Latest news with #HomeGoods
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Yahoo
A car door opened in a Narragansett shopping plaza. 14 Belgian Malinois dogs came rushing out.
A wild scene unfolded in Narragansett on Wednesday, May 21, when 14 dogs burst out of an SUV in a shopping plaza parking lot, with some of the dogs running into the nearby Marshalls/HomeGoods store. After the dogs were rounded up, a similar situation happened at a nearby ballfield, when the dogs again poured out of the car, this time attacking and badly injuring one of their own, a young, smaller dog. "I have never seen anything like it. I'm not sure anyone has," said Wayne Kezirian, president and general agent for the Rhode Island Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The dogs are all Belgian Malinois, large animals that are bred for protection and often used as police dogs. The owner told Kezirian he was driving with all 14 in his SUV from New York to Maine, where he was planning on moving. "I don't know how he drove the car with all the dogs in it. There wasn't an inch to spare," Kezirian said. A woman in another car was traveling with the man. Her car had three dogs inside, according to Kezirian. The man told Kezirian he stopped at the shopping plaza because the dogs had started to fight, and he wanted to take one of the dogs from the car. When he opened the door, they all rushed out. "It's a protective breed, so they're difficult to handle anyway," Kezirian said. The Narragansett police responded to Salt Pond Plaza and found two vehicles parked near West Marine containing a total of 17 dogs, according to Narragansett Police Lt. Justin Hoffman. "As officers approached, the rear door of one of the SUVs unexpectedly opened, allowing 14 Belgian Malinois to escape and run through the plaza," Hoffman said via email. "Some of the dogs entered nearby businesses. With the assistance of bystanders, officers were able to help the owner safely return all 14 dogs to the vehicle. Fortunately, no injuries were reported during this initial containment effort." Since there was no local animal control officer on duty, Hoffman requested help from South Kingstown Animal Control, he said. Their officer "promptly responded" and also contacted the RISPCA, Hoffman said. When Kezirian arrived from Warwick at about 12:30 p.m., the dogs were back inside the car. They were still restless. As they moved in the tight quarters, they kept bumping into each other and hitting the horn. "You'd have thought somebody was behind you at a red light," Kezirian said. The police and animal control filled Kezirian in on what had happened. He said, "It was a much more complicated situation than I envisioned." Before Kezirian got there, the police persuaded the dog owner to voluntarily surrender several of the dogs, Hoffman said. To ensure the safe transfer of the dogs, the police decided to use a Local Little field enclosed by a fence, according to Hoffman. The police told the owner to remove the surrendered dogs one at a time, according to Hoffman, but as soon as the door opened, the dogs again charged out of the car, this time attacking the younger dog. "They all turned on one dog and were attacking that dog," Kezirian said. "As a pack, they were attacking that dog." The owner couldn't stop the attack. Hoffman and the other Narragansett officers stepped in "to protect the dog, using department-issued OC (oleoresin capsicum) spray to break up the assault long enough for an officer to retrieve the injured animal," Hoffman said. Narragansett Police Officer Patrick Canavan lifted the younger dog and carried it away. "If he had not done that, that dog would be dead," Kezirian said. As Canavan carried the dog, several dogs still tried getting at it, prompting the officers to spray the dogs again, Hoffman said. "Miraculously, none of the officers or individuals present were injured during this chaotic incident," Hoffman said. Once the animals were taken away, the police contacted the Narragansett Parks and Recreation Department, which "decontaminated the baseball field using the facility's irrigation system," Hoffman said. The dogs' owner, after talking with Kezirian and the police, ultimately agreed to give up nine of the dogs. The RISPCA has three of them, while South Kingstown Animal Control, which works with the Narragansett Police Department, has six. Among the dogs in the RISPCA's care is the young one that was attacked by the others. Her name is Liberty. She's one year old. Kezirian brought the three dogs back to RISPCA by about 4 p.m. Wednesday, where veterinarian Michelle Pinto had Liberty in surgery until about 8 p.m. "She's covered with stitches. She's expected to be OK," Kezirian said. The owner of the dogs was cooperative, Kezirian said. He told Kezirian he was planning to move from New York to Maine and also sell some of the dogs. "I'm not sure his grasp of reality was solid," Kezirian said. The man is in his 40s and resides in Ontario, New York, according to Kezirian, who declined to give the man's name. The man described the woman in the other car as his girlfriend. They were traveling through Narragansett on the way to Maine because the woman has some ties to the area, Kezirian was told. The dogs are skinny. The owner told Kezirian he ran out of money and was rationing their food. Kezirian said Narragansett police officers bought food for the dogs. Kezirian said it seemed reasonable for the owner to keep five of the dogs, because the five could fit reasonably well in his car. It would also be difficult to find adoptive homes for the five dogs he kept because of age, illness and temperament, according to Kezirian. If the RISPCA seized the dogs and pressed criminal charges, it would take longer to find the dogs new homes, because they'd have to wait until the conclusion of the criminal case, Kezirian said. Additionally, he said, the charges could be difficult to prove. "It was the lesser of two evils," Kezirian said. Now the RISPCA and South Kingstown Animal Shelter have nine more dogs in their care. Boarding and veterinary costs will add up. Kezirian noted that the agencies could use financial support. Kezirian said the RISPCA will check with law enforcement agencies to see if they're interested in adopting any of their dogs for police work. After that, the dogs would be put up for adoption from the general public. This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Fourteen Belgian Malinois dogs burst out of a car in Narragansett
Boston Globe
22-05-2025
- Boston Globe
In R.I., 9 of 14 Belgian Malinois dogs seized after running amok in Narragansett shopping plaza
RISPCA received a call from animal control to respond to the scene around 11 a.m., as officials were uncomfortable allowing the owner of the dogs to continue on the journey with such a large number of animals, Kezirian said. Advertisement When Kezirian arrived, he learned the 14 dogs had run amok in the shopping center, but the owner had been able to corral them back in his SUV by the time Kezirian got there, Kezirian said. Seeing the vehicle stuffed like a 'clown car,' Kezirian said the scene left him feeling like he was daydreaming. Advertisement 'I felt like I was at a red light …. and someone behind me was repeatedly beeping the horn, because there were so many dogs in this car that they were repeatedly rubbing up against the horn button, and the horn in that car was going off constantly,' he said. 'That's how many of those dogs were in the car.' Kezirian said it was reported that at least three dogs, when they were loose, entered the nearby Marshall's and HomeGoods stores. Cait Sincerny told 'It was chaotic at first,' she said. 'Everyone was just shocked at what they were seeing.' Belgian Malinois are 'a breed that's bred to be protective,' Kezirian said. 'It's highly sought after, if you get the right dog, for police work,' he said. 'They appear to be similar to, but a bit taller and lankier than most German Shepherds [and are] highly intelligent and very protective of the owner.' A plan was ultimately devised to drive the dogs to a nearby ball field that was fenced and gated, so the owner could remove the dogs one by one, under the condition that several of them would be surrendered, according to Kezirian. 'When he opened the door to start taking the dogs out one at a time, the dogs rushed the door, and all 14 of the dogs escaped at one time,' Kezirian said. In the fray, some dogs began attacking a younger one, he said. 'They were mauling that dog until one of the police officers from Narragansett …, went in – with great personal risk – and scooped that dog up,' Kezirian said. Advertisement The officer pepper-sprayed the attacking dogs, and turned over the injured one to the RISPCA, he said. According to Kezirian, the dog was severely injured and was in surgery until later Wednesday night, but is expected to survive. RISPCA also took in two others, and the animal shelter took custody of six others, as per an arrangement negotiated with the owner, Kezirian said. The man was not criminally charged and was cooperative, he said. Narragansett police and South Kingstown Animal Control did not immediately return requests for additional information on Thursday. 'The negotiated deal allowed the owner to keep five of them, and the reason I did that is that two of them were epileptic and would not have been adoptable,' Kezirian said. 'Two of them were older and he was clearly attached to them and appeared to be in good enough condition, and one was a dog that I, from a practical perspective, couldn't handle on site and he could.' According to Kezirian, if dogs are not seized with an agreement and are part of a criminal case, they can be 'in the system for months or years as the case proceeds through the court' before they can be put up for adoption. 'We make these difficult decisions in a lot of these instances so that we can take immediate ownership and we can deal with these dogs and place them more quickly for the benefit of the animal,' he said. 'It's always a difficult choice when we negotiate these but that's the incentive for that agreement.' Kezirian said the three dogs RISPCA took were all between nine and 12 months old and underweight, but otherwise are 'relatively healthy.' The owner said he ran out of money and had been rationing their food during the trip, according to Kezirian. Advertisement However, Narragansett police officers 'of their own accord, made sure that he had food in the car before he left,' he said. Kezirian said RISPCA regularly sees cases involving hoarding tendencies, which he suspects was a factor in what happened in this instance. But he has never encountered anything quite like what happened on Wednesday, 'with animals in a parking lot running free,' he said. 'When these dogs bolted out of that car, it was more than just looking like a clown car,' he said, describing when the dogs were let loose on the ball field. 'They were just tumbling out of that car and chasing that other dog. It was a pretty ugly scene.' Christopher Gavin can be reached at
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
TJX Companies Inc (TJX) Q1 2026 Earnings Call Highlights: Strong Comp Sales Growth and ...
Comp Sales Growth: 3% increase, driven by customer transactions. Pre-tax Margin: 10.3%, down 80 basis points, but above plan. Gross Margin: Down 50 basis points due to unfavorable inventory hedges. SG&A: Increased 20 basis points due to lapping of a reserve benefit and higher store wage costs. Diluted Earnings Per Share: $0.92, above expectations. Marmaxx Comp Sales: Increased 2%, with a segment profit margin of 13.7%. HomeGoods Comp Sales: Increased 4%, with a segment profit margin of 10.2%. TJX Canada Comp Sales: Increased 5%, with a segment profit margin of 10.6% on a constant currency basis. TJX International Comp Sales: Increased 5%, with a segment profit margin of 4.2% on a constant currency basis. Inventory: Balance sheet inventory up 15%, inventory per store up 7%. Full Year Comp Sales Growth Guidance: 2% to 3% increase. Full Year Sales Guidance: $58.1 billion to $58.6 billion, up 3% to 4%. Full Year Pre-tax Profit Margin Guidance: 11.3% to 11.4%. Full Year Gross Margin Guidance: 30.4% to 30.5%. Full Year Diluted EPS Guidance: $4.34 to $4.43, a 2% to 4% increase. Second Quarter Comp Sales Growth Guidance: 2% to 3% increase. Second Quarter Sales Guidance: $13.9 billion to $14 billion. Second Quarter Pre-tax Profit Margin Guidance: 10.4% to 10.5%. Second Quarter Diluted EPS Guidance: $0.97 to $1, up 1% to 4%. Warning! GuruFocus has detected 7 Warning Signs with DOMO. Release Date: May 21, 2025 For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript. TJX Companies Inc (NYSE:TJX) reported a 3% increase in comp sales, driven by customer transactions, with every division contributing to the growth. The company exceeded expectations in pre-tax profit margin and earnings per share, highlighting strong financial performance. The availability of merchandise is outstanding, positioning TJX Companies Inc (NYSE:TJX) to capitalize on market opportunities. The HomeGoods division delivered a 4% comp sales growth, with segment profit margin up 70 basis points, showcasing strength in the home fashion market. TJX Companies Inc (NYSE:TJX) is confident in its long-term growth strategy, supported by a flexible business model and a strong global buying infrastructure. Pre-tax margin decreased by 80 basis points, primarily due to unfavorable inventory hedges and increased SG&A expenses. Net interest income negatively impacted pre-tax profit margin by 20 basis points due to a lower cash balance and lower interest rates. The Marmaxx division saw a segment profit margin decrease of 50 basis points, despite a 2% increase in comp sales. TJX Canada experienced a 170 basis points decline in segment profit margin on a constant currency basis, affected by unfavorable transactional foreign exchange. The company faces challenges from tariffs and a highly fluid macro environment, which could impact short-term profitability. Q: Can you provide more context on inventory availability given the current environment with delayed shipments and tariff uncertainties? A: Ernie Herrman, CEO, explained that while there is uneasiness among vendors due to tariff uncertainties, TJX has been able to take advantage of great buys in the market. The company remains flexible and can shift focus to categories with more availability, ensuring they maintain great value for customers. Q: Could you elaborate on the progression of comp trends at Marmaxx and the strong start to the second quarter? A: John Klinger, CFO, noted that sales improved as the weather got better, with comps increasing month-to-month. Ernie Herrman added that every division is participating in the comp growth, with Marmaxx showing improvement and HomeGoods outperforming the industry. Q: How are you managing the impact of tariffs on gross margins, especially in the second quarter? A: John Klinger stated that Q2 is the most impacted by tariffs due to pre-committed orders. However, mitigation efforts are in place, including better buying and cost efficiencies, which are expected to continue benefiting the company in the second half of the year. Q: How does TJX plan to handle potential price increases from vendors due to tariffs, and what strategies are in place to maintain value for customers? A: Ernie Herrman highlighted that TJX can negotiate with vendors and adjust pricing to maintain a value gap with traditional retailers. The company focuses on buying advantageously and maintaining strong vendor relationships to ensure competitive pricing. Q: What is the current percentage of direct-sourced products, and how might this change in response to the current environment? A: Ernie Herrman mentioned that less than 10% of TJX's business is direct-sourced, and the company maintains a balanced mix. They are strategically buying closer to market to take advantage of potential deals, without significantly altering the direct-sourcing percentage. For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript. This article first appeared on GuruFocus.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
TJX Companies: The Quiet Retail 20-Bagger Stock
TJX Companies (TJX), the parent of TJ Maxx, Marshalls, and HomeGoods, reported its fiscal Q1 2026 earnings today, surpassing expectations with earnings per share of $0.92 and revenue of $13.1 billion. Comparable store sales increased by 3%, in line with the higher end of the company's projections and pretax margins of 10.3% exceeded company estimates. TJX also returned $1 billion to shareholders in the form of share repurchases and dividends in the quarter. TJX Companies continues to impress me—not just among retail stocks, but as one of the most consistent long-term stock performers in the entire market. While the discount retail sector includes standout names like Costco (COST), Ross Stores (ROST), and Burlington Stores (BURL), TJX has outpaced them all over the last two decades. The stock has compounded at an incredible 16.7% annually, more than 20xing investors money in that time. Although shares are down slightly following today's earnings beat, TJX still benefits from near-term bullish catalysts, including a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) rating, which reflects positive earnings estimate revisions and continued analyst confidence. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research It wasn't anything fancy that has driven TJX Companies' enduring returns—steady earnings growth, share buybacks, and moderate multiple expansion. Below we can see how TJX annual EPS have grown from just $0.06 in 1996 to $4.26 today. Meanwhile, management has reduced shares outstanding by 60% since 1998, showing a commitment to returning cash to shareholders. And finally, TJX's median earnings multiple has risen from ~19x to 24.4x, depending on which timeframes you measure. Today, TJX Companies is trading at a premium valuation of 30.4x, demonstrating investors willingness to pay up for a quality company. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research As I noted, the discount-retail industry has several very strong players in it, which shows how lucrative of a business model it can be, even with several competitors. Though TJX has a premium valuation, its earnings growth forecasts are not particularly high, currently at 9.1% annually over the next three to five years. Costco, often praised for its cult-like customer loyalty and unique subscription model, carries a similarly modest growth forecast of 9.4%. However, investors are paying a hefty premium for that consistency as COST currently trades at an elevated 57.7x forward earnings. Ross Stores sits in a more moderate position, with earnings growth estimates of 8% and a valuation of 24x forward earnings, offering a decent blend of value and stability. Perhaps the most compelling growth/value trade-off comes from Burlington Stores, which boasts the highest projected earnings growth at 14.5% annually, while trading at 29.2x forward earnings. For long-term investors, TJX Companies remains one of the most reliable names in retail. Its unmatched consistency, disciplined capital return strategy, and effective business model in off-price retail make it a quality core holding, even at a premium valuation. However, for those seeking stronger near-term earnings growth or a better growth-to-valuation tradeoff, Burlington Stores may be the most compelling alternative, while Ross Stores is interesting as well. Costco remains an excellent business, but its valuations leave less room potential downside risks. Bottom line: TJX is a textbook compounder, and its stock still earns consideration in any serious and well diversified portfolio. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report The TJX Companies, Inc. (TJX) : Free Stock Analysis Report Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST) : Free Stock Analysis Report Ross Stores, Inc. (ROST) : Free Stock Analysis Report Burlington Stores, Inc. (BURL) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research ( Zacks Investment Research
Globe and Mail
21-05-2025
- Business
- Globe and Mail
TJX Companies: The Quiet Retail 20-Bagger Stock
TJX Companies ( TJX ), the parent of TJ Maxx, Marshalls, and HomeGoods, reported its fiscal Q1 2026 earnings today, surpassing expectations with earnings per share of $0.92 and revenue of $13.1 billion. Comparable store sales increased by 3%, in line with the higher end of the company's projections and pretax margins of 10.3% exceeded company estimates. TJX also returned $1 billion to shareholders in the form of share repurchases and dividends in the quarter. TJX Companies continues to impress me—not just among retail stocks, but as one of the most consistent long-term stock performers in the entire market. While the discount retail sector includes standout names like Costco ( COST ), Ross Stores ( ROST ), and Burlington Stores ( BURL ), TJX has outpaced them all over the last two decades. The stock has compounded at an incredible 16.7% annually, more than 20xing investors money in that time. Although shares are down slightly following today's earnings beat, TJX still benefits from near-term bullish catalysts, including a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) rating, which reflects positive earnings estimate revisions and continued analyst confidence. What Drives TJX Steady Stock Returns? It wasn't anything fancy that has driven TJX Companies' enduring returns—steady earnings growth, share buybacks, and moderate multiple expansion. Below we can see how TJX annual EPS have grown from just $0.06 in 1996 to $4.26 today. Meanwhile, management has reduced shares outstanding by 60% since 1998, showing a commitment to returning cash to shareholders. And finally, TJX's median earnings multiple has risen from ~19x to 24.4x, depending on which timeframes you measure. Today, TJX Companies is trading at a premium valuation of 30.4x, demonstrating investors willingness to pay up for a quality company. TJX Earnings Forecasts Vs. COST, ROST and BURL As I noted, the discount-retail industry has several very strong players in it, which shows how lucrative of a business model it can be, even with several competitors. Though TJX has a premium valuation, its earnings growth forecasts are not particularly high, currently at 9.1% annually over the next three to five years. Costco, often praised for its cult-like customer loyalty and unique subscription model, carries a similarly modest growth forecast of 9.4%. However, investors are paying a hefty premium for that consistency as COST currently trades at an elevated 57.7x forward earnings. Ross Stores sits in a more moderate position, with earnings growth estimates of 8% and a valuation of 24x forward earnings, offering a decent blend of value and stability. Perhaps the most compelling growth/value trade-off comes from Burlington Stores, which boasts the highest projected earnings growth at 14.5% annually, while trading at 29.2x forward earnings. Should Investors Buy Shares in TJX, COST, BURL and ROST? For long-term investors, TJX Companies remains one of the most reliable names in retail. Its unmatched consistency, disciplined capital return strategy, and effective business model in off-price retail make it a quality core holding, even at a premium valuation. However, for those seeking stronger near-term earnings growth or a better growth-to-valuation tradeoff, Burlington Stores may be the most compelling alternative, while Ross Stores is interesting as well. Costco remains an excellent business, but its valuations leave less room potential downside risks. Bottom line: TJX is a textbook compounder, and its stock still earns consideration in any serious and well diversified portfolio. Zacks Names #1 Semiconductor Stock It's only 1/9,000th the size of NVIDIA which skyrocketed more than +800% since we recommended it. NVIDIA is still strong, but our new top chip stock has much more room to boom. With strong earnings growth and an expanding customer base, it's positioned to feed the rampant demand for Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and Internet of Things. Global semiconductor manufacturing is projected to explode from $452 billion in 2021 to $803 billion by 2028. See This Stock Now for Free >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report The TJX Companies, Inc. (TJX): Free Stock Analysis Report Ross Stores, Inc. (ROST): Free Stock Analysis Report Burlington Stores, Inc. (BURL): Free Stock Analysis Report
