Finance & Capital Management

Omaha, Neb. – Net income at Gordmans Stores Inc. dropped 15% to $2.3 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2014, from $2.7 million the same period a year earlier. Increased selling, general and administrative (SG&A) costs helped push down profits.

In 2015, the company plans to open six new stores, two of which opened in the Cleveland area earlier in March. Gordmans also plans to close one store later in 2015 when the lease term expires.

Seattle -- Starbucks Corp. remains highly bullish on expansion. In remarks at the company’s annual shareholders meeting, the coffee giant revealed that over the next five years it plans to open 3,500 locations in its Americas region and 8,000 new stores in foreign markets. And just in case you were wondering … Starbucks noted that Shanghai has more Starbucks stores than any other city in the world in which it operates.

Wasn’t Best Buy supposed to be out of business by now? Instead, the company has shown itself to be one of the retail industry’s most resilient operators, achieving growth in the face of intense competition and deteriorating demand for once hot product categories like tablets.

Not that long ago Best Buy was at risk of becoming irrelevant, a victim of showrooming and competitive forces, headed for a fate similar to RadioShack. Instead, as evidenced by its fourth quarter results, Best Buy is practically thriving against some still challenging circumstances.

Off-price retailer Gordmans Stores Inc. on Friday reported a decline in same store sales for the 10th straight quarter.

Gordmans said fourth-quarter net income was $2.3 million, or 12 cents a share, down from $2.7 million, or 14 cents as share, a year earlier. Sales at stores open at least one year fell 2.7%. Net sales rose 2% to $204 million.

Big Lots hopes to give back to the communities it serves with a new charity focused on hunger, housing, health care and education.

Big Lots has announced that it has launched a nonprofit foundation to guide its charitable endeavors into the future.

The Big Lots Foundation will help strengthen the Company's philanthropic initiatives and support its commitment to making a difference in the communities where it operates.

Deep holiday discounts and the West Coast port dispute hurt profits at New York & Company Inc. during the fourth quarter.

A strengthening dollar hurt Tiffany & Co. a lot more than Wall Street was expecting in the fourth quarter, as the upscale jeweler reported a surprising sales decline.

Cost-cutting efforts ongoing at Toys “R” Us Inc. helped the retailer report a profit in the fourth quarter.

Overall, for the fourth quarter ended Jan. 31, Toys “R” Us reported a profit of $265 million, compared with a year-earlier loss of $210 million.

Mattress Firm Holding Corp. is revving up its growth in fiscal 2015, with plans to open as many as 220 new stores this year.

New York -- Cindi Marsiglio,  VP of U.S.manufacturing for Walmart, shared new details about the company's  first-of-its-kind event, which is designed to advance the retailer’s $250 billion domestic sourcing agenda.  The event is planned for early July in Bentonville, Arkansas.

During a fast-paced presentation Thursday morning organized by a group called Doing Business in Bentonville, Marsiglio shared wide-ranging insights regarding the company’s 10 year, $250 billion domestic sourcing commitment unveiled in January 2013.