Strategy

Purchase, N.Y. -- June spending at small retailers increased 8% in 2012 compared to June 2011, higher than the overall U.S. retail growth rate of 6.9%, according to a new SpendingPulse report issued by MasterCard Advisors in partnership with Wells Fargo. The same report also found that sales growth at small retailers has now outperformed growth of overall retail sales for nine consecutive months, since October 2011.  

New York -- J.C. Penney CEO Ron Johnson said that he is sticking with the chain’s new pricing strategy and that the company’s board of directors was “totally supportive.”

In remarks at Fortune magazine's Brainstorm Tech conference in Aspen, Col., Johnson acknowledged that J.C. Penney initially confused customers when it came to explaining the new pricing strategy.

By Mark Robinson, UPS Capital Corp.

Redwood Shores, Calif. -- J. C. Penney Co. will implement a complete, open and integrated suite of Oracle Retail solutions designed to streamline operations and improve the cross-channel customer experience. The department store retailer will deploy applications in a host of critical areas, including merchandising, supply chain and store operation, to support its transformation initiatives.
 

New York -- Ralph Lauren Corp. said CFO Tracey Travis has resigned to pursue other interests.

Robert Madore, senior VP finance, will assume the role on an interim basis, effective July 30, the company said in a regulatory filing.
 

Birmingham, Ala. -- Books-A-Million said its largest shareholder group, the Anderson family, has withdrawn its non-binding offer to take the company private.

The Anderson family, which owns a 53% stake in the chain, had offered $3.05 per share in cash to take the company private in April.

“After discussing the proposal with the special committee of the company’s board of directors and its advisers, the Anderson family has decided not to pursue the proposed acquisition at this time,” the company said in a statement.

Salisbury, N.C. -- Food Lion on Wednesday expanded its new brand strategy to 269 stores in North Carolina and South Carolina. With the expansion, Food Lion has more than 700 locations operating under rebranding, representing more than 60% of its store base. 

The new strategy offers customers lower prices on 6,000 items, a greater emphasis on private brands,  enhanced produce and an easy and convenient shopping experience, such as faster checkout. To support its new strategy, the company created approximately 800 new jobs.

New York -- Best Buy plans to hire 500 new Geek Squad staffers. The move comes some two weeks after the retailer said it would lay off 600 existing workers in the tech support arm of its business as it looked to focus the group less on basic installation services and more on remote tech consulting. It also comes as Verizon announced it was partnering with Geek Squad to offer services to meet the information technology requirements of small and mid-size businesses across the country.

EMERYVILLE, Calif. — LeapFrog Enterprises has named Ray Arthur as CFO.

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — For the second quarter, Mattel reported net income of $96.2 million, or 28 cents per share, compared with last year’s second quarter net income of $80.5 million, or 23 cents per share.