Growth in CRE prices was modest in March, with some market observers expecting a pick-up in sales volumes. Annual growth in U.S. property prices slowed in March to the most modest rate since 2011, according to research firm Real Capital Analytics (RCA). But industry experts say commercial real estate pricing—and transaction volumes—could gain steam, or… Read more »
Retail Powerhouses Maintain Dominance Despite Tempered Consumption Retail spending slows amid economic concerns. A moderating economy became more evident in February as core retail sales advanced 2.9 percent annually, following a revised gain of 4.3 percent one month earlier. Unresolved trade tensions as well as a weakening international economy continue to weigh on domestic growth,… Read more »
As department stores like Sears and specialty retailers like Toys ‘R’ Us wind down operations, U.S. grocers are adding outlets and space while some chains launch new concepts. Grocery store openings paced by Publix and Aldi jumped 29.4% last year, adding more than 17 million square feet of space in stores across the country, according… Read more »
Will it really work? That’s the question some people are asking as the Hudson Yards development comes to life in New York this week. The retail and restaurant portion of the 18-million-square-foot project opens on Friday, including shops ranging from Louis Vuitton and Neiman Marcus to Lululemon and H&M. Online brands like men’s activewear retailer Rhone… Read more »
SEATTLE—The Wall Street Journal has reported that Amazon plans to launch dozens of grocery stores in several major US cities, citing sources familiar with the strategy. The first store will open in Los Angeles, possibly by the end of this year, according to the WSJ. The company has also signed leases for two other locations with plans… Read more »
ST. LOUIS, MI—Payless ShoeSource filed for voluntary Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Monday and stated that it plans to close all of its North American stores in the US and Canada by the end of May. The company also reported it intends to file for protection for some of its Canadian subsidiaries under the Companies’… Read more »
Despite efforts from New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and others, Amazon has decided to not move forward with previously announced plans to build a portion of its second corporate headquarters in Long Island City, Queens. The e-commerce giant in a statement released today, while praising Cuomo and de… Read more »
U.S. retail sales are expected to rise between 3.8 percent and 4.4 percent to more than $3.8 trillion in 2019, the National Retail Federation (NRF) said on Tuesday, citing high consumer confidence, low unemployment and rising wages. Preliminary estimates show retail sales grew 4.6 percent in 2018 to $3.68 trillion, exceeding the retail industry group’s… Read more »
The tech-infused, convenience-oriented future of U.S. retail is only half the story — the upper-income half. As U.S. income and net worth inequality widens, retailers who sell to lower-income Americans, particularly dollar stores, are also going to continue to flourish. For upscale demographics, there are retail initiatives such as Amazon Go and its cashierless shopping, tech-oriented… Read more »
Rite Aid is at risk of being delisted from the New York Stock Exchange and considering a reverse stock split to prop its share price above $1 to comply with the exchange’s trading rules, the company said Friday. Shares of the drugstore chain have fallen 64 percent over the past year, down to 75… Read more »
The Home Depot racked up another quarter of solid sales and earnings gains fueled by continued strong demand in the home improvement market. The world’s largest home improvement retailer reported sales of $26.3 billion for the quarter ended Oct. 28, up 5.1% from the year-ago period. Net earnings for the third quarter of fiscal 2018 were… Read more »
Adaptive changes necessary in today’s retail climate Like several other high-profile retailers in recent years, Sears Holding Corp. failed to evolve with the changing retail landscape and took on an unsustainable level of debt. Consequently, it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, announcing the closure of 142 locations in the process. The company’s minimal reinvestment into… Read more »
Tight job market a key driver of consumption With unemployment at its lowest level in nearly 50 years, a larger employment base has helped increase the amount of money circulating through the economy. This has kept consumer spending elevated as core retail sales posted a 5.0 percent year-over-year gain in September. Though this figure is… Read more »
U.S. retail sales rose solidly in June as households boosted purchases of automobiles and a range of other goods, cementing expectations for robust economic growth in the second quarter. Signs of a strengthening economy, together with a tightening labor market and firming inflation, likely will keep the Federal Reserve on track to continue raising interest… Read more »
Home Depot is getting pretty. Just months after buying high-end linen e-tailer The Company Store, The Home Depot is making its big push into the home decor category. In an email sent out to customers on Monday and reinforced on its website, Home Depot is making it perfectly clear that it intends to be a… Read more »
Amazon.com Inc. is buying its way into the heart of the U.S. health-care system, instantly shaking up a prescription-drug industry already in the midst of a broader transformation. Insurance companies and drug-benefit managers have struck a series of deals in recent months designed in part to thwart a potential big splash in the health world from… Read more »
Stout retail sales growth a product of strong economic metrics. The confluence of several factors contributed to another month of steady spending. Core retail sales increased 4 percent year over year in April, the third straight month of at least 4 percent annual growth. Near record-high levels of consumer confidence have aided retail sales in… Read more »
Rising take-home pay fosters retail momentum. Increased discretionary income stemming from tax cuts and a tight labor market are starting to materialize. Inflation-adjusted core retail sales recorded a 2.5 percent year-over-year increase for the fourth straight month, following an average of 2 percent expansion the previous 18 months. E-commerce sales continue to propel retail activity,… Read more »
Strengthening economy invigorating consumption. Retail sales will continue to grow this year as discretionary income ascends. Bolstered spending can be linked to advancing wages from a competitive employment market, along with increased take home pay from the revised tax plan. In 2017, retail sales posted a 4.3 percent increase, with home furnishings playing a primary… Read more »
Details are still unfolding on some of the finer points of the recently passed Tax Cuts & Jobs Act. The country is still waiting for guidance from the IRS and the Treasury Department on exactly how the new rules will be applied in a variety of situations. “There are still a lot of pieces that… Read more »
Amazon Establishes a Brick-and-Mortar Presence with the Acquisition of Whole Foods Amazon Enters Grocery Business Amazon has decided to purchase Whole Foods for $13.7 billion dollars, after testing a variety of concepts to enter the grocery store segment. This transaction, allows Amazon to have direct access to the grocery store segment which accounts for consumer… Read more »
Walgreens and Rite Aid announced Thursday, June 29th 2017 that they are no longer merging. Instead Walgreens will purchase 2,186 Rite Aid stores for $5.2 billion. This transaction will cut Rite Aid stores in half, with 2,350 stores remaining after the deal is done. The stores purchased by Walgreens will be rebranded into new Walgreen’s… Read more »
Confident Consumers Boost Positive Economic Momentum The economy maintained momentum to perform admirably in 2016 following a slow start to the year. This trend will carry into 2017 as consistent job creation across a wide array of employment sectors provides momentum for the economy while compressing the unemployment rate. Also, tight labor markets are translating… Read more »
Investors Dial Back Transactions Amid Murky Policy Outlook Investors scale back activity as the market recalibrates to higher interest rates and awaits clarity on government policy. The November election sparked a rapid rise in interest rates and introduced a wide range of prospective reform initiatives. Proposed changes to tax, fiscal, and regulatory policies raise… Read more »
Rising Confidence in Expansion is a Key Factor Federal Reserve raises its benchmark rate by 25 basis points due to a positive economic outlook. The Fed’s confidence has improved significantly over the past year given the steady retail sales growth and tightened labor market. Rising Fed Funds do not necessarily align with Treasury rate movement,… Read more »
Investors Attracted to Drug Stores due to Income Security, Long Lease Terms, and Strong Drug Store Sales from Aging Population Drug Sales Increase from New Pharmaceutical Treatments and Increase of Insured Americans: Due to a greater number of people with medical insurance and pharmaceutical innovation that offers new treatments for a range of maladies, prescription… Read more »
Holiday Sales Reveal Promising Outlook Retail sales from November through December 2016 increased with a 4% gain on a year-over-year basis. This gain outpaced the 10-year average of 2.5% growth, allowing consumer confidence to reach the highest level since August 2007. Department Store Sales Struggling This past year department stores battled to gain traction, with… Read more »
The Employment Market Has Progressively Expanded, Tightening the Labor Market The employment market has steadily grown last year despite various unanticipated events that could have affected job expansion. In 2016, 2.2 million jobs were created allowing the unemployment levels to drop to its lowest level since 2007. The economy has generated 75 straight months of… Read more »
The Federal Reserve Raises Interest Rate The Federal Reserve increased its overnight rate by 25 basis points to a range from .50 percent to .75 percent. This decision reiterates the positive economic outlook for 2017 that could accelerate monetary policy this upcoming year. Rising rates will remain a significant factor in the commercial real estate… Read more »
Hiring Positive but Restrained by Tight Labor Market Wage Pressure Emerging Hiring in September reaffirmed that job creation is moderating from the elevated levels of the past two years. The downshift to a more tempered pace likely reflects a shortage of qualified workers as unemployment hovers near 5.0 percent. Accelerated wage gains offer some evidence… Read more »
Walgreens Boots Alliance Provides Update on its Pending Acquisition of Rite Aid DEERFIELD, Ill. –(BUSINESS WIRE)– Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. (Nasdaq:WBA) today provided the following update on its pending acquisition of Rite Aid Corporation ( NYSE : RAD). Walgreens Boots Alliance and Rite Aid remain actively engaged with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regarding its… Read more »
Labor Market Trend of Payroll & Wage Growth Exceptional payroll growth in July and upward revisions to job gains in the preceding two months underline the persistent strength of the U.S. economy, which is now in its seventh year of expansion. Secondary indicators of labor market activity, including unemployment claims, the unemployment rate and wage… Read more »
Internet Shopping becomes a Destination Hub The rise of Internet shopping as a destination hub is reshaping the economy, steering spending toward new sellers and platforms as product selection, delivery times and convenience improve. The ascent of this trend is spawning the creation of Internet-based businesses and pressuring traditional retailers to adapt as mobile commerce and… Read more »
Contrary to polls and predictions, citizens of the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union, creating uncertainty that induced a sharp decline in global equity markets. The British currency fell dramatically, boosting the value of the U.S. dollar, and the quick re-deployment of capital to safer assets pushed U.S. Treasury rates to their lowest… Read more »
A recent survey by the Washington-based Association of Foreign Investors in Real Estate, or AFIRE, revealed that a large percentage of foreign investors are expected to invest more in US real estate in 2016 than they did in 2015. It may be noted that the members of AFIRE hold around $2 trillion of the global… Read more »
Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. may be diversifying its business and launching a new burger restaurant chain. The company has stated that it has applied for ‘Better Burger’ as a trademark which has been confirmed by the official website of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Chipotle has already diversified into 2 smaller restaurant chains featuring… Read more »
Dollar General Corporation is a value for money shopping destination that has been in business for 75 years. It offers a wide variety of products at affordable prices in convenient neighborhood locations. As of January 2016, Dollar General had 12,483 stores spread across 43 states. 2015: A banner year for Dollar General and the future… Read more »
Sports Authority is said to be seeking the protection of Chapter 11 Bankruptcy after failing to make a $20 million interest payment to its creditors on a $343 million loan in January 2016. Since the acquisition of Sports Authority in 2006 by Leonard Green & Partners LP, the company has seen a notable decline from… Read more »
After analyzing, discussing, and generally fretting over the FED’s every move, the long awaited interest rate hike came with virtually no response from, well, anyone. The 0.25% hike was absorbed without any noticeable impact on the cre market. With the conflicting forces of the instability in China and around the globe and the strengthening US… Read more »