Events & AwardsAug 20, 2026
MJSA Education Foundation Names 5 Scholarship WinnersThe five students were awarded a total of $10,000 through the nonprofit’s 2026 “Future of Jewelry Making” scholarship.
FinancialsMar 22, 2016
Chains see small increases in Q3 comps
Walmart and Target both reported a 2 percent rise while T.J. Maxx’s parent company saw same-store gain of 3 percent, with the chains attributing marked traffic growth and positive customer experiences for the performances.
New York--Comp sales were up for Target Corp., Walmart Stores Inc. and TJX Companies Inc., albeit by small amounts, in the third quarter.
Traffic growth and positive customer experience helped to stimulate sales for the companies in the three-month periods ended Oct. 31.
Target Corp.
Third quarter comps grew 2 percent for Target in the three-month period ended Oct. 31, driven by traffic growth and online sales, which increased by 20 percent.
Same-store sales in signature categories--style, baby, kids and wellness--grew more than three times faster than the company average, leading the company’s sales growth.
The third quarter also marked Target’s fourth consecutive quarter of traffic growth, which the company said was “encouraging, especially in the face of stiffer prior-year comparisons.”
Overall sales in the quarter were up 2 percent, increasing from $17.25 billion in the year-earlier period to $17.61 billion, reflecting both a rise in comp sales as well as sales from new stores.
The Minneapolis-based company operates 1,805 stores, up just slightly from the 1,801 it had as of Nov. 1, 2014.
Walmart Stores Inc.
Same-store sales at Walmart were up for the fifth consecutive quarter, increasing nearly 2 percent in the most recent three-month period as customer experience scores continued to strengthen, Walmart said.
Operating income in the U.S. was down 9 percent to $4.5 billion, while net sales grew 4 percent to $72.7 billion.
At Sam’s Club, comps excluding fuel rose less than 1 percent, and net sales without fuel were up 2 percent to $14.1 billion. Operating income (excluding fuel) increased 4 percent during the quarter.
Total revenue for the company was $117.4 billion, or $122.4 billion on a constant currency basis.
Operating income for the overall Walmart Stores, Inc. was down 9 percent. The company noted that although positive comps show the business is taking the right steps to win with customers, it is “positioning for sustainable growth through investments in people and technology to deliver a seamless shopping experience at scale.”
TJX Companies Inc.
U.S. same-store sales rose 3 percent year-over-year in the third quarter ended Oct. 31 for T.J. Maxx and Marshalls stores, parent company TJX Companies Inc. reported.
U.S. net sales for the two chain stores were up
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
5 percent during the period, from $4.67 billion to $4.92 billion.
Globally, overall comps increased 5 percent while net sales also rose 5 percent to $7.75 billion. Net income for the company was down 1 percent, from $594.9 million in the year-earlier period to $587.3 million.
“We are delighted that strong customer traffic drove our entire consolidated comp and was the primary driver of our comp increases at every division,” said TJX chairman and CEO Carol Meyrowitz. “Our excellent traffic gains and strong performance across our apparel, accessories and home categories demonstrate that our brands globally are offering the right values and merchandise mix.”
During the third quarter, TJX increased its store locations in the U.S. to 2,679--1,149 T.J. Maxx locations, 1,001 Marshalls stores, 522 HomeGoods stores and seven of its Sierra Trading Post locations.
Th company also acquired Trade Secret, an Australian off-price retailer with 35 stores on the continent, in October.
More on Financials
The Latest
PodcastsAug 19, 2026
Episode 8: Diamond Industry Update With David Bonaparte & Ronnie VanderLindenThe industry veterans join the podcast to discuss diamond marketing, the FTC Jewelry Guides, and lobbying for lower tariffs.
MajorsAug 19, 2026
Mike Alexander To Succeed Scott Murphy as Jewelers Mutual CEO Murphy will retire at the end of the year and Alexander, currently the company’s president, will take over at the start of 2027.
Brought to you by
Your Piece Could Be the One Editors Talk AboutSubmit your pieces for a chance to win in this year's competition.
Policies & IssuesAug 19, 2026
Spinelli Kilcollin Embraces Dupes With Trade-In ProgramThe jeweler is encouraging customers who own lookalike rings to come into the store and trade them for credit towards an authentic piece.
Weekly QuizAug 13, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
MajorsAug 19, 2026
Zales Wants You to Wear Fine Jewelry Every DayThe new campaign, “You Are The Occasion,” discourages shoppers from saving their fine jewelry for special occasions only.
SourcingAug 19, 2026
Vasant Mehta, a Dedicated Diamond Industry Leader, Dies at 81Mehta led India’s GJEPC through the 2008 financial crisis and was respected worldwide for his wisdom, integrity, and knowledge.
Brought to you by
Why More Jewelry Retailers Are Hosting Turnkey Estate Buying EventsRetailers are seeking new ways to attract customers, increase traffic, and create revenue – Estate buying events are a popular solution.
CrimeAug 18, 2026
2 California Men Arrested in Fatal Vehicle Smash RobberyOne is the driver who allegedly crashed a car into a Sacramento jewelry store in April, striking a 71-year-old employee who later died.
ColumnistsAug 18, 2026
Peter Smith: The IKEA Effect and Bridal Branding In a new column, Peter Smith posits that people actually enjoy putting together IKEA furniture, and the same is true for engagement rings.
CrimeAug 18, 2026
Thieves Snatch $1M in Jewelry From New Jersey Jeweler9lakha Jewelers in Iselin, New Jersey, was the target of a smash-and-grab robbery on Aug. 8.
Lab-GrownAug 18, 2026
Ring Concierge, Kendall Jenner’s Tequila Brand Collab on GiveawayThe jeweler has partnered with 818 Tequila to gift lab-grown diamond studs to a bride-to-be and their bridal party.
Events & AwardsAug 17, 2026
Exhibition on Louis Comfort Tiffany’s Studios to Open at The MetThe exhibition will feature more than 100 drawings of stained-glass lampshades, windows, and more, many created by women and émigrés.
CollectionsAug 17, 2026
Marquise Diamonds Dance in Spinelli Kilcollin’s ‘Wren’ CollectionMarquise-cut diamonds in drop charms are the center of the new collection, reflecting the movement of a dancer in modular styles.
Events & AwardsAug 17, 2026
There’s a New Jewelry Show Coming to FloridaThe inaugural Fort Lauderdale Jewelry, Antique, & Object Show will be held from Jan. 28 through Feb. 1, 2027.
IndependentsAug 14, 2026
Smyth Jewelers to Open Fourth LocationThe family-owned jeweler will open a new showroom in Bel Air, Maryland, this fall.
CrimeAug 14, 2026
Wife of Man Convicted in Jeweler’s Murder Sentenced for Conspiracy Amanda Ileana Hernandez is married to Carlos Hernandez, one of two men in prison for the 2024 murder of Michigan jeweler Hussein Murray.
TrendsAug 14, 2026
Paul Morelli’s Latest ‘Wavey Vine’ Earrings Embrace ColorThe reimagined jewel, our Piece of the Week, trades the diamonds in the original 1998 design for blue, pink, yellow, and green sapphires.
Supplier BulletinAug 13, 2026
Your Piece Could Be the One Editors Talk AboutSponsored by American Gem Trade Association
AuctionsAug 13, 2026
This Gold Cadbury ‘Conundrum’ Egg Set a World Auction RecordThe 22-karat gold egg, sold at Batemans Auctioneers in the U.K., was part of a 1980s treasure hunt ad campaign for Cadbury Creme Eggs.
SourcingAug 13, 2026
2,488-Carat Diamond, Largest Found in Botswana, Has a New Owner Lucara Diamond Corp., which recovered the “Motswedi” diamond from the Karowe mine, sold the stone for an undisclosed amount.
CollectionsAug 13, 2026
John Hardy Infuses ‘Icon,’ ‘Heishi’ Collections with ColorThe expanded collections now feature hand-cut gemstones like topaz, tanzanite, chrysoprase, chalcedony, smoky quartz, and fire opal.
Lab-GrownAug 13, 2026
Jean Dousset Opens Third StoreThe lab-grown diamond jewelry brand’s newest boutique is in Westfield Valley Fair in Santa Clara, California.
SourcingAug 12, 2026
Eshed-Gemstar on the Painstaking Process of Cutting ‘The Legacy Emerald’The gemstone supplier and manufacturer acquired the remarkable 104-gram Zambian emerald at Gemfields’ auction in May.
CrimeAug 12, 2026
Elderly NYC Woman Targeted in Jewelry Swap SchemeTwo suspects offered to trade the woman a “winning” lottery ticket for her jewelry.
SourcingAug 12, 2026
Another Diamond Mine Poised to CloseFinsch has been in business rescue since May, and owner Petra Diamonds said it sees no viable path forward for the mine.
CrimeAug 12, 2026
Jewelry Store Employee Gets 20 Years to Life in Choking Death of BossMichel Patrick DeSalles was sentenced after pleading guilty to the 2017 murder of Omid Gholian, who owned a jewelry store in Manhattan.
