Content about Economics

ST. LOUIS — Energizer Holdings had sales of $1.095 billion in second quarter 2013, a 0.5% decrease from second quarter 2012, and $2.28 billion for the first six months of the fiscal year, which ended March 31, also a 0.5% decrease from the same period last year, the company said.

Profits for the quarter were $85 million, compared with $78 million last year.

PLEASANTON, Calif. — Safeway shares dropped dramatically Thursday morning as the company reported $10 billion in sales for its first quarter 2013 ended March 23, which is essentially flat as compared with the first quarter of 2012. An identical-store sales increase of 1.5% (excluding fuel) was offset primarily by the disposition of Genuardi's stores in 2012 and lower fuel sales in 2013. 

MINNEAPOLIS — Target has accepted for purchase $760.7 million worth of debt as part of a $1.1 billion debt-refinancing plan announced last month, the mass merchandiser said.

The company announced plans in mid-March to purchase up to more than $1.1 billion worth of debt securities and will pay close to the full amount for those accepted for purchase.

The offer to purchase the debt from the people holding it expired Wednesday night at 11:59, the company said.

Geoscape issued a report projecting the future buying power of both Asian and Hispanic households, respectively. Both groups will spend far more in their remaining lifetimes than white non-Hispanic households. 

This report should serve as a wake up call that multicultural marketing efforts that appeal to the diversity of a shopper base are not just innovative strategies — they're also essential. 

NEW YORK — Driven by the need for consumers to have access to convenient, cost-effective and quality healthcare services, the number of walk-in health clinics has been on the rise across the country in recent years, and according to a Reuters report, private equity firms are helping to fuel the expansion.

In recent years, at least a dozen private equity firms have invested millions of dollars into urgent care clinics and several private equity executives reportedly told Reuters that they are eager for more acquisitions.

BOSTON — A privately owned supermarket chain in California and Nevada has partnered with a division of Dunnhumby to develop a grocery retailer advocacy online platform to supplement its loyalty program.

Dunnhumby said its social marketing arm, BzzAgent, had partnered with Raley's Family of Fine Stores to build the new online platform, Something Extra Try-It. Raley's 128 stores in northern California and Nevada under the Raley's Supermarkets, Bel Air Markets, Nob Hill Foods and Food Source banners and launched Something Extra in September 2012 with DunnhumbyUSA.

WASHINGTON — Club retailer Costco Wholesale is throwing its support behind a bill introduced in Congress Tuesday to raise the federal minimum wage.

PLEASANTON, Calif. — Safeway on Thursday reported a sales increase of 1.3% to $44.2 billion in 2012 for its fiscal year ended Dec. 29, driven by increased fuel sales and a same-store sales increase of 0.5% (excluding fuel), the grocer reported. Safeway chairman and CEO Steve Burd projected identical sales as high as 2% in the first quarter of 2013, in part because of the success Safeway has had with its loyalty program Just 4 U. 

CHICAGO — A mere 2% increase in the payroll tax could represent $800 in reduced spending power per year for a person with a household income of $40,000, according to a new study by SymphonyIRI.

Symphony Consulting, a division of the Chicago-based market research firm, analyzed shopper behavior since the payroll tax increased on Jan. 1, focusing on the effect of the payroll tax on food and beverage consumption, including its effect on such dimensions as stores shopped, brands purchased and the effect on various segments and categories.

RESTON, Va. — ComScore on Monday released the Digital Wallet Road Map 2013, a study which measures consumer awareness, perceptions and intent to use current digital wallet offerings. The study found digital wallets, which store a virtual copy of the contents of a consumer's physical wallet to facilitate online or offline retail transactions, only had awareness among 51% of U.S. consumers for wallets other than PayPal.

PLEASANTON, Calif. — Safeway and ExxonMobil on Wednesday announced a new loyalty program that will award customers in the Mid-Atlantic region Reward Points, redeemable at any ExxonMobil station, for products purchased at Safeway.  

According to a recent Safeway survey, one-third of families go out of their way to look for deals because saving money is important to them. Nearly three out of four people will drive out of their way to purchase more affordable gas, and 76% of consumers said they would change where they grocery shop and purchase gas to save money.