Marketing

New York – J. Crew is reportedly planning to expand into Asia. According to the Wall Street Journal, J. Crew will open two new stores in Hong Kong on May 21.

The Hong Kong stores will be J. Crew’s first Asian stores since it closed its stores in Japan in 2008. In 2012, J. Crew said it planned to open stores in Hong Kong, and the U.K., and opened three U.K. stores in 2013. The retailer plans to open five or six stores in Hong Kong in the next few years, and may also open new stores in Japan.

Philadelphia – Urban Outfitters saw its net income decline 20% to $37.08 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2015, from $47.06 million in the first quarter of the previous fiscal year. This significant net income drop came despite a 6% jump in total net sales to $686.3 million, from $648.2 million.

Net income and sales totals both came in below Wall Street expectations. Total same-store sales remained flat. Higher marketing expenses, which helped boost net sales, contributed to the decline in net income.

Sprouts Farmers Market has appointed Nancy LaMons as chief human resources officer.

LaMons was most recently as chief people officer at the Fiesta Restaurant Group. Previously, LaMons held senior positions at J.C. Penney and PepsiCo. LaMons has a bachelor’s degree in finance, an MBA with an emphasis on human resources, labor and industrial relations, and an Ed.M. with an emphasis in organization and leadership development.

Miami – Burger King Corp. is preparing a new marketing slogan, “Be Your Way.” The new slogan, which appeared in an online video in April 2014, will be featured in a TV ad for the first time on May 26.

Despite getting a slow start to the year, The Home Depot rallied in the first quarter thanks to solid results in non-weather-impacted markets.

The home improvement retailer reported first-quarter sales of $19.7 billion, up 2.9% from last year's first quarter. Comparable store sales were up 2.6%. Comp-store sales for U.S. stores were positive 3.3%.

The company also reported double-digit growth in net earnings — up 12.5% to $1.38 billion.

Boulder, Colo. - Trader Joe’s is North America’s favorite grocery retailer based on satisfaction. A study of more than 6,200 consumers by Market Force Information, also found that Publix and Aldi were ranked second and third.

New York - Cole Haan is opening The Driver Shop in six retail locations, offering personalization of the driving moccasin with several accessories in dozens of colors. In stores, accessories are available at stations where on-site "mechanics" will outfit Cole Haan Drivers to customer specifications by appointment or while customers wait, or they can return later to pick them up.

Target continues to make leadership changes in the U.S. and Canada following Gregg Steinhafel’s ousting from the company in an effort to drive U.S. traffic and sales, improve its ailing Canadian operations and advance its ongoing digital transformation.