With intense competition in the Memphis banking market to win over new customers and keep their existing ones, customer satisfaction is key. In the most recent J.D. Power U.S. Retail Banking Satisfaction Study, Trustmark National Bank scored the highest marks for the South Central region, which includes Memphis.

2. A/B Test Your Way to Email Success - Wednesday, April 11, 2018

In years past, plenty of brands adopted a “set it and forget it” email-automation mentality. Once a marketing email was released, it became a distant memory.

There’s a much better way, though, to leverage the still-popular email marketing technique and more closely connect to reader preferences as a way to obtain an end goal.

3. Despite Merry Holidays, Retailers Face Challenges in 2018 - Tuesday, January 16, 2018

NEW YORK (AP) – Retailers are riding high after ebullient U.S. consumers shopped at the healthiest pace in more than a decade over the holiday season. But merchants can't afford to rest easy.

4. Analysis: AutoZone May Be Set Up for Stronger 2018 - Friday, December 22, 2017

Analysts who cover the stock of AutoZone Inc. are split into two sizable camps at the moment. Some 44 percent think the stock is worth rating a “buy,” while more than 50 percent think investors that already own shares should hold on to them and do nothing for now.

5. Amazon Goes Into the Holidays With Magnified Store Presence - Tuesday, November 21, 2017

NEW YORK (AP) – Amazon goes into the holiday season with a newly magnified brick-and-mortar presence, giving it more opportunities to sell its Kindle e-readers, Fire tablets and other gadgets.

6. Target is Raising Minimum Hourly Wage to $15 by End of 2020 - Tuesday, September 26, 2017

NEW YORK (AP) – Target Corp. is raising its minimum hourly wage for workers to $11 starting next month and then to $15 by the end of 2020, a move it says will help it hire and keep the best employees and make shopping a better experience for customers.

7. AutoZone Downgraded After Disappointing Q3 - Tuesday, May 23, 2017

Analysts downgraded shares of auto parts retail giant AutoZone on Tuesday, May 23, after the company reported a second straight quarter of weaker earnings and sales for its fiscal third quarter.

Raymond James Financial Inc. lowered its rating on AutoZone’s stock from “strong buy” – which it attached to AutoZone back in September 2007 – to “market perform.”

8. Forum to Riverfront Corridor Debuts In June - Thursday, May 4, 2017

The area between FedExForum and the Mississippi River is getting a network of protected bike lanes and pedestrian plazas next month as part of a year-long pilot project.

The Great Streets Pilot Project has a one-year trial period for the commissioned art, painted crosswalks, barriers and planters as well as the lane changes.

9. Sears, Once a Stalwart, Has ‘Substantial Doubt’ About Future - Thursday, March 23, 2017

NEW YORK (AP) – Sears, a back-to-school shopping destination for generations of kids and the place newlyweds went to choose appliances, has said that after years of losing money that there is "substantial doubt" it will be able to keep its doors open.

10. Retail Group: Sales to Grow 3.7 Percent to 4.2 Percent - Thursday, February 9, 2017

NEW YORK (AP) – Despite a bumpy holiday season, chains like The Limited shutting down and department stores such as Macy's closing stores, the largest retail trade group says it's still optimistic that sales will grow this year – especially online.

11. Wal-Mart Dumps Its Version of Amazon Prime for New Path - Wednesday, February 1, 2017

NEW YORK (AP) – Wal-Mart is replacing a program that offered free shipping but had an annual fee with one that has a lower free shipping threshold and faster delivery as it hopes to answer Amazon's powerful Prime membership success.

12. Wal-Mart to Add About 10,000 Retail Jobs in the US - Wednesday, January 18, 2017

NEW YORK (AP) – Wal-Mart plans to add about 10,000 retail jobs in the U.S. as it opens new stores and expands existing locations. The world's biggest retailer said Tuesday that its plans will also generate about 24,000 construction jobs.

13. Q2 Data Show Strong Memphis Economy - Friday, July 22, 2016

From lending activity to bank data to anecdotal evidence from businesses in the area, the Memphis economy seems to be moving into the summer months from a position of strength.

That’s based on a comprehensive look at second quarter metrics and data – everything from recaps of big real estate deals to home sale numbers and the stock prices of Memphis-based companies – included in The Daily News Quarterly Review.

14. Snapshot: How Memphis-Based Public Companies are Faring - Saturday, May 28, 2016

Acquisitions have been a common theme among many Memphis-based public companies the past few quarters. Here is a roundup of those transactions and other business highlights from each of the companies.

15. Outlook Dims for Mall Stores as Online Shopping Intensifies - Monday, May 16, 2016

WASHINGTON (AP) – Online shopping is reaching such a critical mass with American households that many of the icons of the traditional mall –from Macy's to The Gap and J.C. Penney – face an increasingly uncertain future.

16. First Horizon Reverses Loss in First Quarter - Monday, April 18, 2016

With its first quarter results, First Tennessee Bank’s parent company is off to the kind of start to the year any large banking organization would love to report – a reversal of losses, abundant capital to deploy and metrics like loans and deposits trending in the right direction.

17. Moving Dirt - Saturday, April 9, 2016

The Memphis development community is looking inward and upward to increase density in the urban core. New construction is happening across all four commercial real estate sectors, with long-anticipated projects like Trader Joe’s and the redevelopment of Central Station finally coming to fruition. Construction and operating costs continue to be a challenge as new projects hit the top of their class to command higher rents.

18. Fenced Out - Saturday, January 30, 2016

There’s a major problem in Memphis when it comes to minorities: African-Americans make up 63 percent of the population but garner less than 1 percent of total business receipts within Memphis, according to the most recent U.S. Census data.

19. Council Approves $4M Loan for Belz’s Midtown Market - Tuesday, December 15, 2015

The mixed-use project at Union Avenue and McLean Boulevard got a $4 million federal boost with a proposal from developers Belz Enterprises and Harbor Retail Partners clearing the Memphis City Council Tuesday, Dec. 15.

20. 3 Trends for the Holidays - Monday, November 30, 2015

NEW YORK (AP) — The holiday season is upon us. Here's what shoppers can expect if they're heading out to stores at any point during the holiday shopping season:

NO FIGHTING OVER MUST-HAVE GIFTS

21. Sammons Appointment Stalled, Wharton Makes Other Moves - Tuesday, March 24, 2015

His plan to make Jack Sammons his new chief administrative officer is stalled – at best – but other parts of Memphis Mayor A C Wharton Jr.’s election-year overhaul of his administration are starting to move.

22. Memphis Economic Indicator Finds Optimism - Monday, October 27, 2014

The latest Memphis Economic Indicator, a quarterly survey measuring general business sentiment produced jointly by The Daily News and Dixon Hughes Goodman LLP, found a downward trend in sentiment measured by almost all of the survey’s six standard questions.

23. Fred's to Close 60 Stores - Friday, August 29, 2014

Memphis-based general merchandise retailer Fred's has decided to close 60 of its stores that don't have a pharmacy and that don't meet performance targets, as the chain continues to place more emphasis on its pharmacy offerings.

24. Memphis Economic Indicator Shows Business Optimism - Friday, October 25, 2013

The results of the second Memphis Economic Indicator, a new survey measuring general business sentiment jointly produced by The Daily News and Dixon Hughes Goodman LLP, reflect a modest overall improvement in optimism among business leaders compared to last quarter’s survey results.

25. Retailers Report Modest Gains for May - Friday, June 7, 2013

NEW YORK (AP) – In the latest sign that Americans are feeling better about the overall economy, stores across the country had a pickup in sales in May.

An improving job picture, better housing market and stock market rallies have all led to consumer confidence reaching five-year highs. That has left Americans a bit more likely to reach into their pockets and spend, as monthly revenue reports released by national retailers on Thursday show.

26. Medical Metrics - Thursday, May 2, 2013

A provision of the Affordable Care Act that ties patient satisfaction to reimbursement has been a boon for medical device maker Christie Medical Holdings Inc.

27. Retailers Report Slowing Sales Gains for February - Friday, March 8, 2013

NEW YORK (AP) – Americans cut back on spending in February as cold weather and economic challenges chilled their appetite for spring merchandise.

The nation's retailers on Thursday reported that sales slowed in February, a time when most stores get rid of winter merchandise and bring in swimsuits, ankle length pants and other spring fashions.

28. Downtown Rising - Friday, November 2, 2012

Despite a faltering economy, many of America’s downtowns are in the midst of a revival, according to a September U.S. Census study, and Memphis is no exception.

The study, “Patterns of Metropolitan and Micropolitan Population Change: 2000 to 2010,” shows that in many of the nation’s largest metropolitan areas, downtown populations grew at double-digit rates over the last decade, primarily due to the availability of new housing and services. And after previous decades of decline, the residential population in Downtown Memphis increased as well, growing by 7 percent to reach approximately 22,000 residents in 2010, according to the latest metrics compiled by the Downtown Memphis Commission.

29. Retailers Report Slower Sales Growth in September - Friday, October 5, 2012

NEW YORK (AP) – Americans may have slowed their spending in September after splurging during the start of the busy back-to-school shopping season in the month before. But most importantly, they were still spending.

30. Clearances, Heat Lured Shoppers to Spend in July - Friday, August 3, 2012

NEW YORK (AP) – Americans shoppers proved resilient in July, driving a key sales figure up at retailers across the country, despite persistent worry about jobs and the global economy.

Results came in better than expected for many retailers, helped by hot weather and summer clearance sales, an encouraging sign as the back-to-school season, the second-biggest shopping season behind the holidays, kicks off.

31. Strong Retail Sales are Sign of Improving Economy - Friday, March 2, 2012

NEW YORK (AP) – Americans stepped up their spending in February, boosting sales at many stores and offering the latest sign that shoppers are feeling more confident in the economy.

As merchants reported their monthly sales figures Thursday, a diverse group including Target and Macy's reported sales gains that exceeded Wall Street estimates. Even Gap Inc., long mired in a sales slump, posted an unexpected increase.

32. Business Licenses Rise Slightly in 2011 - Tuesday, January 24, 2012

The Shelby County Clerk’s Office issued 5,751 business licenses in 2011, according to The Daily News Online, www.memphisdailynews.com. It’s about a 5 percent increase from 2010, when 5,489 were filed in the county.

33. Retailers Report Solid Sales Gains in October - Friday, November 4, 2011

NEW YORK (AP) – Americans were shopping in October, but they were spending at a slower clip than expected as they faced a barrage of bad economic news.

October revenue at stores open at least a year – an indicator of a retailer's health – rose 3.7 percent, according to the International Council of Shopping Centers' tally of 25 retailers. But 13 of 19 retailers missed Wall Street estimates for October revenue, according to Thomson Reuters. That included big merchants like Macy's, Saks and Target.

34. Pinched by Gas, Shoppers Pull Back Elsewhere - Friday, June 3, 2011

NEW YORK (AP) – Shoppers are showing signs of pulling back on spending on discretionary items like clothing and home goods as gasoline and groceries eat up more of their paychecks.

Those pressures led many retailers on Thursday to report only modest revenue increases in May, the latest sign of the economy hitting a soft patch.

35. Magna Bank Positions for Solid 2011 Despite ’10 Loss - Monday, March 21, 2011

Memphis’ third-largest locally based financial institution closed the books on 2010 by reporting a loss but also touting investments made across the board in the bank as well as hinting at an expansion of its branch network.

36. Retail Rebound? - Monday, December 27, 2010

Retail sales are looking bright this year, a sign that the pendulum of consumer confidence is swinging back in the right direction.

Holiday sales are anticipated to increase a modest 3.3 percent this year – adjusted from 2.3 percent in November – according to the National Retail Federation (NRF). This year’s uptick follows 2008’s 3.9 percent decline and also tops the 10-year average holiday sales increase of 2.5 percent.

37. October Sales Offer Relief to Merchants - Friday, November 6, 2009

NEW YORK (AP) – Consumers, enticed by cooler weather and an improving economy, spent a little more in October, handing the retail industry its second consecutive monthly sales gain after more than a year of declines.

38. Buffett’s Berkshire Buying Burlington Northern - Wednesday, November 4, 2009

NEW YORK (AP) – Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Inc. on Tuesday agreed to buy Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corp., making a $34 billion bet on the future of the U.S. economy.

39. Retailers See Sales Begin to Recover in September - Friday, October 9, 2009

NEW YORK (AP) - The nation's stores saw their first sales gain in 14 months in September, a sign of life from shoppers that fuels some hope for the holiday shopping season.

A late Labor Day and delayed school openings helped boost back-to-school sales in September. And stores' figures are looking better as they are compared last September when spending plummeted amid the ballooning financial meltdown.

40. Retailers Report Sales Declines For August - Friday, September 4, 2009

NEW YORK (AP) – Retailers on Thursday posted sales declines for August as shoppers held back on back-to-school purchases and continued to focus on necessities, but overall results came in ahead of analyst predictions.

41. Weak Retail Report Cards Likely, Analysts Say - Thursday, September 3, 2009

NEW YORK (AP) - It may be the beginning of the year for students, but for retailers, it's report-card time. Analysts expect the early grades on the back-to-school selling season to be weak when retailers report August results Thursday.

42. Sluggish July Sales Show Tight-Fisted Consumers - Friday, August 7, 2009

NEW YORK (AP) – Shoppers, worried about job security and finding fewer options among the sales bins, remained tight-fisted in July, resulting in sluggish sales for many merchants and raising concern about the back-to-school shopping season’s health.

43. Wal-Mart to Create Eco-Ratings for Products - Thursday, July 16, 2009

NEW YORK (AP) - Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the world's largest retailer, plans to demand that all its suppliers measure the environmental cost of making their products so Wal-Mart can calculate and post an eco-rating for each item.

44. US Shoppers Stay Cautious, But Sales Declines Ease - Friday, April 10, 2009

NEW YORK (AP) - March same-store sales fell for the sixth straight month, as U.S. consumers continued to shop cautiously and stick mostly to necessities such as food, but there were some glimmers of stabilization in retailers' reports on Thursday.

45. Congress Urged to Boost Investor Confidence Before Housing Slump Fallout Goes Commercial - Friday, February 29, 2008

WASHINGTON (AP) - To insulate commercial real estate from a still-crumbling housing market, investors need a confidence boost and Congress should help give it, industry analysts and executives told lawmakers Thursday.