- Beware of 'Trampling Effect' When Market Tops: Manager
- Gold Heading to $1150: Art Hogan
- Starbucks Brews Up Growth
- Farr: An Extended Period—No Fat Lady in Sight
- More Upside if S&P Passes This Number: Market Pro
- Murdoch Lashes Out At Google
- Fighting The Flu Vaccine Critics
- Nov. 10: Unusual Volume Leaders
- Shadow Inventory Dwarfs Loan Mods
- US Recovery to be Weak, Erratic: Top Fed Officials
- AIG CEO Ready to Quit over Pay Constraints: Report
- Retail Earnings in Focus Ahead of Shopping Season
- Apple Surpasses Nokia as Top Handset Maker by Profit
- Brazil's Largest Cities Hit by Blackout
- In This Relay-Race Market, Who Gets Baton Next?
- Workers Staying Put at Their Jobs as Jobless Surges
- Ponzi Proceeds: Bidding on Madoff's Toys
- Toll Brothers: More Contracts Signed, but Sales Down
MOST SHARED
- Apple Surpasses Nokia as Top Cellphone Maker by Profits
- Herbalife Vs. Hedge Funds
- China Factory Output Leaps to 19-Month Highs
- Cramer Jeers J&J, Applauds Abbott
- America Is On Sale
- Toll Brothers: More Contracts Signed, but Sales Down
- Gold Heading to $1150: Art Hogan
- Three Things the US Can Do To Stop the Dollar's Decline
- Madoff Apartment Price Slashed by $1 Million
ABOUT THIS BLOG
|
This blog will look at the winners and losers in the retail space. Who has the right strategy to capture consumer dollars? It also will look for trends in consumer spending and how that will impact the economy.
Text Size 
Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia reported disappointing third-quarter results, and guided estimates for the fourth quarter lower Tuesday, but in an appearance on CNBC, company founder Martha Stewart was upbeat about the state of the consumer.
Stewart's been on a book tour for her latest cookbook, and said the experience—which she likened to a political campaign—has allowed her to take the pulse of the retail scene. (For the full interview, watch the video at left.)
"The customer is there," Stewart told CNBC, "and the customer wants good value. They want really good quality. They want products that fit their lifestyle at the present time when they are on, actually, some serious budgets."
She expects the company [MSO
Loading...
()
] she founded has an advantage in the current climate because it sells items what people need to use on an everyday basis: cookware, linens and food.
 |
Frank Franklin Ii / AP |
In the latest quarter, Martha Stewart Living narrowed its loss, as its merchandising business failed to offset weakness in its publishing segment. In addition, the company slashed its full-year forecast and estimated fourth-quarter results would be below analysts' estimates.
Despite the loss and the disappointing outlook, profit at the company's merchandising arm more than doubled as revenue jumped 33 percent.
"Our products are selling and are selling quite well," said Chairman Charles Koppelman, who appeared with Stewart on CNBC. "We are optimistic for 2009."
One surprising bright spot: the company's deal with KB Homes [KBH
Loading...
()
] to build Martha Stewart-branded communities. The homebuilding venture sold more homes in the latest quarter than it did in the third-quarter of last year, and plans to expand.
Recent Holiday-Central Posts:
- Wal-Mart Slows New Store Openings
- Coach's Holiday Strategy: Sell Like It's 2010
- Another Kind of Holiday Nostalgia: Layaway
- Troubled Retailers: Sorry, Santa--We're Closed.
- In Tough Times, Men Go Shopping
- Will Tough Times Lead to Good Electronics Deals?
- Vote and suggest your own, and remember--there's a fine line between a hero and a zero.
- If you are lucky enough to have money and the time, this is a great time to see America, says CNBC's Jane Wells.
- What’s powering your microwave, fridge and computer? Part of it is fuel from Russian nuclear weapons. The NYT reports.
- One author sees lessons for you in Disney’s recent Makeover of Mickey Mouse: “Nice” doesn’t always win.
- With 123 years of history, slogans and commercials, Coca-Cola is the most recognized brand on earth.
- The opening of a virtual pet store in “World of Warcraft” could prove a cash bonanza for Activision-Blizzard.
Data is a real-time snapshot *Data is delayed at least 15 minutes