Marketing

Sears Holdings named Lou D’Ambrosio its new CEO in conjunction with the release of fourth-quarter results that sales and profits decline, as a 2.5% same-store sales increase at Kmart was not enough to offset a 4.5% comp decline at Sear’s flagship stores.

Dallas -- Zale Corp. said Thursday that net income for the quarter ended Jan. 31 surged to $27.2 million, compared with $6.7 million a year earlier.

Zale, which has struggled to regain profitability as the economy improves, posted net income of $27.2 million compared with $6.7 million, or 21 cents per share a year ago. Sales rose to $626.4 million for the quarter, from $582.3 million. Same-store sale rose 7.9%, compared with a decrease of 11.2% during the comparable period in the prior year.

Members shopped Sam’s Club more often and spent more on each trip during the fourth quarter, propelling Sam’s to a 2.7% same-store sales increase, while operating profits were flat. The forecast for the first quarter calls for same-store sales to increase between 1% and 3%.

Dallas -- Talent software firm PeopleAnswers said Thursday that RadioShack Corp. will utilize the PeopleAnswers talent assessment software for all positions in nearly 5,800 company-operated stores and kiosks as well as corporate offices across the United States and Puerto Rico.

YORK, Pa. -- The Bon-Ton Stores announced the signing of a license and design agreement with Mambo Graphics PTY LTD for the exclusive launch of the Mambo brand in the United States. Under the agreement, Mambo will design the collection while Bon-Ton will manage the sourcing, manufacturing, distribution and marketing of the line.

MENOMONEE FALLS, Wis. -- Kohl’s reported that net income for the fourth quarter increased 14% to $493 million, or $1.66 per diluted share, compared with $431 million, or $1.40 per diluted share, a year ago. Net sales were $6 billion, an increase of 6.3% for the quarter. Comparable-store sales for the quarter increased 4.3%.

Dallas -- Zale Corp. said Thursday that net income for the quarter ended Jan. 31 surged to $27.2 million, compared with $6.7 million a year earlier.

Zale, which has struggled to regain profitability as the economy improves, posted net income of $27.2 million compared with $6.7 million, or 21 cents per share a year ago. Sales rose to $626.4 million for the quarter, from $582.3 million. Same-store sale rose 7.9%, compared with a decrease of 11.2% during the comparable period in the prior year.

If there was a bright spot to Walmart’s fourth-quarter results it was the international division where sales increased in every country, expansion surged and operating profits increased 9.7% to $5.4 billion on sales that increased 7.6% to $104.8 billion. Those results are on a constant currency basis that assumes foreign exchanges rates are consistent year over year and present a more accurate view of country-by-country performance.