Finance & Capital Management

Crossmark, a leading sales and marketing services company, has elevated president and COO Ben Fischer to the CEO spot, effective April 7. He will succeed Joe Crafton, who is retiring after 26 years of service with the company.

Gordmans Stores president and CEO Jeff Gordman has resigned his post. According to the company, he is retiring to spend more time with his family as well as to pursue outside interests. Board chairman T. Scott King will serve as interim CEO while the company searches for Gordman’s successor.

A severe winter may have affected sales results for many retailers, but Five Below saw improving trends as it weathered the fourth quarter.

Net sales increased by 22% to $212 million from $173.6 million in the prior-year quarter, which consisted of 14 weeks. Comparable-store sales increased by 0.3% on a 13-week basis.

The company ended the quarter with 304 stores in 19 states, an increase of 25% from the end of the prior-year quarter.

New York -- J. Crew Group Inc. reported a 42% decrease in its fiscal fourth-quarter profit amid higher costs. Net income fell to $5.92 million in the quarter, which ended Feb. 1., down from $10.2 million in the year-ago period.

Revenue increased 6.7% to $686.2 million. Retail store sales rose 5% to $438.6 million and direct sales jumped 10% to $238.1 million

Same-store sales, which includes direct sales, rose 3%. Excluding a calendar shift, comparable-store sales increased 4%.

New York -- Loblaw Cos. Ltd.’s acquisition of Shoppers Drug Mart Corp. has been approved by Canada’s Competition Bureau. The $12.4 billion (US$11 billion) deal is expected to close on March 28.

To win approval from the Competition Bureau, Loblaw agreed to sell 18 stores and nine in-store pharmacies.

Monterrey, Mexico -- Tiendas Soriana S.A. de C.V., Mexico’s second largest retail company, and Hanwha Q CELLS, a leading full-service solar power companies, announced a 20-year power purchase agreement for 31 megawatts (MW) of photovoltaic (PV) solar power at 120 retail locations across Mexico that will create significant long-term energy savings for Soriana. Soriana operates more than 640 grocery and department stores.

Plano, Texas – In a March 21 regulatory filing, J.C. Penney Co. Inc. said it does not expect the result of a lawsuit filed by Macy’s Inc. alleging that Penney was selling Martha Stewart Living products in violation of an exclusivity agreement to have a significant negative impact on its results.

Alpharetta, Ga. -- McAlister's Deli has partnered with several lenders for franchise expansion nationwide. First Franchise Capital, Balboa Capital and Franchise America Finance have committed to financing new construction and remodels, as well as POS upgrades and equipment.

In 2014, McAlister's will celebrate its 25th anniversary and expects to open 25 new restaurants in new and existing markets, including in Ohio, Texas, Pennsylvania, Wyoming, Arizona, New Mexico, Virginia and Florida, among others.

Matthews, N.C. - Family Dollar Stores Inc. has named Brian D. Hancock to the position of senior VP supply chain. Hancock will report to Howard R. Levine, chairman and CEO.

Family Dollar has named Brian D. Hancock as SVP of supply chain, reporting to chairman and CEO Howard R. Levine.