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Retail

Today

Nick Scali CEO Anthony Scali has issued a profit warning due to higher than expected freight costs.

Freight collapse leaves Nick Scali furniture stranded, profits at risk

The failure of Lion Global Forwarding meant 200 containers were stuck at port, with the retailer warning for the second time in a month of an earnings hit.

  • Carrie LaFrenz
In the third quarter ended October 31, Walmart’s US comparable sales rose 5.3 per cent, beating analysts estimates of a 3.61 per cent increase, according to data compiled by LSEG.

Walmart lifts annual forecasts again, sees Trump tariff headwinds

Shares in the world’s largest retailer surged to a record high in New York, as it lured ever more affluent Americans to shop in-store and online.

  • Ananya Mariam Rajesh and Aishwarya Venugopal

Yesterday

Woolworths boss Amanda Bardwell speaks at the ACCC hearing on Tuesday.

Woolworths suppliers put on ‘holiday’ for price pushback, ACCC hears

The competition regulator’s public hearings have been told some producers did not receive any orders from the supermarket if they refused to drop prices.

  • Carrie LaFrenz
Ruslan Kogan, founder and CEO of Kogan.com.

Proxy firm tells Kogan investors to vote down exec pay

Ownership Matters told its clients to also vote against the re-election of James Spenceley following a questionable options deal earlier this year.

  • Carrie LaFrenz

This Month

Brad Banducci was back in the spotlight again on Monday, despite his recent retirement.

The moment the ACCC boss put the heat on Woolies

The competition regulator is clearly sceptical about the way the supermarket giants use discounts, and whether the market is really competitive.

  • James Thomson
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Greencross chairman Joel Thickins, centre has appointed Lucas Barry, right, as the new CEO to succeed George Wahby.

Greencross names new CEO as TPG eyes exit path

The new chief executive of the vet clinics and Petbarn and City Farmers pet stores arrives amid intense competition from Woolworths and other big retailers.

  • Carrie LaFrenz
Anacacia Capital founder Jeremy Samuel.

Anacacia Capital goes shopping with homewares wholesaler Florabelle

Street Talk understands the $800 million private equity firm has invested in 42-year-old operation Florabelle alongside its founders.

  • Sarah Thompson, Kanika Sood and Emma Rapaport
Cettire specialises in shipping luxury products from Europe at significantly reduced prices to those that can be found in the brands’ own stores.

Cettire suffers from soft trade in luxury goods

CEO Dean Mintz says more of the online luxury platform’s margin has been passed on to consumers in hefty promotions.

  • Carrie LaFrenz
Coles CEO Leah Weckert with chairman James Graham at the AGM on Tuesday.

Coles chairman says cost of living has been ‘politicised’

James Graham told the comapny’s AGM that supermarkets are being targeted unfairly by politicians.

  • Updated
  • Carrie LaFrenz
Quad Lock products are used to keep devices locked down while on the move.

Quadrant strikes $500m deal to offload outdoor phone group Quad Lock

The Melbourne-based business will be acquired by Swedish giant Thule. It makes products that lock phones to bikes, boats and cars used on tough terrain.

  • Carrie LaFrenz
John Cheston was running Premier’s Smiggle chain until earlier this year.

Sacked Smiggle executive John Cheston faces loss of $4m in shares

The board of Solomon Lew’s Premier Investments has unanimously recommended shareholders strip him of stock handed over as part of executive incentives.

  • Kylar Loussikian and Carrie LaFrenz
Ashley de Deilva is Choice’s chief executive. His organisation’s research has been questioned by Woolworths and Coles.

Red flag over Choice’s taxpayer-funded grocery price watch

The consumer advocacy group has overstated the difference in prices between the big supermarkets and discount store Aldi, a Wall Street investment bank says.

  • Carrie LaFrenz
Kristy Bannister

Small retailers give a ‘hard no’ to Black Friday and the big sales

Dr Dough Donuts boss Kristy Bannister says discount blitzes like Black Friday do more harm than good for smaller retailers by creating “unsustainable” expectations.

  • Gus McCubbing
Sigma Healthcare’s deal to buy Chemist Warehouse will have index funds chasing a small pile of stock.

Chemist Warehouse/Sigma squeeze spicier than a Guzman y Gomez burrito

Hold on to your hats! Chemist Warehouse’s arrival on the bourse serves as a case study in the dark arts of index inclusion.

  • Anthony Macdonald
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PM calls Trump; Chemist Warehouse to merge; NAB arrears surge

Read everything that’s happened in the news so far today.

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Chinese shoppers in Beijing.

Consumer giants sceptical of China’s economic recovery

Falling sales for luxury, beauty and beer companies fuel doubts about Beijing’s attempts to boost confidence.

  • Richard Milne, Madeleine Speed and Oliver Ralph
Sophie Hookway and Bella Travini at Mecca’s George St store on Wednesday.

How Mecca outfoxed Sephora in the Australian beauty glow-up

For 10 years, the retail rivals have faced off. One is the clear winner, but the other is still opening stores and has the weight of LVMH behind it.

  • Lauren Sams and Carrie LaFrenz
Amazon’s Andy Jassy has told the AI story better than his big tech peers this earnings season.

Why Amazon was the big tech AI winner this earnings season

Alphabet, Meta, Apple and Microsoft were sold off after their artificial intelligence-laden results calls, but the online retailer had a better story to tell.

  • Paul Smith

October

Chairman Michael Chaney at the Wesfarmers AGM in Perth on Thursday.

Political leaders need to stop criticising big companies

In some quarters, profit seems to have become a dirty word – but profitable businesses are essential to Australia’s prosperity.

  • Michael Chaney
Coles chief executive Leah Weckert says shoppers are increasingly buying home brand products.

Coles bets on fewer but steeper discounts to lure shoppers

Unlike its larger rival Woolworths, the average price at the company’s stores continues to increase – although at a much slower pace than previous quarters.

  • Updated
  • Carrie LaFrenz

Original URL: https://www.afr.com/topic/retail-61a