Strategy

Modell's Sporting Goods is replacing its paper-driven employee-selection process with Infor PeopleAnswers Talent Science — a tool designed to improve that process as well as development and succession planning for its chain of more than 150 stores throughout the Northeast.

According to Infor, Infor PeopleAnswers Talent Science is available via the cloud and uses science, technology and analytics to predictively link behavioral data to real business outcomes, helping companies improve business performance, reduce turnover and optimize the HR process.

Duluth, Minn. -- Ascena Retail Group, parent to the Maurices, DressBarn and Lane Bryant banners, announced the 900th Maurices store opening. The Fresno, Calif., store will officially open later this month, joining 899 other stores in the U.S. and Canada.

Maurices will open 60 new stores by the end of its fiscal year in July 2014. In addition to new store openings, Maurices is remodeling or expanding 80 stores this year.  

The company's long-term goal is to reach over 1,200 stores domestically and 100 stores in Canada.

Maurices is marking a major milestone. The retailer, which started small in downtown Duluth, Minn., has opened its 900th store in Fresno, Calif.

And the retailer is not stopping there. Plans are in place to open 60 additional stores for a total of more than 925 stores in 46 states and Canada by July. Maurices is also remodeling or expanding 80 stores this year to keep the chain fresh.

The company's long-term goal is to reach more than 1,200 stores domestically and 100 stores in Canada.

San Francisco — CBRE has introduced AIG Global Real Estate to Associated Estates Realty Corp. The two companies have formed a 50:50 joint venture partnership to develop a 3.36-acre mixed-use project at 8th and Harrison in San Francisco, Calif. The project will be known as 350 Eighth.

Located in the South of Market or SoMa neighborhood of San Francisco, 350 Eighth will consist of 410 rental apartment homes and 40,000 sq. ft. of office and retail space. Site work has begun and first occupancy is scheduled for fourth quarter 2015.

New York -- Wal-Mart Stores spent $439 million during the past two years to investigate the possible payment of foreign bribes, Bloomberg reported, making it ranks as one of the most expensive probes in U.S. history.

Wal-Mart spent $282 million in the fiscal year ended Jan. 31 and $157 million the previous year, and expenses will continue to rise, according to an annual report filed March 21. On Feb. 20, Wal-Mart projected FCPA probe and compliance costs would be $200 million to $240 million for fiscal 2015.

Philadelphia -- Five Below on Tuesday reported better-than-expected results for its fiscal fourth quarter, ended Feb.1. The tween/teen retailer also said it is on track to open 62 stores in 2014

The company posted net profits of $24.8 million, slightly higher than estimates of $24.6 million, up from $19.2 million in the year-ago period.

Sales jumped 22.1% to $212 million, beating analysts' expectations for $207.78 million in sales. Same-store sales increased by 0.3%.

Boston -- The single biggest challenge for retailers is to understand, empower and represent the digitally empowered consumer across all touch points, according to new research from Oracle.

Port Washington, N.Y. — Cedar Realty Trust has completed the acquisition of Quartermaster Plaza in Philadelphia. The 456,000-sq.-ft. grocery-anchored shopping center is 98% occupied and anchored by a BJ’s Wholesale Club.

Cedar acquired the center for $92.3 million, including the assumption of $53.4 million of fixed rate debt. The company expects ultimately to fund deal with proceeds anticipated from asset sales. Pending those sales, Cedar will use it existing credit facility.