Nike quarterly sales grows by 18 percent and profits 19 percent

Zara benefits from global expansion, profits rise
One of the worlds largest clothe retailers Inditex has reported 12 percent increase in sales in the first half of the year. The net sales rise stood at 6,209 million euros in the first half of 2011. Inditex is owner of Zara brand. The other brands include &Bear, Massimo Dutti, Bershka, Stradivarius, Oysho and Uterqüe. The net income for the period was 717 million euros, up 14 percent.

The Group opened 177 stores in 35 countries during the first six months of the year, bringing the total across its 78 markets to 5,221. The Group continues to see growth opportunities around the

IBM forecasts eleven percent surge in children's apparel sales during fall
Apparel sales are expected to post year-over-year gains during the fall shopping season, with especially big increases in sales of children's apparel, according to an analytics-based forecast produced by IBM. The findings have substantial ramifications for retailers preparing for one of their most important seasons of the year.

The forecast relies on historical data and sophisticated analytics software developed by IBM to analyze both long-term trends and seasonal peaks. IBM consultants use these predictive techniques to help retailers, manufacturers and other IBM clients improve performanc

Tesco sells its Japanese business but expands South Korean by opening virtual store
Tesco has decided to sell its loss-making Japanese business up. This marks end of eight-year struggle by the third largest retailer in the world, the first two being Wal-Mart and Carrefour.
Philip Clarke, Chief Executive Officer of Tesco, said, “We have reviewed our portfolio in Asia and the performance of our business in Japan. Having made considerable efforts in Japan, we have concluded that we cannot build a sufficiently scalable business. We have decided to sell our operations there and focus on our larger businesses in the region, in line with our priority of driving growth and improvi

Dismal first quarter performance by Colgate Palmolive
Colgate Palmolive's net sales grew 15.6 percent to Rs. 6,111 million primarily driven by 12 percent volume growth. Profit after tax declined by 18 percent on year-on year and 12 percent on quarterly basis to Rs1bn. The company's raw and packing material costs went up by 34.76 per cent and expenditure on advertising and sales promotion also rose by 42.35 per cent.

At this rate, the full year sale could end up at Rs. 25.80 billion. Growth in the toothpaste category was 14 percent. Colgate clocked healthy 12 percent volume growth although it increased prices by 3.6 percent (the highest in the

India may open US$ 590 billion retail sector for foreign players if govt accepts recommendation of committee of top policy makers
Wal-Mart, Carrefour, Tesco and Metro may finally find inroads into India’s retail sector if government accepts the recommendation of the committee of govt secretaries. In a meeting attended by top ten bureaucrats of government, recommended 51 percent equity participation by foreign players. ICRIER reports pegs size of Indian retails sector at US$ 590 billion whereas Business Monitor International forecasts retail sales to double at $785 billion in 2015 from $396 billion in 2011. India currently allows 51 percent equity participation FDI in single-brand retail and 100 percent in wholesale cash-

Top two Wal-Mart China executives who resigned in May are headed to India to join Reliance retail, says a report in the Economic Times
Two top Wal-Mart executives, chief operating officer Rob Cissell and vice president of operations Shawn Gray who quit company last month, are set to join India’s Reliance Retail.

This was reported by financial daily Economic Times. Both have resigned from the company's China business, at a time when the US retail giant is trying to expand in a key growth market. Wal-Mart entered China in 1996 and now has 333 stores there. This includes 104 stores operated by Trust-Mart, in whom Wal-Mart bought a 35% stake in 2007.