Strategy

Chapel Hill, N.C. -- Performance Bicycle, the nation’s largest specialty bike retailer, announced that in April it will open six new stores in four states nationwide.

The expansion includes stores in Sacramento and Berkeley, Calif.; Dallas/Fort Worth and Austin, Texas; Atlanta, and the company’s first ever store in Idaho, in Boise.

These six locations join Performance Bicycle’s 94 existing stores.

Indianapolis -- Appliance and electronics retailer Hhgregg reported Tuesday that net income for the quarter ended Dec. 31 rose 18.4% to $26.9 million, compared with $22.7 million in the year-ago period.

Net sales increased 30.6% to $653.7 million. Same-stores dropped 6.2%.

The company opened four new stores in the third quarter for a total of 42 in fiscal year 2011, and said it remains on track to open a total of 43 new stores in fiscal year 2011.

Columbus, Ohio -- Multiple news sources reported late Monday that discounter Big Lots is exploring its options, including a potential sale. No reports have yet been confirmed by the retailer.

According to Bloomberg, which cited an unnamed source, Big Lots is exploring a possible sale of the company after receiving interest from buyout firms. Big Lots has a total enterprise value of $2.6 billion, according to Capital IQ.

Cary, N.C. -- C-store operator The Pantry said Tuesday that it narrowed its loss for the quarter ended Dec. 30 to $12.2 million, compared with a loss of $26.1 million a year earlier.

Merchandise same-store sales increased 1.3% for the quarter.

The Pantry operates 1,662 stores in 13 states primarily under the Kangaroo Express banner.
 

MINNEAPOLIS -- Best Buy announced that through Feb. 12 it is offering customers its buy back program for free. To promote the offer, Best Buy has launched a multi-media campaign that began with its Super Bowl spot featuring Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne and Justin Bieber.

MONTVALE, N.J. — Bankrupt grocer A&P has announced the election of Greg Rayburn to its board of directors, replacing Dr. Jens-Jürgen Böckel, who has resigned from the board.

NEW YORK --Liz Claiborne said Friday that Edgar Huber, CEO of Juicy Couture, will be assuming a new position as executive VP global business development for Liz Claiborne, effective Feb. 14.

The company said Huber will continue to report to William L. McComb, CEO, Liz Claiborne.

LeAnn Nealz, president and chief creative officer, and John DeFalco, CFO and COO, will jointly manage the Juicy Couture business while the leadership structure for the brand going forward is determined, according to McComb.

DEERFIELD, Ill. -- David Gregory, host of NBC's "Meet the Press," will deliver the keynote address at BNP Media's Food Safety Summit on April 20.

AUSTIN, Texas -- Whole Foods announced that it is providing shoppers with a new level of transparency about how farm animals are raised by now offering beef, pork and chicken certified under 5-Step Animal Welfare Rating system.

The rating system is the signature program of Global Animal Partnership, a nonprofit organization that facilitates and encourages continuous improvement in animal agriculture. Independent, third-party certifiers audit farms and rate animal welfare practices and conditions using a tiered system as follows: 

Target director of owned brands Annie Zipfel is among those slated to participate in the fourth annual Network of Executive Women Multicultural Work force conference to be held March 1 to 3. With a theme of “Building Competencies, Growing Business,” the event will focus on the advantages of developing culturally competent organizations.