On Friday morning,  AnnTaylor Stores reported lower-than-expected quarterly revenue and gave a cautious forecast for the current holiday quarter.

The operator of the Ann Taylor and Ann Taylor LOFT chains said its fourth-quarter sales would be slightly below those of the third quarter, and that its gross margins would be lower as well, due to heightened promotions it expects to use to drive sales throughout the holiday shopping period.

Meanwhile, Foot Locker late on Thursday reported third-quarter results that missed Wall Street expectations. The athletic shoe retailer cited lower than expected U.S. sales.

On a conference call on Friday morning, Foot Locker said it expected same-store sales for the holiday fourth quarter to be negative.

Foot Locker and AnnTaylor join a chorus of retailers ranging from Macy’s to Kohl’s to Wal-Mart that have warned investors in recent weeks that the holiday shopping season may be a little less merry than the stock market is expecting as consumers continue to show a reluctance to spend.

Or as Doug Scovanner, the CFO of Target, said quite pointedly earlier this week: “In our view, sell-side analysts are somewhat more optimistic across most of our industry than we believe is warranted in light of the harsh realities of the current environment.”

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(Photo: Reuters)

About 58 percent of the 500 Americans Dunkin’ Donuts surveyed this week predicted they would succumb to sleep during the holiday next week, according to the chain. Overeating will do that to you.

Unsurprisingly, more men than women are expected to nap, and the number of people jealous of those napping will overwhelmingly be women. But perhaps the fellas, exhausted from carving the turkey, just need to rest before settling in for all that football watching.

Helpfully, Dunkin’ Donuts stores will be open until 2:00pm on Thanksgiving, selling coffee to caffeinate the masses, and maybe keep some of the guys out of the doghouse during the year’s biggest holiday.

(PHOTO: Reuters)

It’s time to defrost your bird, says Mary Clingman, director of the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line (1-800-BUTTERBALL).

Clingman and her fellow Turkey talk specialists field about 100,000 panicked calls from home cooks each year and have dubbed this Thursday ”national thaw day.”

To avoid a “turkey-cicle” Butterball competitor Foster Farms (1-800-255-7227) suggests that cooks allow two days to defrost a 12-lb bird in the refigerator and about five days for a turkey twice that size.

Retailers like Wal-Mart are using inexpensive turkey and fixins’ to lure shoppers at a time when the sluggish national economy and still rising unemployment is preventing some cooks from going all out on Thanksgiving. Meanwhile, some frugalistas are planning potlucks or other arrangements that help share the cost of the meal.

Here are some other tips from the folks at the turkey helplines: 

*Make sure your oven is big enough for your bird

*Check for giblets – the organs and other bits often found in a bag inside the bird

*Use a meat thermometer

*To avoid setting yourself on fire while frying your turkey, turn off the flame while you lower the turkey into the oil

(Photo/Reuters)

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Somewhat, according to Barclays analyst Michael Lasser, who said Williams-Sonoma’s results were “an indication that upper-income consumers are spending a bit more, which is not surprising given the rally in the stock market and the stabilization in the housing market.”

Williams-Sonoma, which also operates Pottery Barn and West Elm, has updated its styles and slashed prices on some items to woo shoppers, despite worries that the move might tarnish its image as a high-end retailer.

But it’s not only high-end chains showing signs of life. Kmart, the value-priced retailer that sells everything from appliances to clothing, posted its first increase in same-store sales since 2005, and only its second since 2001. The chain, which is owned by Sears, took back its shoe operations this year from Footstar, which had operated within Kmart stores.

Even Sears, which depends more heavily on the housing market due to its Craftsman tools and Kenmore appliances, posted its best performance since the fourth quarter of 2007, and outperformed competing home improvement chains like Home Depot and Lowe’s.

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(Photo: Reuters)

Apparently not Chico’s FAS.  The mature women’s chain, which operates Chico’s, White House/Black Market and Soma Intimates chains, has made major strides in making its merchandise more fashionable in the past year, and has been rewarded with stellar results in the third quarter and shares that are up eightfold in the last year.

The move towards trendier– dare we say, sexier – clothes helped sales this autumn  rise 13.3 percent and allowed the chain to win market share while rivals such as Talbots and Clearwater Coldwater Creek continued to struggle. (A year and a half ago, U.S. gold medalist Michael Phelps’ mother Debbie boasted that her Olympics’ wardrobe at the Beijing Games came from Chico’s.)

Chico’s took advantage of Vogue editor Anna Wintour’s glamorous “Fashion Night Out” this fall to open a store in Manhattan’s SoHo district. And last year, the chain won national attention in 2008 when First Lady Michelle Obama wore a dress from a White House/Black Market store during on an appearance on the talk show “The View.”

The firm is apparently not done with its makeover: it is planning to open about 40 new locations of its lingerie chain Soma Intimates in 2010 and offer more risqué items,  Chief Executive Officer David Dyer hinted on a call to analysts on Wednesday.

“We’re making great strides in our merchandise assortment for Soma, not only through our Soma touch and Soma solutions, but we’re also adding a layer of sensual, sexy merchandise that will infuse emotion and excitement back in the brand,” Dyer said.

But he left what, exactly, those new sexy products are to our imagination.

(PHOTO: Michael Phelps and his mother Debbie in Los Angeles July 15, 2009. REUTERS/Danny Moloshok )

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U.S. chocolate maker Hershey and Italy’s privately owned Ferrero both said separately they were evaluating their options over a possible bid for Cadbury, the world’s No. 2 confectioner, but analysts still see hostile bidder Kraft’s $16.2 billion offer as the front runner.

Reuters and other media have reported Hershey, known for its namesake chocolates and Reese’s peanut butter cups, and Ferrero were discussing a joint bid and the UK Takeover panel asked the companies to clarify their intentions. They gave no hint whether they may be working together on a joint bid.

Analysts are skeptical, however, as Hershey is smaller than Cadbury, has high debts and is controlled by a charitable trust, while the secretive Ferrero, famed for its Nutella chocolate spread and Ferrero Rocher chocolates,  has made few acquisitions. Most analysts and investors expect Kraft to raise its bid.

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BJ’s Wholesale quarterly profit falls

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Chico’s quarterly profit beats Street; shares jump

Retailers send distress signal for holiday quarter

Coke sees international markets key to long-term growth

Saks CEO says big spenders still hesitant

(Reuters photo)

Some of Taubman’s malls will also dole out free breakfast for early morning shoppers, spokeswoman Karen Mac Donald said.  Other goodies, such as free early morning parking at centers where shoppers usually have to pay (like the Beverly Center in Los Angeles), are also planned.

The tokens of appreciation for retail workers are part of Taubman’s “The Year of the Merchant” program, which kicked off at the beginning of 2009, Mac Donald said.
 
(Photo: Reuters)

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Credit cards are losing their appeal as 28.3 percent of U.S. shoppers said they plan to use that method of payment most often this holiday season, down from 31.5 percent last year, according to a survey by the National Retail Federation and BIGresearch.

Meanwhile, those intending to use cash most often rose to 24.9 percent from 22.8 percent last year, while debit card/check card use increased 1 percentage point to 42.5 percent, according to the survey.

“With many holiday shoppers focused on spending within their limits, it’s no surprise that fewer people will be relying on credit cards this year,” NRF CEO Tracy Mullin said in a statement.

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Dillard’s swings to profit in Q3

Saks posts Q3 profit, shares up

Coca-Cola aims to double system revenue by 2020

(Reuters photo)

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American Express found that 10 percent of consumers actually expect to spend more on holiday gifts versus last year, while 43 percent plan to spend about the same as they did in 2008.
 
The third monthly online American Express Spending & Saving Tracker asked 2,011 adults about the economy, what they plan to spend on and what motivates them to spend or save.
 
When given the choice, only 13 percent said they have a “gloomy” attitude going into the holiday season, while 41 percent said they were “joyful.”

Most were feeling a bit generous, with 63 percent planning on some type of charitable giving over the holidays, even though 54 percent said that they would be cutting back on how many gifts they buy due to the economy.

So, who shouldn’t expect a gift this year?  If consumers have to shut someone out of their gift giving to save, co-workers are the first to go, then service workers such as postal carriers, hair and nail stylists, followed by extended family and friends.

Most consumers, 79 percent, said they plan to use the Internet to help out with holiday shopping, whether that’s actually buying or just researching what to shop for.  Only 45 percent said they would buy online.
 
The hot items? Gift cards, clothing and accessories, and then toys and games.
 
Shoppers said they expect to spend the most on techie gifts, followed by gift cards.
 
Seventy percent said discounts would be the main driver to get them to buy within the next 30 days. 
 
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Lowe’s profit falls 30 percent

U.S. retail sales rose faster than expected in October

First U.S. marijuana cafe opens in Portland

At Checkout, More Ways to Avoid Cash or Plastic (New York TImes)

(Reuters photo)

“I personally don’t use long last lipstick,” Executive Chairman William Lauder joked.
 
To get to the heart of the matter, he called upon Clinique President Lynne Greene, who said she loves wearing the lipstick in question.  The dryness of the lipstick actually helps give the benefit of lasting long, she said.

Apparently, that wasn’t enough advice.  A few minutes later, Evelyn Lauder — William’s mother and a senior corporate vice president at the company — addressed the shareholder and the crowd with a little more of a lipstick lesson.

Remember, Evelyn Lauder has a bit of experience in the business, working for the company her mother-in-law started.  She even helped to create and name the Clinique brand, which debuted in 1968.

“All long-lasting lipsticks,” she said, “have dry formulas in order to keep them that way.  However, if you do experience it, you should use a lip gloss over it.  And if you’re over 40 years old, only use it in the center of your mouth, otherwise it may go up into the tiny little lines.  Now you know I started behind the counter.”

“Who says you need to go onto the Clinique web site to get makeup lessons from an expert?” William Lauder joked.
 
No word on whether Clinique Long Last lipstick was among the goodies distributed in gift bags after the short morning meeting adjourned.

(Reuters photo)