Walmart Canada partners with ARC to roll out smart device lockers nationwide
Walmart Canada in collaboration with ARC (Asset Recharge Center) is introducing smart lockers to support and enable its associates to better serve customers in its more than 400 stores nationwide. These smart lockers will manage and protect handheld devices critical to Walmart Canada store operations.
By deploying ARC device lockers, Walmart Canada is emphasizing its dedication to equipping its associates with the best tools to do their jobs, said the retailer.
“As a people-led, tech-powered company, Walmart Canada invests in tools that empower our associates to deliver great customer service,” said Lani Lindsay, VP Central Operations, Walmart Canada.
“The ARC technology is designed to support our associates, ensuring they have access to the next best available device, fully charged and in optimal working condition, ready to start their day.”
“Walmart Canada continues to lead the way in addressing complex retail challenges with innovative solutions, including introducing ARC device lockers to address the common retail issue of device loss,” said Douglas Baldasare, CEO of ARC.
“Our commitment to developing cutting-edge solutions that meet the evolving needs of today’s retailers, including enabling associates to have the best tools to do their job, comes to life in this collaboration with Walmart Canada.”
Walmart Canada’s nationwide rollout of ARC lockers is underway and is scheduled to be completed this year.
Sources:
Retail Insider
Walmart Canada
Costco to source more Kirkland products in Canada to avoid tariffs
Costco Wholesale Corp. is rerouting its supply chain and sourcing more of its in-house brands locally as the grocery chain looks to avoid tariffs.
Chief executive Ron Vachris said his company is looking at ways to avoid impacts from tariffs, including sending items from high-tariffed nations to stores outside the United States and sourcing products from its Kirkland Signature brand in domestic markets.
“We continue to move more Kirkland Signature product sourcing into the countries or regions where the items are sold, and this is helping us to lower costs and mitigate some of the potential costs of tariffs,” he said during the company’s third-quarter conference call.
The changes mean more of Kirkland’s products in Canadian stores are locally sourced.
The company reported an eight per cent year-over-year quarterly jump in net sales, reaching US$62 billion.
Source: Financial Post
Dollarama beats estimates with first-quarter profit, sales growth
After a sharp drop in consumer confidence earlier this year, Dollarama executives noted on June 11 that Canadian shoppers have shown surprising resilience this spring. However, retailers remain cautious due to economic uncertainty stemming from disruptions in global trade caused by U.S. policy changes.
“We still think the consumer is, overall, fragile,” Dollarama chief financial officer Patrick Bui said during a conference call to discuss the company’s first-quarter earnings. Predicting how consumer behaviour will evolve in that environment is difficult, he added.
Dollarama exceeded analysts’ expectations for both sales and profit growth. The Montreal-based business reported that its first-quarter sales increased by 8.2 per cent to $1.52 billion. Its profit during the period ended May 4 soared by 27 per cent to $273.8 million, up from $215.8 million a year earlier.
This growth was driven by higher consumer demand for discount goods, especially essential items like food and household products, as shoppers seek to cut expenses. Seasonal items, particularly Easter-related products, also contributed to the strong performance.
Dollarama, which sources goods from all over the world, has previously said it sees the tariffs as being “manageable” for its business but “consumer confidence will be a major challenge.”
It stuck with that messaging Wednesday, when it indicated it has been “working extremely hard” to boost consumer confidence by holding its prices for as long as possible.
Excluding an unrealized gain from a derivative on equity-accounted investment, Dollarama said it would have earned 95 cents per diluted share in its most recent quarter.
The increase came as comparable store sales for the quarter increased by 4.9 per cent, including a 3.7 per cent increase in the number of transactions and a 1.2 per cent increase in average transaction size.
Sources:
Globe and Mail
Toronto Star
Financial Post
Sobeys parent Empire beats profit growth estimates, raises dividend
The grocery retailer beat analysts’ estimates for profit growth in the fourth quarter, and reported that customer behaviour is becoming less cautious, a trend that works in its favour.
Empire Co. Ltd.’s top executive said the company’s price inflation remained stable during its latest quarter and that he expects the trend to continue, as the grocery retailer reported its latest financial results.
The company, which operates Sobeys and Safeway, among other banners, reported Thursday that its fourth-quarter profit and sales rose compared with a year ago. It also announced it will now pay a quarterly dividend of 22 cents per share, up from 20 cents.
Empire president and CEO Michael Medline said the company’s internal inflation calculations during the quarter were “way under” food inflation in the consumer price index.
“Let me be crystal clear, we are not seeing inflation in our business outside of historical norms, and Empire’s price inflation has remained very stable,”
The latest Statistics Canada inflation data for the month of April showed food prices purchased from stores rose 3.8 per cent year-over-year, a faster pace than headline inflation, which was 1.7 per cent.
“Over the last 25 years, CPI’s food inflation purchased from stores has averaged three per cent. While there may be some ups and downs, we believe this trend will hold,” he said.
“All to say, we are unable to reconcile what we are hearing or reading about inflation in the media, in food, or from some in the industry, to what we’re actually experiencing.”
Medline said the company’s approach to managing the effect of tariffs included buying more local products, leveraging supply sources outside of the U.S. and having “tough discussions with suppliers” regarding cost increases stemming from the border levies.
Empire has been working to shift its supply chain to favour domestic producers and reduced its sourcing from U.S. suppliers as shoppers gravitate toward Canadian-made products in retaliation against U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs and annexation threats.
“It is clear that our customers are voting with their wallets as our sales of Canadian products continue to rise,” Medline said.
Sources:
Globe and Mail
Toronto Star
‘We are not seeing inflation in our business,’ Empire CEO says
Empire Co. Ltd. CEO Michael Medline pushed back against claims of excessive grocery price inflation, stating the company’s internal inflation is well below Statistics Canada’s reported figures and within historical norms. While national data showed store-bought food prices rose 3.8% year-over-year in April, Medline said Empire’s inflation remained stable and did not align with media reports or industry trends.
“Let me be crystal clear: we are not seeing inflation in our business outside of historical norms, and Empire’s price inflation has remained very stable,” Medline told analysts during the company’s fourth-quarter earnings call on Thursday. “All to say, we are unable to reconcile what we are hearing or reading about inflation in the media — in food or for some in the industry — to what we are actually experiencing.”
For the quarter ending May 3, Empire reported a 16.1% rise in profit to $173 million, with net earnings of 74 cents per share, up from 61 cents last year. Food sales grew 3.8%, driven by strong performance in full-service and discount store formats.
Source:
Financial Post
