Finance & Capital Management

NEW YORK — Several apparel retailers, including Limited Brands, Zumiez and Ross Stores, posted better-than-expected sales in April. It was widely expected that an earlier Easter, which pushed demand into March, and cool weather would hurt sales.

Limited Brands, parent of Victoria’s Secret, reported a 7% rise in same-store sales for April, beating estimates.

Chelmsford, Mass. -- The Kronos Retail Labor Index edged down to 3.8% in April from a March level that was revised three-tenths lower. Even with declines over the last two months, the Retail Labor Index remains above levels seen over the last few years, averaging 4.0% over the first four months of this year, up from 3.5% last year. (The Index is defined as the ratio of hires to applications within a given month, expressed as a percentage. A level of 3.0) means that for every 100 applications received, three hires occurred)

April same-store sales at Target increased 1.1% and helped the company achieve a 5.3% first-quarter comps increase that was the highest in six years. How much of the performance was due to record warm weather versus good execution of a solid strategy against the back drop of an improved economy is debatable.

Jacksonville, Fla. -- Body Central Corp. reported Thursday that net income for the first quarter rose to $5.9 million, from $5.4 million in the same period last year. Sales increased 11.8% to $82.7 million, and same-store sales dipped 1.4%.

The retailer, which operates 243 stores, said it is on track to open at least 35 stores in 2012.
 

New York -- Several apparel retailers, including Limited Brands, Zumiez and Ross Stores, posted better-than-expected sales in April. It was widely expected that an earlier Easter, which pushed demand into March, and cool weather would hurt sales.

Limited Brands, parent of Victoria’s Secret, reported a 7% rise in same-store sales for April, beating estimates.

Teen clothing retailer Zumiez also beat expectations with a 10.1% gain in April. The Buckle’s same-stores sales edged up 1% slightly higher than analysts' estimates.

NEW YORK — It’s looking like Walmart’s upcoming annual meeting is going to be a bittersweet affair as the company observes its 50th anniversary against the backdrop of an unfolding Mexican bribery scandal and an appeal from a major shareholder this week urging a no vote on five board members.

New York -- Walgreen Co. said Thursday that same-store sales slipped a worse-than-expected 6.4% in April, largely due to its split with pharmacy benefits manager Express Scripts Inc.

For April, Walgreens’ same-store pharmacy sales were down 8.9%. Front-end sales fell 2.2%

At April 30, Walgreens operated 8,307 locations in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Guam

NEW YORK — Best Buy’s chief marketing officer, Barry Judge, has resigned. His resignation follows the departure last month of chief executive Brian Dunn.

Judge is “leaving the company to explore the next chapter in his career,” Greg Hitt, a spokesman for Best Buy, said by e-mail, in a Bloomberg report.