Strategy

New York -- Nash Finch has agreed to acquire the 18-store No Frills Supermarkets, which is based in Omaha, Neb.

The terms of the transaction, which is expected to be completed by the end of third quarter, were not immediately available.

In April, Nash Finch completed the acquisition of the 12-store Bag ’N Save supermarket chain.
 

Minneapolis -- Target Corp. reported a better-than-expected 1.2% increase in first-quarter profit as warm weather and an early Easter helped drive sales. The chain also raised its earnings forecast for the full year.

Target’s net earnings for the quarter ended April 28 were $697 million, compared with $689 million in the year-ago period.

“We’re very pleased with our first-quarter earnings, which benefited from better-than-expected sales,” Gregg Steinhafel, Target’s CEO, said in a statement.

New Albany, Ohio -- Abercrombie & Fitch Co. reported a 88% decline in its first quarter profit, hurt in part by difficult market conditions in Europe.

For the quarter ended April 28, retailer earned $3.0 million compared with $25.1 million last year. Sales rose 10% to $921.2 million, but same-store sales were down 5%.

By Gary C. Smith, NAEIR.org

When Children’s Wish Foundation International, an Atlanta-based charity, hosts scrapbooking or craft parties for children in the hospital, it turns to a gifts-in-kind organization and its catalog of donated merchandise for supplies. The two organizations then coordinate shipments of stuffed animals, Halloween costumes, craft materials, toys, videos and other items to hospitals to help fulfill the wishes of children in need.
 

ATLANTA — Warm weather and demand for core products helped drive up sales and earnings at The Home Depot during its fiscal first quarter. The company reported sales of $17.8 billion for the first quarter of fiscal 2012, a 5.9% increase from the first quarter of fiscal 2011. Comparable-store sales for the first quarter of fiscal 2012 were positive 5.8%, and comp sales for U.S. stores were positive 6.1%.

PITTSBURGH — Dick's Sporting Goods has raised its full year and second quarter outlooks after reporting substantial growth in sales and earnings for the first quarter. The company reported that net income for the quarter was $57.2 million, or 45 cents per diluted share, exceeding the company's earnings expectations provided on March 6 of 36 cents to 38 cents per diluted share. For the first quarter ended April 30, 2011, the company reported consolidated net income of $37.5 million, or 30 cents per diluted share.

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. — The TJX Companies reported that net sales for the first quarter of fiscal 2013 increased 11% to $5.8 billion and consolidated comparable-store sales increased 8%. Net income for the first quarter was $419 million and diluted earnings per share were 55 cents.

CINCINNATI — The International Association for Food Protection is honoring Kroger with the 2012 Black Pearl Award for advancing food safety and quality.

The  (IAFP) names one company annually for its efforts to advance food safety and quality through consumer programs, employee relations, educational activities, adherence to standards, and support of the goals and objectives of the IAFP.

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. — Shopatron, the flexible fulfillment company, has announced the appointment of Dave Morrison as its CFO.

PLANO, Texas —  From personnel changes to its new "fair and square" price strategy, JCPenney has put a lot into changing the company's image, and investors are waiting for it to pay off. For the first quarter, the company reported an adjusted net loss of $55 million or 25 cents per share, excluding markdowns taken as a result of the company's continuing efforts to reduce inventory levels to align with its new strategy, restructuring and management transition charges and non-cash qualified pension expense.