Finance & Capital Management

Cincinnati – As part of its seventh annual sustainability report, Kroger is committing to moving its stores toward the EPA zero waste threshold of 90%. Currently Kroger diverts 58% of its waste from stores and will increase that figure to 65% by the end of this year and 70% by the end of 2015. The retailer also is committing to sourcing 100% certified sustainable palm oil by the end of 2015.

Improvements in the housing market that have lifted the fortunes of Home Depot and Lowe’s so far this year extended to leading home goods retailer Bed Bath & Beyond, which reported solid sales growth late Wednesday.

The company produced earnings per share of 93 cents that met analysts’ consensus estimate and fell with the guidance range of 88 cents to 94 cents, on sales that grew 17.8% to slightly more than $2.6 billion. Same store sales rose 3.4% during the first quarter ended June 1, on top of a prior year comp increase of 3%.

Deerfield, Ill. – Walgreens posted gains in sales and earnings during its fiscal third quarter 2013, but still came in below the expectations of Wall Street analysts. Earnings rose 16% to $624 million from $537 million in the third quarter of fiscal 2012. However, excluding certain items, analysts had expected earnings of close to 30 cents a share higher for the quarter.

Bentonville, Ark. - Wal-Mart Stores announced Tuesday it has completed solar projects at eight Walmart stores and two Sam's Clubs across the state of Maryland that will generate clean, renewable electricity.

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Shopko and Stanley Black and Decker have teamed up to donate nearly 100 power tools to Greater Green Bay Area Habitat for Humanity.  

PARIS — Louis Vuitton has tapped billionaire heiress Delphine Arnault as the company’s EVP. As the second in command, the daughter of LVMH CEO Bernard Arnault will oversee all product-related activities of the Louis Vuitton House.

New York – Barnes & Noble reported disappointing financial results for the fourth quarter and full fiscal year 2013. During the fourth quarter, Barnes & Noble reported a net loss of $122 million, significantly more than the net loss of $9.7 million reported in fourth quarter 2012. For the full fiscal year, the retailer posted a net loss of $154.8 million, compared with a net loss of $56.9 million the prior fiscal year.

New York - A report released by Bloomberg on Tuesday said that confidence among American consumers in June surpassed expectations, climbing to the highest level in more than five years.

The Conference Board’s index rose to 81.4, beating Bloomberg forecasts of 75.1 and reaching the highest point since January 2008. The index reached 74.3 in May.