Finance & Capital Management

Chesapeake, Va. – Dollar Tree Inc. slightly exceeded Wall Street estimates with net income of $138.3 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2014, up 4% from $133.5 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2013. Net sales rose 7% to $2 billion from $1.87 billion, and same-store sales increased 2%.

Columbus, Ohio – L Brands had a successful start to fiscal 2014. The company reported a 10% increase in net income to $156.9 million in the first quarter from $142.5 million the first quarter of the previous fiscal year.

Net sales rose 5% to $2.39 billion from $2.27 billion, and same-store sales grew 2% across its retail banners. Higher pretax income and operating income helped boost net income, while especially strong growth in sales at the Victoria’s Secret banner helped drive overall net sales growth.

York, Pa. – Adverse weather that lasted longer into the first quarter of fiscal 2014 than anticipated bit into income and sales at The Bon-Ton Stores Inc. Net loss grew to $31.5 million from $26.6 million a year earlier, and net sales dropped 6% to $607.46 million from $647.9 million.

Same-store sales declined 5.8%. In addition to weather, the extinguishment of mortgage and senior note redemption debt also contributed to net loss growth.

Secaucus, N.J. – The Children’s Place Retail Stores Inc. saw net income and sales fall during the first quarter of fiscal 2014, compared to the same quarter a year earlier. The company plans to open 25 new North American stores, 10 fewer than originally planned, and close 35 stores for a net reduction of 10 stores during the fiscal year.

Nashville, Tenn. – Kirkland’s Inc. reported positive results for the first quarter of fiscal 2014. On a year-over-year basis, net income grew 17% to $2.1 million from $1.8 million.

Net sales increased 6.9% to $108.3 million compared with $101.2 million, and same-store sales grew 5%. The company was able to shake off the effects of bad weather in the early part of the quarter.

Fremont, Calif. - The Men's Wearhouse has extended its all-cash tender offer for $65 per share for all of the currently outstanding shares of common stock of Jos. A. Bank to June 5, unless further extended. The tender offer was previously set to expire on May 21.

Hoffman Estates, Ill. – Sears Holdings Corp. on Thursday said it plans to close at least 80 stores this year as the retailer continues to deal with mounting losses. The retailer reported that its fiscal first quarter net loss grew to $402 million, from $279 million in the prior year first quarter.

Minneapolis – Best Buy Co. Inc. swung to a net profit in the first quarter of fiscal 2015 from a net loss in the same period a year earlier, but missed estimates with a drop in sales. The retailer posted net income of $461 million, a big turnaround from a net loss of $81 million.

Stein Mart has named Sara Meza as director of e-commerce. Although Meza came on board in April — after a 12-year tenure at Belk where she led the original launch of the retailer’s website business — the company made the announcement in conjunction with solid first-quarter results.

Net income for the quarter decreased to $14.1 million, or $0.31 per diluted share, from a net income of $14.7 million, or $0.33 per diluted share in 2013.

Increases in traffic and average ticket resulted in record first-quarter sales growth at Dollar Tree.

Consolidated net sales for the quarter were a record $2 billion, a 7.2% increase compared to $1.87 billion reported for last year’s first quarter. Consolidated comparable store sales increased 2% on a constant currency basis. Adjusted for the impact of Canadian currency fluctuations, the comparable-store sales increase was 1.9%.