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The Anchor

Placer.ai's Executive Industry Intelligence Report

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Large-Ticket Discretionary Durables/Outdoor Equipment Retail: Still Normalizing

Big-ticket discretionary goods continue to face headwinds, but some outdoor equipment retailers have found a way to segment and better target the consumer base.

Thomas Paulson
Oct 25, 2024

Tractor Supply: Remodels Driving Sales But Competitive Dynamics Bares Watching

Tractor Supply's remodeled stores are driving visits, but Lowe's push into the farm & feed category represents a potential threat.

Thomas Paulson
Oct 25, 2024

Starbucks: Silver Linings After a Difficult Quarter

Starbucks has faced its share of challenges in 2024, but visitation data indicates a solid foundation as it implements turnaround measures.

R.J. Hottovy
Oct 25, 2024

Haunted Car Wash? Tunnel of Terror “Boo”sts traffic by 3x

Are you ready for a nightmarish journey that turns an ordinary car wash into a realm of terror?

Caroline Wu
Oct 25, 2024

Takeaways from Shoptalk Fall

Insights from the inaugural Shoptalk Fall event in Chicago.

Elizabeth Lafontaine
Oct 18, 2024

Takeaways from the 2024 Fast Casual Executive Summit

It's been a challenging year for many fast casual restaurant chains. What does Placer data indicate about 2025?

R.J. Hottovy
Oct 18, 2024

Ulta Beauty: Expansion and Wellness

Ulta Beauty has laid out ambitious growth plans despite a slower year for beauty retailers.

Thomas Paulson
Oct 18, 2024

Apparel: Does RTO now stand for "Return to Tailored Offerings"?

Placer data suggests that post-pandemic office apparel trends have shifted.

Caroline Wu
Oct 18, 2024

Prestige Luxury: No, Affluent Consumers Aren't Cracking

Visitation trends remain stable for prestige luxury brands and high-end department stores.

Thomas Paulson
Oct 18, 2024

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Elizabeth Lafontaine

Elizabeth Lafontaine most recently served as Chief Retail Analyst at EnsembleIQ, a B2B media and insights company in the retail space, where she helped to develop new thought leadership focused offerings and served as a presenter and author. She’s spent her career focused on serving the retail industry and its consumers and is also an alumnus of Circana, Stein Mart and Macy’s.

R.J. Hottovy

Head of Analytical Research, Placer.ai

R.J. Hottovy, CFA has covered the restaurant, retail, and e-commerce sectors for 20 years as an equity analyst and strategist for Morningstar, William Blair & Co., and Deutsche Bank. R.J. also brings a wealth of experience with early-stage investments as a committee member for the IrishAngels / Vitalize venture capital group. Over the past three years, he advised over 50 food service companies on more than $200 million in early-stage capital raises and M&A transactions.

Thomas Paulson

Director of Research and Business Development, Placer.ai

Thomas Paulson spent 20 years as a Wall Street analyst and a member of asset management teams at AllianceBernstein and Cornerstone Capital, representing top-50 ownership positions including Target, Home Depot, Nike, Amazon, Google, and many more. He brings consumer related expertise and knowledge of enterprises in retail, CPG, financial services, telecom, and entertainment.

Caroline Wu

Director of Research, Placer.ai

Caroline brings expertise in retail, CRE, entertainment, media, CPG, and tourism, and specializes in synthesizing broad datasets into actionable recommendations for growth. She has worked as the US Director of Consumer Insights at Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield, VP of Retail Insights and Intelligence at Omnicom, and Senior Director at Kantar. Caroline holds an MA in Sociology from Stanford University and a BA in International Relations from Stanford University.

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