Strategy

Austin, Texas -- Whole Foods Market’s first quarter net income surged 79% to $88.7 million, on an increase in customer visits and a rise in average transactions. The natural and organic foods grocer raised 2011 profit outlook on its strong results, which beat expectations.

Scottsdale, Ariz. -- Massage Envy announced Thursday the signing of a multi-unit Regional Developer agreement with Sol Glastein for the development of 11 new centers in Pittsburgh, Western Pennsylvania and Morgantown, W.V.

Glastein has been a Massage Envy franchisee since 2006 and currently operates two centers in New Jersey.

In 2010, Massage Envy opened 43 locations, bringing the total number of locations to more than 650 units operating in 43 states.
 

An otherwise exceptional year of sales and profits at Hibbett Sports was soiled somewhat late in the fourth quarter as consumer demand deteriorated, forcing the company to alert investors that it would come up short against earlier guidance. The 767-unit Hibbett chain continued to execute its strategy, but really bad weather in many of the company’s markets coupled with a slower-than-expected flow of tax refunds negatively affected results.

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.  -- Stater Bros. reported that supermarket sales declined 2.31% in the first quarter of fiscal 2011 compared with the same period of the prior year.  Like-store sales decreased 2.31% or $21.3 million for the thirteen weeks ended Dec. 26, 2010 compared with the thirteen weeks ended Dec. 27, 2009.  Consolidated sales in the first quarter of fiscal 2011 were $899 million compared with $923.9 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2010, an overall decline of $24.8 million.

Palatine, Ill. -- An overwhelming number (88%) of executives admit to a “moral responsibility” beyond regulatory requirement to make their companies more energy efficient, according to a recent poll of senior executives at Fortune 1000 companies. At the same time, however, 61% of respondents rank potential cost-savings as biggest motivator to save energy at the enterprise-level, outranking both environmental benefits and government regulations.

Los Angeles -- 7 For All Mankind announced it will open its first fully owned store in Canada in March, at Chinook Centre in Calgary.

The company said it plans to open two to three stores annually in Canada during the next four to five years.

Mooresville, N.C. -- Lowe’s Cos. said Wednesday that it has made several key promotions and moves in its human resources, legal, merchandising, logistics and information technology areas.

Maureen K. Ausura was promoted to executive VP human resources, from senior VP in the same capacity.

Gaither M. Keener has been promoted to executive VP general counsel, secretary and chief compliance officer, from senior VP in the same capacity. 

Both will continue reporting to CEO Robert Niblock.

Plano, Texas -- J. C. Penney Co. announced Wednesday that its board of directors has elected William A. Ackman, founder and CEO of Pershing Square Capital Management, and Steven Roth, chairman of the board of Vornado Realty Trust, as directors.

The appointments had been previously announced on Jan. 24.