Marketing

Anaheim, Calif. -- Pacific Sunwear of California Inc. reported fiscal second-quarter earnings of $7.5 million, in line with Wall Street estimates, compared to net loss of $19.2 million in the year ago period, helped by improved sales in its men’s division. But the teen apparel retailer forecast a wider-than-expected loss for the current quarter.


The company posted revenue of $211.7 million in the period, better than expected, up from million from $210.1 million last year.

Dallas -- SRS Real Estate Partners announced the relocation of the Chicago office to 155 N. Wacker Drive, where the Chicago team will continue to provide retail real estate services to clients in metro Chicago and across the Midwest.

The new SRS Chicago office is located in downtown Chicago in a LEED-Gold certified building just a few footsteps from the Chicago River.

Fred’s second-quarter results reflected the company’s strategic decision to build its business model for the future as a convenience/pharmacy-centric store, driven by data-based inventory management, according to CEO Bruce Efird.

The company reported a net loss of $16.4 million for the quarter. Fred's total sales for the second quarter of fiscal 2014 increased 2% to $491.2 million. On a comparable-store basis, second-quarter sales decreased 0.1%.

Broad-line retailer Alco’s shareholders have replaced the company’s board of directors with seven new members, effective immediately. The elections were made at the company’s annual meeting of stockholders in Dallas late last week.

By A.J. Clark, Thermopylae

Online sales at regional department store operator Belk grew 43% during the second quarter, prompting the company to announce a major investment in its e-commerce and fulfillment capabilities.

Amazon and Barnes & Noble still pose an enormous threat, but things may be looking up for Books-A-Million where losses are declining and the company just hired an e-commerce veteran.

Books-A-Million said revenue for its second quarter ended August 2 declined 0.5% to $108.3 million, same store sales increased 0.1% and it lost $3 million, or 21 cents a share. The loss was significantly less worse than a prior year loss of $9.1 million, or 62 cents a share.

San Jacinto, Calif. -- Circle K Stores, Inc. has broken ground on its newest flagship prototype in Southern California, a 4,500-sq.-ft. convenience store offering fresh food, a gas station with eight fuel pumps, and a self-serve state-of-the-art carwash. The combo concept, located in the city of Jacinto, is expected to be open for business in late 2014.