Finance & Capital Management

St. Louis -- Build-A-Bear Workshop reported Thursday that it narrowed its loss in the quarter ended July 2 to $6.7 million, compared with a loss of $8.5 million in the year-ago period.

The retailer increased total revenue 10% to $81.8 million, and consolidated same-store sales 7.1%.

The retailer cited improved efficiencies and reduced expenses for the performance improvements.

Washington, D.C. -- A report released Thursday by the Labor Department said that jobless claims for last week dropped by 24,000 to 398,000, the fewest since April.

Initial claims from two weeks ago were revised up to 422,000 from an original reading of 418,000. Economists surveyed by MarketWatch had expected new requests for jobless benefits to fall to 413,000 in the latest week.

Topeka, Kan. -- Collective Brands, parent to Payless ShoeSource, announced Thursday the opening of its 100th franchise store, which is located in Cirebon, Indonesia.

The store represents the seventh store in Indonesia to date and the overall rapid international expansion of the Payless store chain over the past two years through its franchise strategy.

Sidney, Neb. -- Cabela's reported Thursday that net income for second quarter rose to $22.3 million, from $19.4 million in the year-ago quarter.

Total revenue increased 7.7% to $562.1 million, and same-store sales increased 4.4%.

Austin -- Whole Foods Market reported Wednesday a profit jump of 35% to $88.5 million, compared with $65.7 million in the year-earlier period.

Revenue rose 11% to $2.4 billion, meeting Wall Street expectations, and same-store sales rose 8.4%.

SEATTLE - The nation’s leading online retailer late Tuesday reported a 51% increase in sales and better-than-expected profits as liquidation of former rival Borders began.

If it wasn’t already apparent, the juxtaposition of these events in the same week is a harsh reminder that pure-play online retailers have the ability to render conventional brick-and-mortar chains, or large segments of their business, obsolete despite efforts by the latter to pursue multichannel strategies that leverage physical infrastructures.

AMSTERDAM — The Tommy Hilfiger Group has announced the appointment of John Ermatinger to CEO of the company's Asia business, effective Aug. 1. In this newly created position Ermatinger will report to Fred Gehring, CEO of the Tommy Hilfiger Group. Ermatinger will be based in the Tommy Hilfiger Hong Kong offices.

As CEO of the Asia business, Ermatinger will oversee all business activities in Asia, including the subsidiary Tommy Hilfiger Japan, the joint venture Tommy Hilfiger China, and the various licensed businesses throughout the territory.  

Camp Hill, Pa. -- Rite Aid Corp. has agreed to pay $2.1 million to Massachusetts towns to settle alleged prescription drug overcharges under the workers’ compensation insurance system.

Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley said Wednesday that Rite Aid has overcharged state agencies and at least 100 cities and towns to fill prescriptions for people receiving workers' compensation since 2002.

Bentonville, Ark. -- The Walton Family Foundation revealed Wednesday that it will donate $50 million to Teach For America, a commitment that stands to nearly double the size of the organization’s teaching ranks.

The charity that was created by the founder of Wal-Mart Stores will mete out half of the funds over a three-year period, and will increase the number of teachers to 15,000 by 2015. The remaining half of the donation will support the training of existing Teach for America instructors in seven communities.

Brussels, Belgium -- Belgian supermarket retailer Delhaize Group said Wednesday that it has completed the previously announced acquisition of Serbian retailer Delta Maxi.

Combined with its existing operations in Greece and Romania, Delhaize is now, with this transaction, considered a leading retail force in Southeastern Europe.