Marketing

Bon-Ton Stores Inc. cited growth in the e-commerce channel as among the reasons for the company's slight increase in same store sales in the first quarter.

Columbus, Ohio -- L Brands Inc. continued its winning ways in its first quarter, reporting better-than-expected earnings. The parent company of Victoria’s Secret and Bath & Body Works also lifted its earnings forecast for the full year, but issued a weak forecast for the current quarter.

L Brands’ net income increased 59% to $250.47 million from $156.98 million in the year-ago period.

Net sales grew 5% to $2.51 billion from $2.39 billion last year.

Same-store sales rose 5%.

West Elm helped Williams-Sonoma deliver another solid financial performance in the first quarter despite negative effects from the West Coast port dispute and sluggish consumer spending.

Total revenue for Williams-Sonoma Inc. in the first quarter ended May 3 grew 5.8% year over year, to $1.03 billion, versus $974 million in the first quarter of 2014. Same store sales from its flagship Williams-Sonoma brand grew 2.7%, Pottery Barn sales increased 2.4%, West Elm delivered a 15.3% increase in comps, Pottery Barn Kids grew 0.8%, and sales from PBteen increased 3% year over year.

Chesapeake, Va. – Dollar Tree Inc. plans to sell about 330 Family Dollar stores to obtain Federal Trade Commission (FTC) approval of its pending $8.5 billion acquisition of Family Dollar Stores.  

The company has not identified the buyer, the sale amount or which stores will be closed. The 330 Family Dollar stores represent about $45.5 million in operating income, according to Dollar Tree. Dollar Tree expects the Family Dollar purchase to go through in July 2015.

Astoria, N.Y. – Bareburger has signed up to use Buxton's Scout platform to identify the best market opportunities for growth in the U.S. and Canada. Buxton's custom analytic solutions will allow Bareburger to quantify growth potential and select the best sites for new locations.

L Brands is showing that it continues to be a bright spot in a volatile specialty retail environment with its latest quarterly results.

The company raised its full-year adjusted earnings guidance to $3.50 to $3.70 a share, from its previous forecast for $3.45 to $3.65. The retailer reported profit of $250.5 million, or 84 cents a share, in the three months ended May 2, up from $157 million, or 53 cents a share, in the prior year period. Sales rose 5% to $2.5 billion.

Expenses related to a corporate restructuring led Etsy Inc. to report a huge loss in the first quarter.

Commerce, Calif. -- Smart & Final launched a new branding campaign, which will place the ampersand ("&") -- already in the 144-year old company's name -- front and center to showcase the company's relationship with both its customers and the communities it serves.