Strategy

Sears Hometown and Outlet Stores said fourth-quarter same-store sales declined 3.4% as two of the company’s best known brand had disappointing results. Sales in the fourth quarter declined 4.5% to $602.4 million due to the combination of a 3.4% same-store sales decline and an extra week in the fourth quarter the prior year, which added sales of $36.5 million. The same-store sales decline was made up of a 4% decline at the Hometown division and 1.5% decline at the outlet division.

St. Louis - Brown Shoe Company beat internal expectations with net earnings of $6.2 million during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2013, up 55% from $4 million in the same quarter of the prior year. Net sales dropped 3% to $600 million, from $618.7 million.

Amazon plans to open a nearly 1 million-sq.-ft. fulfillment center in Kent, Wash. This will be the company’s fourth fulfillment center in the state. Amazon’s other Washington fulfillment centers are located in Sumner and Bellevue, and a DuPont site is near completion.

Canton, Mass. – Destination XL Group Inc. reported a net loss of $55.1 million for its fourth quarter, compared to net income of $4.2 million in the year-ago period. The chain cited a sluggish retail environment, a shorter holiday selling season and adverse weather conditions as contributing to the disappointing results.

New York -- When building an urban store, be prepared for anything, and make friends with your local Economic Development Corp. early, advised retailers and a developer at the “Setting Up Shop Downtown” session at Chain Store Age’s 50th annual SPECS conference in Grapevine, Texas (March 9 -12, 2014). The session was particularly timely given that more and more retailers are targeting urban areas for growth — and the trend is likely to accelerate going forward.

New York -- Google. Inc. may be close to signing a lease for its first-ever freestanding retail store in the United States, according to Crain’s New York Business. The site is located in New York City’s SoHo area, at 131 Greene Street, and is just a block away from an Apple store. The search giant reportedly wants to open brick-and-mortar stores to showcase its various gadgets, ranging from the Nexus line of smartphones and tablets to the Chromebook Pixel laptop. The company is also getting ready to go public with its Google Glass eyewear and smartwatches.

Hibbett Sports experienced a significant slowdown in January due to significant weather-related store closures and a less favorable sales impact this year from the college football championship game. However, sales trends improved in February as weather patterns normalized and the retailer rolled out its spring assortment. Net sales for the 13-week period ended Feb. 1 increased 0.2% to $217.8 million compared with $217.4 million for the 14-week period ended Feb. 2, 2013. Comparable store sales increased 1.7% on a comparable 13-week period.

Seattle – Starbucks Coffee Company is amending its exclusive agreement to provide Keurig Green Mountain Inc. with super-premium coffee pods. The companies have updated their agreement to continue to expand Starbucks’ range of K-Cup pack offerings and to promote expanded consumer choice. In exchange for eliminating the super-premium coffee exclusivity terms of the existing agreement, Starbucks will receive improved business terms, including significantly expanded Starbucks K-Cup pack and variety types.