Marketing

Seattle -- Nordstrom said its third-quarter profit rose a more-than-expected 43% to $119 million on improved sales and margin improvements. The company raised the low end of its fiscal year profit forecast.

Revenues rose to $2.18 billion from $1.96 billion. Same-store sales increased 5.8%.

Best-selling items were jewelry, shoes and dresses.

"Our customers are highly receptive to newness and fashion in spite of the soft economic climate," company president Blake Nordstrom said in a conference call with analysts.

Framingham, Mass. -- The TJX Cos.' fiscal third-quarter earnings rose 7%, topping its own forecasts, as the discount retailer's sales improved.

The company reported a better-than-expected profit of $372.3 million, up from $347.8 million in the year-ago period. Net sales rose 5% to $5.53 billion, from $5.24 billion. Same-store sales increased 1%.

Philadelphia -- Urban Outfitters recorded earnings of $73.1 million for the quarter ended Oct. 31, a 17% hike over the $62.4 million recorded in the prior year period, helped by higher sales and improved growth in comparable store net sales. Quarterly earnings were ahead of the analysts' expectations, while sales came in short of the consensus.

Revenue rose 13.4% to $573.6 million, missing Wall Street estimates of $580 million.

Boston -- Portrait Software, a provider of customer interaction optimization software and now a part of Pitney Bowes Business Insight, announced Tuesday that T-Mobile Austria has selected Portrait Uplift Optimizer following a successful trial that demonstrated improved customer retention and reduced costs, compared with previous approaches.
 

Bentonville , Ark. -- Walmart announced that most of its stores will open their doors at midnight on the Friday after Thanksgiving.

Starting at 12 a.m. on Nov. 26, shoppers can head to the Walmart Open House for big savings on popular toys, apparel and home goods, the company reported. Then, beginning at 5 a.m., Walmart said it will kick off its electronics event, including discounted prices on HDTVs, laptops, gaming systems and cameras.