GlobalData vs TransUnion

Victoria's Secret embraces nostalgia and entertainment as Q2 sales rise

Victoria's Secret & Co. is leveraging nostalgia and entertainment to re-engage shoppers, according to comments from CEO Hillary Super after the company's Q2 earnings. The lingerie retailer expanded its fragrance portfolio with iterations like Tease Strawberry Bisou and archive drops such as Pink's square bottle scents, which sold out online in under a day. The company also positioned itself as an entertainment brand, premiering the YouTube docuseries 'Angels Among Us' this month. Victoria's Secret reported Q2 net sales of $1.6 billion, up 10% year over year, with 9% comp growth and net income topping $85 million. The company raised its full-year sales guidance to $7.1 billion to $7.18 billion and expects adjusted operating income of up to $590 million, citing strong performance in bras, Pink, beauty, and all channels.

• Victoria's Secret & Co. reported Q2 net sales of $1.6 billion, up 10% year over year.
• Comparable sales rose 9% in Q2, with brick-and-mortar comps growing 7%.
• Net income in Q2 nearly tripled to more than $85 million.

Dillard's Gains Market Share in Q2

Dillard’s reported modest Q2 retail sales growth as comparable sales rose 1% and total retail sales (excluding construction) reached $1.5 billion. The company’s gross margin expanded to 40.9% and net income increased 34% to $97.7 million, partly driven by $37.2 million in tariff refunds that accounted for most of the margin improvement. Category performance was mixed: gains in accessories, lingerie, home, shoes, beauty and men’s, while children’s, juniors and women’s apparel declined. GlobalData analysis and company commentary indicated the apparel weakness reflected lower consumer spending rather than defections to competitors; inventory at quarter end rose about 5% year over year. UBS analysts had expected flat comps, so Dillard’s 1% comp rise beat those expectations.

• Dillard’s Q2 retail sales (excluding construction) were $1.5 billion, with comps up 1% year over year.
• The company received $37.2 million in tariff refunds, which accounted for 260 of the 280 basis-point gross margin increase.
• Gross margin reached 40.9% in Q2.

Adidas apparel outshines footwear in World Cup quarter

Adidas reported a 13% year-over-year increase in second-quarter revenues to €6.7 billion, led by a 34% jump in apparel net sales while footwear remained flat and accessories rose 18%. Direct-to-consumer (DTC) net sales grew 24% versus 6% wholesale growth. The company increased marketing and point-of-sale spending by 30% to capitalize on the World Cup, which weighed on Q2 operating margin. Adidas announced a CFO transition: outgoing CFO Harm Ohlmeyer will be succeeded by former Adidas employee Birgit Kretschmer, who will join the executive board on Sept. 1. Regional strength came from Latin America, North America and Greater China.

• Adidas' Q2 revenues rose 13% year-over-year to €6.7 billion (about $7.8 billion).
• Apparel net sales increased 34% in the second quarter; footwear sales were flat; accessories rose 18%.
• Direct-to-consumer (DTC) net sales increased 24%, while wholesale grew 6%.

TransUnion Announces Chief Financial Officer Transition

Todd Cello stepping down on December 31, 2026, after 29 years with the Company. Cello will then serve as a full-time advisor through March 1, 2027. TransUnion reaffirms 2026 financial guidance.

Permutive and TransUnion Partner to Enhance Sell-Side Curation

Permutive and TransUnion have announced an integration that enables publishers using Permutive's DMP to match their first-party audience data with TransUnion's identity graph and activate TransUnion audiences across Permutive's global publisher network. This addresses the limited addressability of the open internet, where only about 30% of traffic is addressable via cookies or alternative IDs, by leveraging multi-signal identity strategies. Early testing with a financial services advertiser showed a 12x increase in addressable impressions, a 5x increase in consumers reached, and a 170% overshoot of the KPI target. The partnership aims to provide a viable alternative to walled gardens, reduce data fees, and monetize previously unsold inventory, ultimately improving campaign accuracy and performance.

• Permutive and TransUnion announced an integration on Monday.
• The integration allows publishers to match their audiences and activate TransUnion audiences directly across Permutive's global publisher network.
• Only about 30% of web traffic is currently addressable via cookies or alternative IDs.

TransUnion to Present at 2026 Barclays Global Financial Services Conference

TransUnion (NYSE: TRU) today announced that Chris Cartwright, President and CEO, will present at the Barclays Global Financial Services Conference on Tuesday, September 15, 2026.