Finance & Capital Management

GREENSBORO, N.C. — The Fresh Market has appointed Randall A. Young as the company’s SVP of real estate and development, effective Sept. 30. 

Young will oversee the company's real estate and development functions, including market strategy development, site selection, store design, construction, store relocations and renovations.

Import volume at the nation’s major retail container ports is expected to grow 5.1% in September over the same month last year as retailers head into the holiday season, according to the National Retail Federation. 

U.S. ports followed by the monthly Global Port Tracker report, released by the NRF and Hackett Associates, handled 1.43 million Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) in July, the latest month for which after-the-fact numbers are available.

Neiman Marcus is closing in on a deal to be purchased by Ares Management and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board for $6 billion, according to reports.

DALLAS — Leading closeout retailer Tuesday Morning has appointed retail industry veteran Jeffrey Boyer as the company’s EVP, chief administrative officer and CFO.

Boyer will fill the existing chief administrative officer vacancy and will replace Stephanie Bowman as CFO. Bowman, who served as the company’s CFO since April 2008, has decided to pursue other professional interests but will remain with Tuesday Morning in a consultative capacity to facilitate a smooth transition.

PHILADELPHIA — Five Below saw solid performance across most of its categories, resulting in a comparable store sales increase of 6.6% for the second quarter ended Aug. 3 and net sales of $117.1 million, a 34.9% jump from $86.8 million in the prior-year quarter.

The company opened 18 new stores and ended the quarter with 276 stores in 19 states. This represents an increase in stores of 22% from the end of the second quarter of fiscal 2012. 

WASHINGTON — The National Retail Federation confirmed that the retail industry added 43,600 jobs last month, particularly in general merchandise, electronics and clothing.

The numbers were based on calculations from the NRF, out of a total 169,000 jobs that the Bureau of Labor Statistics said the economy added in August, bringing the country's unemployment rate down to 7.3%.

PHILADELPHIA — Leading automotive aftermarket service and retail chain the Pep Boys has acquired 17 discount tire centers in Southern California from AKH Company, Inc.

The tire centers are located throughout the greater Los Angeles market, from Bakersfield to Orange County. They will re-open on September 12 under the Pep Boys banner and provide full-service vehicle maintenance and repair, including brand-name and private-label replacement tires.

Nature's Sunshine Products, a leading natural health and wellness company, has appointed former Clorox executive Beth Springer, to the company's board of directors.

"We are excited to welcome Beth Springer to our board of directors," said Gregory L. Probert, Nature's Sunshine chairman and CEO. "Beth brings significant, broad operational and financial experience to Nature's Sunshine and the board that I know will benefit the company and its shareholders. We look forward to her guidance and strategic thinking as a member of the board."

Chicago -- Claire's Stores announced its recent entry into three new countries — Philippines, Costa Rica and Colombia — as well as new license agreements for Brazil, Scandinavia and the Balkans.

Jim Fielding, CEO, stated: "We continue to identify expansion opportunities worldwide. Our franchise partners have opened stores in three new countries in 2013 and we expect to enter an additional three countries during the rest of the year. We are pleased with our progress to date and encouraged by the opportunities."

Washington, D.C. -- The National Retail Federation calculated retail industry job gains at 43,600 in August, with marked increases in clothing, general merchandise and electronics stores.