Finance & Capital Management

Rite Aid reported a 3.2% lift in sales for the 26 weeks ended Aug. 30, ringing in $12.9 billion.
 
Same-store sales for the period increased 3.6% over the prior-year period. Front-end same store sales increased 0.6%, while pharmacy same store sales increased 5.1%. Prescription count at comparable stores increased 3% over the prior-year period.
 
Prescription sales represented 68.6% of total drug store sales for the 26-week period, and third-party prescription sales represented 97.5% of pharmacy sales.
 

Boca Raton, Fla. - Office Depot Inc. has been awarded a $100 million-plus contract for office supplies and other office solutions by Corporate United following a competitive solicitation process. The new agreement with Office Depot includes office supplies, furniture, technology products and copy and print services provided at significant discounts and savings to eligible member companies.

New Albany, Ohio – Abercrombie & Fitch has reportedly settled a shareholder lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court of Columbus, Ohio, regarding its pay of CEO Michael Jeffries, who has received more than $140 million in compensation since 2007. According to Reuters, the settlement with City of Plantation Police Officers' Employees' Retirement System involves no payment to the plaintiff.

New York -- Amazon said that senior VP and CFO Thomas J. Szkutak plans to retire in June 2015. Brian T. Olsavsky, VP finance for Amazon’s global consumer business, will succeed Szkutak. Szkutak and Olsavsky will work together during the next 10 months as part of the transition.

Szkutak joined Amazon in 2002 as CFO, and oversees the controller, treasury, investor relations, tax, internal audit and facilities functions as well as financial management of the company’s business units.

Wet Seal CEO John D. Goodman has resigned from the role he took in January 2013. He was charged with turning things around for the struggling retailer and replaced Susan McGalla, who was herself ousted after 11 months amid declining sales.

Foothill Ranch, Calif. -- Wet Seal Chairperson Lynda Davey is resigning from her post, effective Oct. 1. The announcement of her resignation comes on the heels of the departure of the troubled teen retailer’s CEO. Davey will be replaced by Adam Rothstein.

New York -- Looking to better respond to increasingly online and mobile customers, 70% of retail executives said their organizations have adopted an omnichannel strategy to link the consumer's in-store experience with the company's website, mobile device application and social media platforms. This strategy, according to the 2014 Retail Outlook Survey of 100 retail executives by KPMG LLP, will help create a seamless shopping experience for the consumer.

Foothill Ranch, Calif. – In a regulatory filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Wet Seal Inc. said John D. Goodman has resigned as CEO, effective Aug. 26.