Marketing

The sports retail market has been strong for Foot Locker and similar retailers, but not for Finish Line, which reported a drop in holiday quarter profit.

Trendy teen retailer American Apparel reported a deep decline in fourth quarter revenue, as the company grapples with a social media scandal and losses stemming from an investigation of its former CEO.

Vancouver -- Lululemon Athletica Inc. is apparently back on track, reporting better-than-expected results for the fourth quarter amid increased traffic. On the company’s quarterly conference call, executives said the retailer hopes to post double-digit square footage growth for the United States and Canada in its current fiscal year, in addition to continuing to grow its brand overseas.

Hamilton, Bermuda -- Signet Jewelers Ltd. on Thursday posted a better-than-expected 30% surge in profit its fourth quarter.

Kleinfeld Hudson’s Bay, a luxurious 14,000-sq.-ft. bridal shop on the top floor of the Hudson’s Bay flagship and headquarters building in Toronto, took the top prize — Store of the Year — in the Association for Retail Environments 2015 Design Award.

Memphis, Tenn. -- Fred's Super Dollar has announced several key management changes, including the appointment of Walgreens veteran Bryan Pugh as chief merchandising and marketing officer.  

In other changes, Craig Barnes has been promoted to executive VP supply chain, global and domestic logistics; and Mike Holligan has been promoted to executive VP store operations.
 

Putting aside a worse than expected fourth quarter loss, regional discounter Fred’s could be on the cusp of more meaningful growth after assembling a roster of top executive talent under the leadership of CEO Jerry Shore and president Mike Bloom.

Brown Shoe Company has added another big name to its big portfolio of designer brands.

The retailer says it will produce and distribute Diane von Furstenberg brand women’s shoes for the 2016 season through a new licensing deal.

At the recent GlobalShop show in Las Vegas two trade groups serving the visual merchandising industry said their boards voted to pursue a merger agreement.

The boards of directors of the Association for Retail Environments (ARE) and the Point of Purchase Advertising International (POPAI) voted to enter a due diligence phase and work in good faith toward a definitive agreement to merge the two associations.

The mall is certainly not dead in Puerto Rico, where Taubman Centers Inc. held the grand opening for the Mall of San Juan on Thursday.

The island's first upscale shopping center features a singular collection of retailers, more than 60% of which are unique-to-market and the Caribbean's only Nordstrom and Saks Fifth Avenue. The 650,000-square-foot shopping center was developed through a partnership between Taubman and New Century Development, Inc.