Finance & Capital Management

Essen, Germany – German supermarket chain Aldi Nord has selected the SAP for Retail solution portfolio to support its dynamic growth and modernize its retailing. The standard enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution will replace the company’s previous in-house system and will be used to manage retail processes at all company locations, from orders and warehouse management to store deliveries.

New Albertson’s has acquired five Dominick’s locations and appointed Shane Sampson, currently president of the company’s Boston-based Shaw’s division, as president of the Jewel-Osco division based in Chicago.

Sampson fills the role that had been held by interim division president Jim Rice since January 2014.

Sampson’s first project highlights the company’s commitment to investing in Chicago: Remodeling and reopening five additional former Dominick’s locations.

New Albany, Ohio – Abercrombie & Fitch is reportedly planning to rebrand its Hollister banner as a fast-fashion retailer. According to the Wall Street Journal, this would entail lowering the prices of merchandise and creating a nimbler, U.S.-based supply chain.

National Retail Federation president and CEO Matthew Shay and chief economist Jack Kleinhenz issued a response to the organization’s February jobs report.

“While there are signs of modest momentum in the economy, now is not the time to play partisan politics with the recovery by forcing federal mandates on retailers and small business owners like an increase in the minimum wage,” Shay said. “Such policy decisions could hamper economic growth and actually drive up the unemployment rate.”

The Bon-Ton Stores is investing in its growing e-commerce business. The company has signed a lease with Duke Realty Corp for a 743,000-sq.-ft., automated, direct-to-consumer fulfillment center in West Jefferson, Ohio.

The company expects the facility to be fully operational and ship its first orders in spring of 2015.

San Diego – During February 2014, net sales at PriceSmart Inc. increased 11% to $182.8 million from $164.7 million in February a year earlier. For the five weeks ended March 2, 2014, same-store sales for the 30 warehouse clubs open at least 13 1/2 full months increased 5.3% compared to the same five-week period the previous year.

There were 32 warehouse clubs in operation at the end of February 2014, compared to 30 warehouse clubs in operation in February 2013.

Columbus, Ohio – Net income and sales declined at Big Lots Inc. during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2013 as compared to the same quarter in the prior fiscal year. Net income declined 30% to $84.3 million from $120.3 million, while net sales dropped 6% to $1.64 billion from $1.74 billion.

New York – Foot Locker Inc. increased net income 16% to $121 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2013 from the same period the prior year. Net sales grew 5% to $1.79 billion, from $1.71 billion.

Same-store sales for the quarter grew 5.3%. Looking ahead, the retailer expects to improve same-store sales in the mid-single digits and improve earnings per share by a double-digit percentage in fiscal 2014. Fourth quarter sales and earnings results both beat Wall Street estimates.