Strategy

Watsonville, Calif. – West Marine Inc. slightly shrunk its net loss to $10.3 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2015 from $11.4 million in the same period a year earlier. Cost of goods sold and selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses combined to total more than net revenues.

New York - The U.S. retail and consumer sector experienced a strong first quarter in 2015 for merger & acquisition (M&A) activity, which was driven by seven megadeals (deals with a value of more than $1 billion). According to PwC's U.S. retail and consumer deals insights report, 39 deals were announced for the quarter (with values more than $50 million), up 11% from fourth quarter 2014, but down 9% from first quarter 2014.

New York - RDG Capital Fund Management, a shareholder of TravelCenters of America, has engaged in what it calls “constructive dialogue” with TravelCenters CEO Tom O'Brien and other board members. RDG said the TravelCenters board has indicated a willingness to consider selling some company-owned real estate as a source of liquidity.

Los Angeles - True Religion has expanded its partnership with Epicor to support omnichannel and digital innovation initiatives. The specialty apparel retailer has selected modules including the Epicor QuantiSense Retail Business Intelligence solution, and the Epicor ShopVisible cloud retail order management solution.

Quincy, Mass. -- Stop & Shop has broken ground on the company’s first anaerobic digester at its distribution center in Freetown, Massachusetts. The state-of-the-art digester will turn food scraps into clean energy.

As part of its sustainability efforts, Stop & Shop plans to donate and divert as much food waste and unsold food as possible to regional food banks and farms. But food that cannot be donated will be sent to the digester. The supermarket retailer has set a long-term goal to divert 90% of waste going to landfills.

Hoffman Estates, Ill. -- Sears Holdings Corp. announced the two remaining stores involved in its deal with European fashion retailer Primark. (In late 2014, Sears entered into lease agreements with Primark for seven standalone stores in the Northeastern United States.)

The two remaining stores will be located at Burlington Mall in Burlington, Massachusetts; and South Shore Plaza in Braintree, Massachusetts. Sears will continue to have a significant retail presence in both of these malls, which are owned and operated by Simon Property Group, Inc.

Richardson, Texas -- EnTouch Controls announced that Chuck E. Cheese’s has ramped up its commitment to EnTouch 360° as its official energy management solution for corporate stores in North America.

Chuck E. Cheese’s store environment includes a playground and a host of video games for teens and adults. The energy costs for these video games, along with the energy needed to maintain comfortable temperatures for patrons, quickly adds up.

JCPenney Co. Inc. is expanding its in-store partnership with Sephora by adding the beauty retailer to more stores.

A 30-year veteran of REI has been named as the new CEO of Bartell Drugs.   

The cold hard winter may have been taxing for some but it was certainly profitable for Big 5 Sporting Goods Corp., which reported an increase in profit in the first quarter.