Retail & consumer

4/24/13 | Retail & consumer

This quarter saw one the largest consumer products deals in history with the $23.5B Heinz deal along with five other multi-billion deals and several other significant transactions with alternative deal structures. Consumer confidence rebounded from the decline seen at the end of December driven primarily by improving household financial conditions related to positive trends in the housing and financial markets. We expect companies to continue to focus on expanding internationally, expanding capabilities across omnichannels and look for avenues to improve profitability through divestment of non-core operations.

10Minutes

4/19/13 | Advisory services

Consumer-packaged goods (CPG) companies, retailers, and their business partners often tout the ways they put customers at the center of their strategies. But while many companies do a good job of understanding their customers, perhaps not as many create demand by coordinating across marketing, sales, and innovation—functions and activities that now encompass the demand chain. This 10Minutes explores ways companies can capitalize on knowing their customer with demand functions pulling in the same direction.

3/7/13 | Assurance services

Mergers and acquisitions for retail and consumer product companies can be influenced by the brands involved in the transaction. Such "brand-rich" transactions can bring accounting complexities that requires close attention to the valuation and purchase accounting process.

2/7/13 | Transaction services

The review indicates that 2012 deal activity has been positive compared to 2011. We expect R&C deal activity will continue its positive momentum during 2013 as companies look to focus on avenues to grow core operations, expand their capabilities to execute across the rapidly developing omnichannel landscape, and increase their global footprint to access higher growth markets.

2/7/13 | Retail & consumer

According to a report from PwC, digital technology continues to reshape the way companies and consumers interact, but social media is not replacing the in-store shopping experience. Among the findings, 45 percent of consumers continue to shop in a physical store daily or weekly.

PwC comment letter (SEC)

1/24/13 | Retail & consumer

PwC has issued a summary document of comment letter trends and considerations for 2012 year-end financial reporting for retail and consumer companies.The information summarized within this publication is based on comment letters published by the SEC staff between October 1, 2011 and October 1, 2012 related to R&C registrants. Areas reviewed include management discussion and analysis, controls and procedures, revenue recognition, and much more

11/9/12 | Retail & consumer

While tight budgets have forestalled updates to Security programs, many Retail & Consumer Products (R&C) respondents are confident they’re winning the game. But the rules—and the players—have changed. With 1,196 US respondents, this brief R&C Insights document covers industry specific results of the Global State of Information Security® Survey 2013.

11/9/12 | Retail & consumer

Retailing 2020: Winning in a polarized world identifies economic drivers that will shape the future US retail landscape and success factors winning retailers and suppliers will likely need to manage to drive growth in the retail landscape of 2020.

11/7/12 | Transaction services

US Retail & Consumer M&A insights: Q3 2012 update. Deal activity in the R&C sector declined from recent highs in Q2; however, the overall trend remains positive to the prior year.

7/23/12 | Advisory services

Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) is broad, upon full implementation, it will effectively require food companies to possess the capability to track ingredients and to verify production processes as items pass through the value chain from field and farm to final consumer. FSMA, the bill expands the FDA’s focus from responding to outbreaks after-the-fact to preventing them before they happen. It allows the FDA oversight on how foods are grown, harvested, and processed and grants the agency new authority to issue mandatory recalls when outbreaks of food-borne illness are suspected.

6/27/12 | Retail & consumer

Retail companies are entering new markets to communicate their brand stories ― but they will have to alter their advertising strategies connect with technologically savvy consumers.

6/15/12 | Retail & consumer

The Financial Performance Report from PwC and the Grocery Manufacturers Association provides benchmarking information for more than 100 food and beverage product manufacturers, over 60 retailers, and gives insights on the demand chain where future investment will be needed.

5/15/12 | Retail & consumer

This report discusses accounting topics common to retail and consumer companies. Issues covered range from those related to R&D all the way through to sales to the end customer. Each discussion provides background, accounting guidance, a solution and a comparison between US GAAP and IFRS.

3/27/12 | Retail & consumer

This report analyzes US online shopping and multichannel trends and compares US shoppers to others in digital shopping preferences and habits.

Dataline

12/1/11 | Assurance services

The FASB and IASB released an updated exposure draft, Revenue from Contract with Customers, on November 14, 2011, and are requesting comments by March 13, 2012. In Dataline 2011-35, we share our analysis of and insight on the overall proposal. This industry supplement to Dataline 2011-35 provides specific examples and assessments of the potential affect of the updated proposal on the retail and consumer industry.

10/20/11 | Retail & consumer

The Deal Coupon industry has grown significantly in recent years, especially with the growth of mobile on-line access. On-line Deal Coupons have become a popular marketing tool to attract consumers and sell goods and services. R&C companies should be aware of potential accounting, tax and business considerations when transacting business via Deal Companies.

10/20/11 | Assurance services

With the rapid flow of new and emerging accounting guidance, regulatory actions and market activity the KnowledgeBrief is a briefing tailored for retail and consumer companies. While not all inclusive, this newsletter highlights some of the key accounting and reporting considerations which may impact companies in the retail & consumer sector.