Posts by Thomas Paulson

Publix traffic

News From the Grocery Aisle – The Squeeze Continues

March 21, 2025

By Thomas Paulson, Head of Market Insights

In the context of a market that grew by +3.2% in value and +2.1% in volume, Advan took a look at Publix’s and General Mills’ Q4 results, along with two smaller regional grocers in California – Smart & Final and Stater Bros, brands that we shop and that...

Ollie

The Last of the Liquidators – Cleaning up

March 19, 2025

By Thomas Paulson, Head of Market Insights

Ollie’s Bargain Outlet Holdings reported solid FQ4 results with adjusted sales growth of +9% to $667M (just shy of Advan’s estimate of $672M). Growth was driven by a +2.8% comp-sales increase and 47 (+9%) more stores over the past year, including...

Target Walmart nationwide

Update on Traffic to Target: No Target-Specific Swoon

March 18, 2025

By Thomas Paulson, Head of Market Insights

Over the weekend, again numerous press and blog reports declared Target’s store traffic to be down due to boycotts and upset feelings over Target’s messaging around DEI. However, those reports cite a traffic decline YoY against a week last year that...

annual average visitors

Ulta Beauty – Putting on foundation for more growth ahead

March 14, 2025

By Thomas Paulson, Head of Market Insights

Ulta Beauty reported a comp-sales increase for Q4 of +1.5%, driven by a +3.0% increase in average ticket and a -1.4% decrease in comp-transactions. Removing the lift from ecommerce sales, store comp-sales increased modestly, suggesting a slight decline in...

Dollar Stores – Back to the basics is working

March 13, 2025

By Thomas Paulson, Head of Market Insights

Dollar General reported $10.2B revenue for Q4, up +5.0% YoY, and above our +3.9% estimate* (120bps Moe, 97% correlation). Comp-sales increased +1.2% driven by consumables (+2.7%). The non-consumables comp was roughly flat, the best result since early 202...

Casey

Casey’s General Stores – Selling a Lot of Hot Sandwiches (and Slices of Pizza)

March 12, 2025

By Thomas Paulson, Head of Market Insights

Casey’s General Stores, Inc reported strong quarterly results for its “inside” business with comp-sales on prepared food & dispensed beverages increasing 4.7% and grocery & general merchandise increasing 3.3%. As a reminder, the gas & convenience channel...

Kohl

Kohl’s – Not As Bad As It Seems

March 11, 2025

By Thomas Paulson, Head of Market Insights

Kohl’s: Quarterly sales were “less bad” at a decline (-9.4%) than our preview (we said -14%). In our preview, we also forecasted that incoming CEO Ashley Buchanan would set a very low bar on forward expectations, he did. Revenue for 2025 was guided for a...

DKS traffic

Dick’s Sporting Goods – Gold Medal Performance

March 11, 2025

By Thomas Paulson, Head of Market Insights

Dick’s Sporting Goods, Inc. reported solid results, including an underlying sales increase of 6% based upon a 6.4% comp-sales increase and improved gross margin rate. The comp-sales increase was composed of increases of 4.4% in comp-ticket, 2.0% in...

Tesla traffic

Tesla – Operations Is Hitting The Brakes Hard

March 10, 2025

By Thomas Paulson, Head of Market Insights

Production activity at Freemont, Austin, and Berlin has stepped meaningfully lower in February, accentuating the negative trend at year end. Clearly, Tesla’s sales and operations team are observing a slackening in demand, confirming industry and press...

Target traffic - yoy % change in foot traffic

Target Stores – The Recent Traffic Trend Has Been Strengthening

March 10, 2025

By Thomas Paulson, Head of Market Insights

Last week’s analysis included management’s comments relative to any DEI backlash that they were seeing no impact to their business. However, over the weekend, media outlets wrote about a negative impact on Target store traffic and business from the...

Kroger traffic - yoy % change in foot traffic

Kroger Is Looking To Get Beyond The Last Few Years of Distraction

March 7, 2025

By Thomas Paulson, Head of Market Insights

To say that this is a dynamic time for grocery retail is a classic underbilling given the inflationary spiral coming out of the pandemic, the substantial share-of-stomach lost by conventional brands to private-label led retailers such as Trader Joe’s and...

Comp traffic - yoy % change in foot traffic

Off-Price Roundup Up – 2024 Ended On A High Note, 2025’s Volatility Creates More Opportunity For The Sector

March 6, 2025

By Thomas Paulson, Head of Market Insights

Ross Stores Inc. reported Q4 underlying sales up +3.5% and gross profits and operating income growth less. Sales growth was driven by Ross Dress for Less comp-traffic (+2.8% per Advan), comp-sales growth (+3%), and the new locations added earlier in...