Finance & Capital Management

Folks in the state of South Dakota can no longer buy baubles from popular online jewelry retailer Blue Nile.

ICSC’s annual RECon convention has long been a rite of spring for many real estate professionals. For three decades, RECon has brought dealmakers and decision-makers to Las Vegas, and today the event regularly attracts more than 30,000 attendees.

Macy’s on Wednesday reported its fifth consecutive decline in same-store sales, and announced plans to improve its performance, from new product launches to more off-price shops. The nation’s largest department retailer also reduced its sales and earnings guidance for the year. Similar to many retailers, Macy’s is challenged by an overall retail environment marked by sluggish traffic, increased competition and cautious consumers.

The risk associated with a possible security breach claimed the top spot for the first time ever in an annual ranking of the top 25 risk factors by retailers. Security risks shared the top spot with general economic conditions, which have remained tied at the top since 2013.

The Kroger Co. is looking to hire 14,000 associates. The supermarket operator is holding a nationwide hiring event on Saturday, May 14, to fill open jobs across all its store brands. Interested candidates can also apply online at jobs.kroger.com. The openings are for part-time and full-time associates.

Wal-Mart Stores filed a lawsuit against Visa Inc., saying the payments network wants it to verify transactions made with debit cards with signatures rather than the chip-and-PIN protocol, Bloomberg reported.

Dollar General Corp. has announced plans to build what will be its 15th fqcility in the discounter’s growing distribution network. The discounter has purchased land in Jackson, Georgia to serve as the location for the new distribution center it plans to construct in the central part of the state.

Ollie’s Bargain Outlet Holdings has entered the Sunshine State, opening a store in Orlando, Florida. The new location represents the extreme discounter’s 208th store and 18th state of operation. In keeping with the company’s strategy of expanding into contiguous states and new markets, Ollie’s plans to open a total of six to nine stores in the state of Florida this year and 28-32 new stores overall across the eastern half of the United States in 2016.