Strategy

Shareholders of Victoria’s Secret parent company L Brands received an early Valentine’s Day gift after the company said fourth quarter profits were much better than expected and it would pay a $2 a share special dividend.

The company said same store sales increased 7% and total sales for the four week period ended Jan. 31 increased 7% to $783.1 million. Sales for the full fourth quarter period also increased 7% to slightly more than $4 billion while same store sales grew 6%.

Denton, Texas -- Sally Beauty Holdings announced that president and COO Chris Brickman succeeded Gary Winterhalter as CEO effective on Feb. 1. Winterhalter will continue to serve the company as executive chairman.

The changes are consistent with the company’s previously announced executive transition plan.

The retail industry’s data security efforts were upgraded week when the Retail Industry Leaders Association named the former Texas chief information security officer to lead the trade group’s new intelligence sharing organization.

RILA said Brian Engle would serve as executive director of the Retail Cyber Intelligence Sharing Center (R-CISC) and be responsible for managing the organization’s daily affairs.

New York -- In an indication that the end could be getting close, RadioShack Corp. will close its distribution center in Hagerstown, Maryland, the Dallas Business Journal reported.

The move will result in some 87 layoffs.

The report cited the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation, which said the facility will close March 11. The news of the closing follows reports that the struggling chain is near to filing Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
 

New York -- Target chairman and CEO Brian Cornell has made some bold moves since arriving at Target last fall, but the most significant revelations concerning long term prospects will come in early March when the company hosts its first investor conference of the Cornell era on March 3.

Menomonee Falls, Wis. -- Kohl’s Corp. raised its earnings guidance for the recently completed business year, citing strong sales growth in the holiday season.

The retailer reported fourth quarter same-store sales of 3.7% and updated its fiscal 2014 diluted earnings per share guidance to $4.20 – $4.22.

“We are pleased with our fourth quarter sales as we saw our base business improve and our new strategic framework, the Greatness Agenda, take hold," said Kevin Mansell, Kohl's chairman, CEO and president.

The newly created position of chief member officer at Sam’s Club has been filled by veteran marketer Tracey Brown who has been given a wide range of member marketing, acquisition, engagement, retention and analytics responsibilities.

Academy Sports + Outdoors plans to make a splash in Orlando this spring with the simultaneous opening of four stores.

The $4 billion sporting goods retailer has entered into a multi-year partnership with the Orlando City Soccer Club beginning with the team's inaugural 2015 season. Academy Sports + Outdoors will be the official sporting goods retailer of the Orlando City Soccer Club.