Finance & Capital Management

Grocery distributor and retailer SpartanNash is looking to a former Walgreens executive to help drive growth.

Derek Jones, currently SpartanNash’s EVP, food distribution, has been promoted to president, wholesale and distribution operations. He will oversee the entire supply chain, including military supply chain operations.

Regional grocery chain Roundy’s Inc. is heading out of a “transition year,” according to CEO Robert Mariano, with lackluster same store sales growth.

Roundy’s reported a same-store sales decline of 2.3% for the fourth quarter. In 2014 overall, same-store sales dipped 2.9%. For the year, net sales reached $3.86 billion, up from $3.35 billion in 2013. 

The deep freeze hitting much of the United States this winter helped Fred’s improve its same store sales from the prior year, with cold weather product departments performing well in February.    Fred's total sales for February, not adjusting the closed stores, decreased 2% to $154.1 million from $157.4 million in February 2014. Same store sales for the month were approximately flat versus a decrease of 2.2% in February last year.  

The labor dispute at the West Coast ports and harsh winter weather are among the reasons Conn's reported a drop in same store sales for February.

Conn's said same store sales dropped 5.8% in February, compared to a 14.9% increase in the prior-year period.

Strong traffic in the pharmacy department helped Rite Aid post a lift in same-store sales for the 52 weeks ended Feb. 28.

Same-store sales for the 52-week period increased 4.3% over the prior-year period. Front-end same-store sales increased 1.2%, while pharmacy same-store sales increased 5.8%. Prescription count at comparable stores increased 3.5% over the prior-year period.

Vestis Retail Group, which operates Bob’s Stores, Eastern Mountain Sports and Sport Chalet, has named a Children's Place veteran as its next CFO.

Small business customers are the lifeblood of Sam’s Club and to ensure the continued vitality of the crucial shopper segment the retailer is supporting an entrepreneurial youth organization.

Sam’s donated $250,000 to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation (USCCF) and the Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!) to grow and support YEA!’s national educational program that works to transform middle and high school students into confident entrepreneurs.

New York -- Robert Nardelli, the former chairman and CEO of The Home Depot and Chrysler, is joining Pep Boys.

Nardelli has been appointed to Pep Boys’ board of directors, bringing the current size of the board to nine directors.

Phoenix – Net income at PetSmart inc. inched up 0.4% to a better-than-expected $132.1 million in the fourth quarter, up from $131.5 million in year-ago period. One-time costs associated with profit improvement and the company’s pending $8.7 billion sale to investment firm BC Partners, announced in December 2014, prevented net income from growing further.

Net sales increased 6% to $1.9 billion, from $1.81 billion. Same-store sales growth, including sales from online websites, rose 2.6%.

New York – At least two major suitors are vying for the hand of Ann Taylor parent company Ann Inc. According to Reuters, private equity firms Bain Capital and Golden Gate are both negotiating to purchase Ann Inc.

Ann Inc. has a $1.6 billion market capitalization. There is no guarantee either company will receive the financing they would need to make a purchase, and other potential buyers may emerge this week.