Marketing

Walmart said Tom Mars, EVP and chief administrative officer, will leave the company effective March 13.

Mars spent 11 years with the company and served as general counsel from 2002 to 2009 when he was promoted to his current role. In his current capacity, Mars was responsible for real estate, financial services for U.S. stores and company’s shows and events team and labor relations.

Amazon lead the pack in the retail field on Fortune’s “Most Admired Companies” list. The e-commerce juggernaut was third ranked overall (behind Apple and Google) for, among other reasons, its efficient customer service and leadership under CEO Jeff Bezos.

Nordstrom captured the number 16 spot for generating buzz for its first full-line retail store in Manhattan, well before its planned open date in 2018 and for its successful clearance brand, Nordstrom Rack.

NEW YORK — Reuben Hendell, chief strategy officer of GSI Commerce  and chief executive officer of its global agency services business, will be the keynote speaker at ACG New York’s Third Annual Digital Media & Technology M&A Conference in New York on Thursday, March 21, 2013, ACG New York announced.

The conference will focus on current M&A trends, deal structures, valuation strategies, hot-company and hot-technology identification, and traditional media survival strategies.

SAN FRANCISCO — Gap Inc. reported that net sales for the fourth quarter were $4.73 billion, compared with $4.28 billion for the same period last year. Same-store sales were up 5% for the quarter, compared with a 4% decrease during the same period last year.

Net income for the quarter was $351 million, or 73 cents per share on a diluted basis. This compares with net income of $218 million, or 44 cents per share on a diluted basis, for the same period last year.

San Francisco -- Gap Inc. offered further proof that its turnaround has taken hold, reporting a 61% increase in fourth quarter profit amid strong same-store sales growth across its banners. The results end a strong year for the chain, which also said it was increasing its dividend by 20%.

Hoffman Estates, Ill. -- Sears Holding Corp. reported a higher-than-expected quarterly profit for the fourth quarter before special items, boosted by lower costs.

The company said its net loss for the quarter ended on Feb. 2 narrowed to $489 million from $2.4 billion a year earlier. Total costs dropped 2.2% to $12.88 billion in the fourth quarter.

Sales declined about 1.8% to $12.26 billion, but beat analysts' average estimate of $11.77 billion.

Columbus, Ohio -- Limited Brands Inc. said that its fourth quarter net income in the 14-week period through Feb. 2, 2013, rose a better-than expected 14% to $411.4 million. That compares to a 13-week period that ended on Jan. 28, 2012, in which net income came to $359.4 million. The chain also forecast profit for the current quarter and fiscal year below analysts' expectations.
 

Katherine Lugar will join the American Hotel & Lodging Association as president and CEO.

Lugar spent the past six years as EVP of the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) where president Sandy Kennedy credited Lugar as a driving force behind the trade group’s growth and key legislative victories on behalf of the industry.

CHESAPEAKE, Va. — Dollar Tree reported that consolidated net sales for the fourth quarter were $2.25 billion, a 15.4% increase compared with $1.95 billion reported for the quarter ended Jan. 28, 2012. Comparable-store sales increased 2.4%, on top of a 7.3% increase for the fourth quarter 2011.

Earnings per diluted share for the fourth quarter were $1.01, an increase of 26.3% compared with the 80 cents earnings per diluted share reported for the fourth quarter 2011.

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. — The TJX companies reported that sales for the 14-week fourth quarter ended Feb. 2 were $7.7 billion, a 15% increase over the prior year. Consolidated comparable-store sales for the quarter on a 13-week basis increased 4% over the prior year’s 7% increase.

Net income for the 14-week fourth quarter was $605 million and diluted earnings per share were 82 cents, a 32% increase over last year’s 62 cents.