Strategy

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%.

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%.

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.

 

San Francisco -- Williams-Sonoma reported Thursday that net income for the third quarter rose to $36.5 million, up from $7.3 million.

The company, which runs Williams-Sonoma and Pottery Barn, also recorded a 12% revenue rise to $816 million, beating Wall Street expectations of $799.5 million.

Framingham, Mass. -- Staples reported Thursday that profit for the third quarter rose 7% as the office supply retailer clamped down on expenses. Net income increased to $288.7 million, from $269.4 million.

Revenue edged up to $6.54 billion from $6.52 billion. Analysts expected $6.53 billion.

Natick, Mass. -- BJ’s Wholesale Club plans to raise its annual membership fees by $5, to $50, and invest the increased revenues in store remodels.

The fee increase, which will start in January, is the company’s first since 2006. BJ’s said it would generate about $20 million in new revenue, including an expectation that renewals would decrease 1% to 1.5% as a result of the hike.
 

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.

Webster, Texas -- New York City-based Centro Properties Group announced that Ashley Furniture has opened a 45,000-sq.-ft. store at Baybrook Gateway, located in Webster, Texas.

Centro Properties Group is the owner of Baybrook Gateway.