Finance & Capital Management

Foothill Ranch. Calif. - Struggling teen apparel retailer Wet Seal has hired an investment banker and a senior adviser to analyze potential financial alternatives. Similar to other retailers in the teen sector, Wet Seal has faced up stepped-up competition from fast-fashion leaders such as Forever 21 and H&M.   

DSW Inc. exceeded Wall Street expectations for net income and sales in the third quarter.

Net income fell a less than expected 10% to $49.5 million from $54.9 million the same quarter a year earlier, with higher operating expenses and lower pretax income contributing to the decline.

Sales totaled $670 million compared to $633 million in the prior-year quarter and same-store sales rose 2.6%.

Ankeny, Iowa – Casey’s General Stores Inc. will revise its financial statements for fiscal years 2012, 2013 and 2014 and the first quarter of fiscal year 2015, due to a $31.5 million error in how it accounted for excise tax on sales of ethanol fuel. The retailer also stated a fiscal 2015 goal of building or acquiring 72-108 new stores and replacing 25 existing stores.

Columbus, Ohio – DSW Inc. exceeded Wall Street expectations for net income and sales in the third quarter of fiscal 2014. Net income fell a less than expected 10% to $49.55 million from $54.96 million the same quarter a year earlier, with higher operating expenses and lower pretax income contributing to the decline.    Sales totaled $670 million compared to $633 million and same-store sales rose 2.6%.

Gordmans enables growth in underserved markets with new technology platform

When Gordmans Stores Inc., the Omaha, Nebraska-based chain of 95 Midwestern discount stores, decided to expand into underserved markets in the central U.S., the retailer discovered its legacy IT systems would not adequately support its planned growth. Outmoded applications across a range of functions in the enterprise created such problems as the setting of a double-digit limit for location numbering.

New York - The fast-growing accessories retailer Charming Charlie is entering the New York City market in spring 2015.   

Tiffany & Co. reported a better-than-expected increase in same-store sales, mainly due to strong demand for high-end fashion jewelry in North and South America.  

Fred's Super Dollar has reported total sales for the third quarter of $476.2 million, up 3%. However, Fred's net loss totaled $10.4 million, or minus 28 cents per diluted share, compared with net income of $7.3 million, or 20 cents per share in the year-ago period.