Strategy

Grapevine, Texas -- GameStop Corp. reported Thursday that net earnings for the third quarter increased 4.8% to $54.7 million, from $52.2 million in the prior year quarter.

Total sales increased 3.5% to $1.90 billion.

U.S. segment same-store sales were 5.3%, while total company same-store sales increased 1.1%.

Year-to-date, GameStop has opened 156 net new stores: 89 in the United States; 47 in Europe; eight in Canada; and 12 in Australia/New Zealand. The video game retailer currently operates 6,606 stores in 17 countries.

Amsterdam -- Royal Ahold NV reported Thursday that its third-quarter profit fell 4.4% to $315 million. The Dutch owner of the Stop & Shop and Giant supermarkets in the United States cited higher taxes for the performance decline.

Sales rose 11% to $9.12 billion.

U.S. same-store sales rose 1%. In the Netherlands, where Ahold operates the dominant Albert Heijn chain, same-store sales rose 4.5%.
 

Albany, N.Y. -- Trans World Entertainment Corp. reported Thursday that it recorded a loss of $16.1 million in the third quarter, compared with a loss of $22.3 million a year earlier.

Total sales dropped 20% to $128.8 million. Same-store sales decreased 5%.

The company, which owns the f.y.e. (For Your Entertainment) chain of music stores, operated an average of 533 stores during the quarter, compared with 694 in the same quarter last year, a 23% decline.

 

Closing the lid on a local Jack in the Box

Near my Baton Rouge, La., neighborhood is a Jack in the Box fast-food restaurant that, from all cursory indications, had appeared to be surviving the recession.

Secaucus, N.J. -- The Children's Place Retail Stores reported Thursday that net income for the third quarter dropped to $31.2 million, compared with net income of $38.2 million in the prior year.

Net sales declined 2.1% to $453.4 million, compared with $463.2 million in the third quarter of fiscal 2009.

Same-store sales decreased 5.7%.

Canton, Mass. -- Casual Male Retail Group said Thursday it swung to a profit of $0.3 million in the third quarter, compared with a loss of $1.4 million a year earlier.

Total sales edged up 1.4% to $89.9 million, and same-store sales increased 3%.

New York City -- New York & Co. said Thursday that net income for the quarter ended Oct. 30 was $1.9 million, compared with a per-share loss 11 cents in the year-ago period.

Net sales were $238.2 million in the quarter, up from $227.9 million a year earlier. Same-store sales rose 3.6%.

New York & Co. currently operates 579 stores in 43 states.

Charlotte, N.C. -- The Cato Corp. reported Thursday that profit for the quarter ended Oct. 30 surged 123% to $6.7 million, compared with net income of $3 million for the third quarter ended October 31, 2009.

Sales increased 4% to $198 million, compared with $191 million for the year-ago period.

Same-store sales for the quarter increased 2%.

The retailer operated 1,281 stores in 31 states, compared with 1,291 stores in 31 states as of October 31, 2009.

Houston -- Stage Stores said Thursday it narrowed its fiscal third-quarter net loss to $6.9 million, from $7.3 million in the year-earlier quarter.

Sales rose 2.1% to $331.9 million, from $324.9 million. The retailer is projecting that fourth-quarter same-store sales will rise 1% to 3%.

Hoffman Estates, Ill. -- Sears Holdings Corp. reported Thursday that its loss for the quarter ended Oct. 31 widened to $218 million, compared with a loss of $127 million in the year-ago period. The loss was more than analysts expected as margins fell and sales dropped, especially at the company's namesake stores.

"While Kmart improved profitability, our third-quarter results were disappointing, in large part due to lower sales of apparel and appliances at Sears," said interim CEO W. Bruce Johnson.