Strategy

The Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) spoke out in Washington, D.C., this week on the steps retailers are taking to protect against data breaches.

Simon Property Group will expand several shopping centers in the United States, with plans to invest approximately $1 billion annually in renovations.

Fast-growing retailer shoes.com is on track to generate $300 million in sales after reporting a blockbuster first quarter.

In its first quarterly financial report since consolidating three online businesses under one platform, the company reported an increase in gross revenue of 89% to a record $60 million and a 129% increase in revenue from repeat customers. Gross profit margins remained robust at 44%.

New York -- It’s no secret that the past winter took a heavy toll on retailers, with bitterly cold weather and snow storms keeping customers at home and sales down. But the snow also had a negative impact on retailers in other ways, as Kohl’s Corp. revealed Thursday on its quarterly conference with analysts.

Photo: Stefan Sjostrand, managing director, Ikea Canada

Minneapolis -- Target Corp. is selling its Target Commercial Interiors (TCI) subsidiary, which provides office furnishings and related services for business and commercial clients, to Minneapolis-based Omni Workspace Company, commonly known as A&M Business Interior Services. A&M will operate TCI, which will be renamed on the completion of the acquisition, as a wholly owned subsidiary.

Las Vegas -- Simon Property Group, a global leader in retail real estate, announced that it has opened a 25-store expansion of Las Vegas North Premium Outlets.

The center is now one of the largest in the country with 175 stores. The expansion features designer and name brands, including Neiman Marcus Last Call Studio, Saks Fifth Avenue Off 5th, AG Adriano Goldschmied, AllSaints, Bally, Canali, Catimini, CH Carolina Herrera, Citizen, Helmut Lang, John Varvatos, Rag & Bone, Under Armour, and Vera Bradley.

Sally Beauty Holdings Inc. has confirmed that there was an “illegal intrusion” into the company’s payment card systems. It is the retailer’s second data breach in a little over the year. Here are insights on the breach from four security experts:

Steve Hultquist, chief evangelist at RedSeal, the security analytics company:

Philadelphia - Five Below will make its initial entry into the Kansas City, Missouri market with the opening of three stores on May 15. The tween and teen specialty retailer expects to open a total of 70 new stores during 2015, on top of opening 62 stores in 2014

The three approximately 7,500-sq.-ft. Five Below Kansas City stores are located in Tiffany Springs Market Center in Kansas City, Adam's Dairy Landing in Blue Springs, Missouri, and Olathe Pointe Shopping Center in Olathe, Kansas.

Toronto – Canadian Tire Corp. pumped up profit in the first quarter of fiscal 2015, expanding net income 17% to $88.3 million from $75.6 million a year earlier. Improved margins helped inflate net income totals.

Falling petroleum costs helped deflate revenue 2% to $2.51 billion from $2.57 billion, although consolidated same-store sales rose 5.5%. Same-store sales grew at all core retailer banners, including lifts of 4.7% at Canadian Tire, 8.6% at FGL Sports and 5.5% at Mark’s.