Finance & Capital Management

PHILADELPHIA — Pep Boys sales were up in the fourth quarter, but were earnings were down on merger costs and other expenses. The company reported that sales for the thirteen weeks ended Jan. 28 increased by $27.9 million, or 5.9%, to $505.3 million from $477.4 million for the thirteen weeks ended Jan. 29, 2011. Comparable sales increased slightly (0.8%) and consisted of a decrease of 0.1% in comparable service revenue and an increase of 1% in comparable merchandise sales.

Plymouth Meeting, Pa. -- Fameco Real Estate announced that David Hinkle has joined the company as VP business development. 

Hinkle previously served as president and CEO of NMD, the holding company for National Book Warehouse and The Book Market, a discount book seller with 185 stores; most recently he was CEO and Co-founder of VPI Business Advisors.

 

Seattle -- Starbucks Coffee Co. said Tuesday that Google Offers and Banana Republic are joining with Starbucks and Opportunity Finance Network to support the Create Jobs for USA program.

The pair, which are the first businesses to join Starbucks in the initiative, will run special promotions and make donations in support of the program that is designed to raise money to put Americans back to work.

SEATTLE — Banana Republic and Google Offers, a coupon incentive program, are joining with Starbucks and Opportunity Finance Network to support the Create Jobs for USA program.

The pair, which are the first businesses to join Starbucks in the initiative, will run special promotions and make donations in support of the program that is designed to raise money to put Americans back to work.

New York -- American Express Co. has become the first company to pull its gift cards from being sold in New Jersey drug stores, supermarkets and convenience stores in response to a controversial new revision in the state's unclaimed property law. (The only way New Jersey residents can now buy AmEx gift cards is directly from the company.)

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — HSN has acquired lifestyle brand Chasing Fireflies. Terms of the transaction weren’t disclosed.

The purchase, which was made through the multichannel retailer’s Cornerstone Brands segment, will accelerate HSN’s move into content-driven lifestyle businesses.

Norwalk, Conn. -- Emcor Group announced that its subsidiary, USM, has been awarded a three-year contract for integrated facilties management at 742 Ruby Tuesday-owned restaurants throughout the United States. 

HOUSTON — Specialty apparel and accessories retailer Charming Charlie has appointed four retail executives as part of the ongoing development of the company’s internal structure and another step in its ongoing national expansion, including the opening of 60 retail locations in 2012.