Strategy

Indianapolis -- Hhgregg reported Friday that net income for the quarter ended Sept. 30 dropped to $3.8 million from $6 million last year. Sales dipped 5% to $587.6 million and same-store sales dropped 8.8%.

According to CEO Dennis May, the electronics and appliances retailer is testing new merchandise and, in the third quarter, will roll out furniture and exercise equipment to all stores. He also said the current fiscal 2013 outlook calls for 20 new store openings from a previous range of 20-22.

Matthews, N.C. -- Harris Teeter Supermarkets reported Friday a profit of $22.8 million in its fourth quarter, compared with a loss of $8.9 million last year.

Sales edged up 3.7% to $1.14 billion, and same-store sales increased 3.01%.

The grocer has introduced a new format and banner – 201central – that it is using as a platform to sell a global variety of wine, beer, specialty foods and other selected merchandise.

Plans for fiscal 2013 include 12 new stores and nine major remodels.

Jacksonville, Fla. -- Body Central Corp. reported Friday that net income for the third quarter was $153,000, compared with $2.8 million in the year-ago period.

Sales inched up 1.2% to $67.9 million, boosted by 7 new stores that opened during the period.

Chicago — Black Friday will be the single biggest sales and foot traffic day of this holiday season, followed by Saturday, Dec. 22, according to ShopperTrak, the world’s largest counter and analyzer of retail foot traffic. With the greatest possible number of shopping days — 32 — lying between Black Friday and Christmas this year, ShopperTrak predicts that national retail sales will rise 3.3% (over last year) during the peak holiday shopping months of November and December; retail foot traffic will increase 2.8%.

By Chris Merritt, Ryder

Natural disasters like Hurricane Sandy are devastating. They impact people’s lives and livelihood. In addition, as we’ve learned from recent years, they can result in significant supply chain disruptions. Following the storm, we are seeing three issues impacting retail supply chains – power, fuel, and people.

ISSAQUAH, Wash. — Costco's sales for October rose 9% to $7.67 billion from $7.01 billion during the similar period last year.

Total comps for the month increased 7%, consisting of a 7% increase in the United States, and a 9% increase internationally. Excluding the impact of fuel, U.S., international and total same-store sales increased by 5% each.

BURLINGTON, N.J. — Burlington Coat Factory Warehouse reported that net sales for the third quarter ended Oct. 27 were $967.8 million compared with $898.7 million for the comparative period ended Oct. 29, 2011, a 7.7% increase. Comparative-store sales increased 2.1% for the quarter.

A 2.4% same-store sales increase during October was toward the low end of Target’s expectations, but it wasn’t enough to prevent the company from achieving its guidance for the third quarter.

Target reported that its net retail sales for the four weeks ended Oct. 27 were nearly $5 billion, a 3% increase from $4.8 billion reported during October 2011. The 2.4% comp increase was on top of a prior year gain of 3.3%.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens has formally set up a new company, jointly owned with Alliance Boots, as part of their strategic partnership’s synergy program.

The new company, called Walgreens Boots Alliance Development, will be based in Bern, Switzerland.

No other details were released.

NCR Corporation got a big order from Walmart this week that will allow the retailer to expand its self-checkout capability and potentially attract shoppers turned off by Walmart’s long checkout lines.

NCR said it would be installing 10,000 of its SelfServ Checkout lanes in more than 1,200 Walmart stores. That works out to about eight self checkouts per store, although the companies didn’t provide details concerning Walmart’s installed base of self-checkouts.