of finding the right staples for your baby. I saw this collaboration as a great opportunity to create affordable, durable and ultra-soft baby wear options that today’s modern moms are looking for and actually want and need.”

Ranging in sizes from newborn to 12 months, all items in the collection are beautifully packaged in gift boxes with a to/from hangtag and the line’s signature fox ribbon, making it easy for Kmart members to find the perfect gift for baby showers or to welcome a new little bundle. Designed with ultra-soft 100% cotton and cotton blends, the high-quality fabrics make the pieces as durable as they are adorable. The entire line is affordably priced from $19.99 to $29.99 and features an array of layette essentials including:

  • 4 Piece Take Me Home Set complete with footed long sleeve sleep suit, top knot beanie cap, snap closure bib and coordinating receiving blanket or the 2 Piece Set including cotton jersey long sleeve top and french terry jogger pants make great giftables
  • 3 Pack Body Suit and the 3 Pack Sleep & Play Sets easily transitions with baby from nap time to play time
  • 2 Piece Knit Cardigan and Printed Legging Set feature a textured hooded knit sweater and interlock leggings that make for an adorable unisex outfit
  • 2 Piece Receiving Blankets made of ultra-soft 100% cotton interlock come in two sweet prints of the line’s signature fox and forest friends

Available for online presale now, any Spencer by Jaclyn Smith online purchase of $20.00 or more will earn members $5.00 in bonus Shop Your Way® points. For more information on the new layette line, visit www.kmart.com/spencer. Plus, to see more from Jaclyn’s signature collection, check out Kmart’s YouTube video: https://youtu.be/q1T-vsn_Ob0

*Products are currently available for online purchase; however, items will not ship until Friday, September 19

About Kmart
Kmart is making shopping fun again. The retailer, a subsidiary of Sears Holdings Corporation (NASDAQ: SHLD), is bringing back the iconic Blue light Specials, hosting Freebie Saturdays and in-store family events for its Shop Your Way members and customers. Kmart offers customers thrilling deals and amazing finds on quality products and exclusive brands including Jaclyn Smith, Joe Boxer, Route 66 and Smart Sense.

Contact:

Bridgette Potratz
Zeno Group for Kmart
312-527-2SHC (2742)
Bridgette.Potratz@zenogroup.com

Kristin McManus
Kmart
847-286-0684
Kristin.McManus@searshc.com

SOURCE: Kmart

###

Posted on by

CVS Health survey: 61% of Americans plan to get flu vaccine this year, a 2% increase from last year

WOONSOCKET, R.I., 2017-Aug-17 — /EPR Retail News/ — Marking the start of flu vaccine availability, a new survey from CVS Health (NYSE: CVS) released today (August 16, 2017) found that nearly two-thirds (61 percent) of Americans get a flu vaccine every year, or plan to get one this year, resulting in a two percent increase from last year’s survey findings. Of those who get a flu vaccine every year and plan to get one this year, 67 percent do so because they believe it’s the best way to prevent themselves from getting the flu. All CVS Pharmacy and MinuteClinic locations nationwide are now offering flu vaccinations.

The annual flu survey, conducted online by Harris Poll on behalf of CVS Pharmacy in July 2017[1]among over 2,000 U.S. adults ages 18+, also found that nearly two in three (65 percent) employed Americans would still go to work even if they were feeling ill with flu-like symptoms.

Among those who have ever received a flu vaccine, 44 percent say they most often get the vaccine from their primary care provider or other health care professional, while 22 percent most often get it from a local pharmacy or drugstore. However, there has been a significant increase (up 7 percent from last year) in employed flu vaccine receivers who get the vaccine most often at their workplace, now tied with local pharmacy or drugstore at 22 percent.

“We recognize that staying on top of your health can sometimes be daunting, especially for busy families, and flu vaccinations are no exception to this,” said Papatya Tankut, Vice President of Pharmacy Affairs at CVS Health. “This year’s survey demonstrates the increasing number of factors that go into deciding where, when, and how to get vaccinated, which is why CVS Pharmacy continues to strive to make health care quick, easy and accessible for patients.”

Flu vaccinations are conveniently available seven days a week at CVS Pharmacy and MinuteClinic locations nationwide with no appointment needed.[2]CVS Pharmacy can provide flu shots to adolescents (in some states, depending on regulations), adults and seniors. MinuteClinic can provide flu shots to children 18 months and up, adolescents, adults and seniors, making it easy to vaccinate the whole family in one trip.[3] In addition, customers will receive a $5off $25 coupon when they get a flu shot at CVS Pharmacy or MinuteClinic.[4] Patients who receive a flu shot at CVS Pharmacy or MinuteClinic locations inside select Target stores will receive a $5 Target coupon.[5]

Although 52 percent of Americans protect themselves from catching the flu by getting the flu vaccine, there has been a significant increase in the percentage of Americans who also incorporate other prevention methods into their lifestyles to help stop the spread of germs and stay healthy. For example, 41 percent of Americans regularly use hand sanitizer to stop the spreading of germs (up 3% from last year). Americans are also reporting protecting themselves from the flu by drinking more water (55%, up 4% from last year), taking vitamins (50%, up 4% from last year), eating more nutritious food (44%, up 2% from last year), and staying physically active (43%, up 4% from last year).

Other notable findings from the survey include:

  • Women are 12 percent more likely than men to get their flu vaccine from their primary care physician or other health care professional’s office
  • 76 percent of seniors (age 65 and up) get the flu vaccine every year and/or plan on getting the flu shot this year
  • For Americans who have ever gotten a flu shot, fall months are still the most popular time to get the vaccine, with October being the most popular month (36 percent)

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that everyone who is eligible and at least six months old get a flu shot when the vaccine becomes available, preferably by October.

“People may not realize that it can actually take up to two weeks for the flu vaccine to build immunity,” said Angela Patterson, Chief Nurse Practitioner Officer at MinuteClinic. “For this reason, CVS Pharmacy actually recommends that patients get their flu shot as soon as the vaccine becomes available to ensure you have the best protection before flu season peaks. Additionally, influenza strains tend to change each year, so it’s very important to get vaccinated every year to make sure you are protected.”

The flu vaccine is a preventive service under the Affordable Care Act, fully covered and available at no cost through most insurance plans, including Medicare Part B. CVS Pharmacy and MinuteClinic can directly bill many national and regional health plans that cover all or part of the cost of a flu shot.

Please visit CVS.com and/or MinuteClinic.com for more information and additional resources. Consumers can also visit CVS.com or use the CVS Pharmacy app to locate a nearby CVS Pharmacy. Patients planning to go to MinuteClinic to get their flu shot can visit MinuteClinic.com to view wait times or schedule a visit online for a future date at their chosen clinic.

Survey Methodology

This survey was conducted online within the United States between July 12-14, 2017among 2,074 adults aged 18+ by Harris Poll on behalf of CVS Pharmacy. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated.

About CVS Health
CVS Health is a pharmacy innovation company helping people on their path to better health. Through its nearly 9,700 retail pharmacies, more than 1,100 walk-in medical clinics, a leading pharmacy benefits manager with nearly 90 million plan members, a dedicated senior pharmacy care business serving more than one million patients per year, and expanding specialty pharmacy services, the Company enables people, businesses and communities to manage health in more affordable and effective ways. This unique integrated model increases access to quality care, delivers better health outcomes and lowers overall health care costs. Find more information about how CVS Health is shaping the future of health at https://www.cvshealth.com.

[1] Survey was conducted in the United States by Harris Poll on July 12-14, 2017, among 2,074 adults ages 18 and older.

[2] Flu shots are available when immunizing pharmacist, MinuteClinic nurse practitioner or physician assistant is on duty, while supplies last. Age restrictions apply.

[3] Vaccinations vary by state based on regulations. Age restrictions apply.

[4] Offer is not valid in the state of AR, HI, NY and NJ. $5 of $25 CVS Pharmacy coupon is not available at MinuteClinic locations in MA, PA and RI. Normal ExtraCare purchase restrictions apply for $5 of $25 CVS Pharmacy coupon.

[5] Terms and conditions are applied to coupon. See coupon for details. Coupon valid for Target merchandise only. Offer available only at CVS Pharmacy and MinuteClinic locations in Target from 8/14/17 through 3/31/18. Limit one per customer. $5 Target coupon cannot be issued in AR, HI, NJ, and NY and is not available at MinuteClinic locations in MA, PA and RI.

MEDIA CONTACT: 
Amy Lanctot
alanctot@cvs.com
401.770.2931

SOURCE: CVS Health

Posted on by

Amazon introduces Instant Pickup for Prime and Prime Student members to order and pickup items in under two minutes

SEATTLE, 2017-Aug-17 — /EPR Retail News/ — Amazon today (Aug. 15, 2017) introduced Instant Pickup, a free service offering Prime and Prime Student members a curated selection of daily essentials available for pickup in two minutes or less at five of Amazon’s fully staffed pickup locations in Los Angeles, Atlanta, Berkeley, Calif., Columbus, Ohio, and College Park, Md. Items available with Instant Pickup include snacks, drinks and electronics, as well as some of Amazon’s most popular devices.

“Instant Pickup is another way Amazon is making life more convenient for Prime members,” said Ripley MacDonald, Director, Student Programs,Amazon. “As shopping behaviors continue to evolve, customers consistently tell us that they want items even faster. Whether it’s a snack on-the-go, replacing a lost phone charger in the middle of a hectic day or adding Alexa to your life with an Echo, Instant Pickup saves Prime members time. While Instant Pickup is available at select pickup locations today, we’re excited about bringing this experience to more customers soon.”

With Instant Pickup, Prime and Prime Student members can use the Amazon App to shop hundreds of need-it-now items like food, cold drinks, personal care items, technology essentials and Amazon devices like the Echo, Echo Dot, Fire TV and a selection of Fire tablets and Kindle e-readers. Prime members can browse the selection, place an order, even add last-minute items to an online order and pick it up from a self-service locker – all within two minutes or less.

Instant Pickup is available at five select pickup locations beginning today and will be available at more locations in the coming months. Amazon operates a total of 22 staffed pickup locations on or near college campuses across the country. All Amazon customers can ship their orders to a pickup location, and Prime members receive Free Same-Day and One-Day delivery on millions of items. Plus, returns are always free.

For more information about Instant Pickup, visit www.amazon.com/InstantPickup or, if Instant Pickup is available at a location near you, tap the menu button at the top of the Amazon App, then look for Instant Pickup in Programs and Features.

Every Day Made Better with Prime

Prime was designed to make your life better every single day. Tens of millions of members around the world enjoy the many benefits of Prime. In the U.S. that includes unlimited access to award-winning movies and TV episodes with Prime Video; unlimited access to Prime Music, Audible Channels for Prime, Prime Reading, Prime Photos, Twitch Prime; early access to select Lightning Deals, one free pre-released book a month with Kindle First, and more. Prime was built on the foundation of unlimited fast, free shipping and members receive unlimited Free Two-Day Shipping on more than 50 million items, Prime FREE One-Day Shipping and Prime FREE Same-Day Delivery in more than 5,000 cities and towns, and two-hour delivery with Prime Now in more than 30 major cities. Start a free trial of Amazon Prime at amazon.com/prime.

About Amazon

Amazon is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Fire tablets, Fire TV, Amazon Echo, and Alexa are some of the products and services pioneered by Amazon. For more information, visit www.amazon.com/about and follow @AmazonNews.

Media Hotline:
Amazon-pr@amazon.com
www.amazon.com/pr

Source: Amazon

Posted on by

Amazon.com prices private offering of $16.0 billion aggregate principal amount of senior unsecured notes

SEATTLE, 2017-Aug-16 — /EPR Retail News/ — Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN) (“Amazon” or the “Company”) today (Aug. 15, 2017) announced that it priced its previously announced private offering of $16.0 billion aggregate principal amount of senior unsecured notes (collectively, the “Notes”).

The Company expects to use the net proceeds from the offering to fund the consideration for its acquisition of Whole Foods Market, Inc., to repay its 1.200% notes due 2017, and for general corporate purposes.

The Notes being offered have not been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), or any state securities laws. As a result, they may not be offered or sold in the United States or to any U.S. persons, except pursuant to an applicable exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act. Accordingly, the Notes are being offered only to “qualified institutional buyers” under Rule 144A of the Securities Act or, outside the United States, to persons other than “U.S. persons” in compliance with Regulation S under the Securities Act. A confidential offering memorandum for the offering of the Notes, dated today, will be made available to such eligible persons. The offering is being conducted in accordance with the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in such confidential offering memorandum.

This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy the securities described herein, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or other jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation, or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction.

About Amazon

Amazon is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Fire tablets, Fire TV, Amazon Echo, and Alexa are some of the products and services pioneered by Amazon. For more information, visit www.amazon.com/about and follow @AmazonNews.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This press release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements other than statements of historical fact, including statements regarding guidance, industry prospects, or future results of operations or financial position, made in or incorporated by reference into this press release are forward-looking. We use words such as anticipates, believes, expects, future, intends, and similar expressions to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements reflect management’s current expectations and are inherently uncertain. Actual results could differ materially for a variety of reasons, including, among others, fluctuations in foreign exchange rates, changes in global economic conditions and customer spending, world events, the rate of growth of the Internet, online commerce, and cloud services, the amount that Amazon invests in new business opportunities and the timing of those investments, the mix of products and services sold to customers, the mix of net sales derived from products as compared with services, the extent to which we owe income or other taxes, competition, management of growth, potential fluctuations in operating results, international growth and expansion, the outcomes of legal proceedings and claims, fulfillment, sortation, delivery, and data center optimization, risks of inventory management, seasonality, the degree to which we enter into, maintain, and develop commercial agreements, proposed and completed acquisitions and strategic transactions, payments risks, and risks of fulfillment throughput and productivity. Factors related to Amazon’s proposed acquisition of Whole Foods Market, Inc. that could cause actual results to differ materially include the conditions to the completion of the transaction may not be satisfied on the anticipated schedule, or at all, Amazon may be unable to achieve the anticipated benefits of the transaction, revenues following the transaction may be lower than expected, operating costs, customer loss, and business disruption (including, without limitation, difficulties in maintaining relationships with employees, customers, and suppliers) may be greater than expected, Amazon may assume unexpected risks and liabilities, and initiatives with Whole Foods Market may distract Amazon’s management from other operations. In addition, the current global economic climate amplifies many of these risks. These risks and uncertainties, as well as other risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results to differ significantly from management’s expectations, are described in greater detail in Amazon’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), including its most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent filings.

Our investor relations website is www.amazon.com/ir and we encourage investors to use it as a way of easily finding information about us. We promptly make available on this website, free of charge, the reports that we file or furnish with the SEC, corporate governance information (including our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics), and select press releases and social media postings, which may contain material information about us, and you may subscribe to be notified of new information posted to this site.

Amazon.com Investor Relations:
Dave Fildes
amazon-ir@amazon.com
www.amazon.com/ir

Amazon.com Public Relations:
Ty Rogers
amazon-pr@amazon.com
www.amazon.com/about

Source: Amazon.com, Inc.