Marketing

The acquisition of Jos. A. Bank in June weighed heavily on Men’s Warehouse in the third quarter, as the company reported a profit decline of 82% due to expenses related to the integration of the rival clothier’s operations.

Despite the rollout of its new “Go Taller” initiative, 99 Cents Only Stores reported a decline in same store sales and profits in the third quarter.

Same store sales decreased 0.7% compared with the prior year quarter. The company reported a loss of $3.8 million in the third quarter, compared to posting an income of $1 million in the prior year quarter. Net loss as a percentage of total sales was -0.8% for the third quarter compared with net income as a percentage of sales of 0.2% for the third quarter of fiscal 2014.

Longtime Kroger executive and current chairman David Dillon is retiring Dec. 31 after 38 years with the company. Dillon, 63, will be replaced as chairman by Rodney McMullen, who also succeeded Dillon as CEO at the start of 2014, the company said. McMullen has served on the board since 2003.

The globalization of Walmart’s domestic operations continued this week with the appointment of Judith McKenna to the role of chief operating office for Walmart U.S.

Walmart’s integrity suffered a blow this week in a Bloomberg piece with the inflammatory headline, “How Walmart made its crumbling China business look so good for so long.”

Timing is everything. The Bentonville Bella Vista Chamber of Commerce had already secured Judith McKenna as a speaker for an upcoming event when she was given a major promotion this week.

University of Arkansas alumni Ann and Gene Bordelon have contributed $100,000 to establish the Faculty Innovation Endowed Fund for the benefit of the Sam M. Walton College of Business.

Expense control and a more rational promotional environment helped Toys “R” Us reduce the size of its third quarter operating loss but the company had little to say about its outlook for Christmas sales and profits.

The paint competition will heat up in March as Lowe’s rolls out HGTV HOME by Sherwin-Williams.

The HGTV HOME by Sherwin-Williams product line will feature what both companies describe as “a new and improved interior and exterior paint program.” The line will be available at both Sherwin-Williams' company stores and Lowe's stores nationwide, as well as exclusive line extensions available at Lowe's.

Kroger announced that Nora A. Aufreter has been elected to the company's board of directors.