Corporate Governance

Kearney, Neb. - Michelle Hoffman has been appointed to the position of VP of sales and Kyle L. Hanson has been appointed to the position of VP, general counsel, and corporate secretary at The Buckle Inc., both effective immediately.

The company also made the following changes to its leadership team:

The NPD Group has signed a market information services agreement with Nielsen, a leading global provider of information and insights into what consumers watch and buy, for school and office supplies retail market data and analytic services.  

By combining Nielsen’s market information, including sales data from food and drug channels, with NPD’s existing school and office supplies business, which covers office superstores, mass merchants, e-commerce and other retailers, NPD says it will deliver the industry’s most complete view of the marketplace.

Framingham, Mass. – Cumberland Farms is reportedly selling 27 stores in New Jersey, Delaware, and Pennsylvania, to Petroleum Marketing Group, based in Woodbridge, Va. According to the Boston Globe, the stores will continue to operate as convenience stores and all roughly 600 affected employees are expected to keep their jobs.

Cumberland Farms will focus on its nearly 600 remaining stores in New England, New York, and Florida. Both companies are private and terms were not disclosed.

Secaucus, N.J. -- The Children’s Place Retail Stores Thursday reported lower profit for the fourth-quarter amid intense promotions and severe storms. The retailer also said it is renaming the company.

Net earnings in the fourth quarter, ended Feb.1, fell 18% to $15.7 million, from $19.1 million in the year-ago period, which had an extra week.

Net sales in the quarter totaled $467.5 million, down from $509.2 million in the year-ago period. Same-store sales declined 4.3%.

Cincinnati – Within the next 24 months, Kroger will build six new stores and expand three locations, along with opening multiple fuel centers and remodeling existing properties in the North Texas area. Kroger has already begun a store refresh program in the region that includes lower prices on thousands of popular food and household items, along with a renewed emphasis on shopping experience, fuel discounts, local products and community relations.

New York -- Phoenix-based Sprouts Farmers Markets Inc. is expanding. The natural-foods supermarket chain expects to open 22 to 24 stores in fiscal 2014, including five locations in the Atlanta area.

Sprouts currently operates more than 165 locations in eight states.

Meanwhile, Gap Inc. continues to expand its newest banner, Athleta, with about 30 additional U.S. stores on tap for fiscal year 2014.

In more store expansion news:

Nike's store in University Village, Seattle, was created as a sanctuary for athletes. The goal is present in every detail in the 6,247-dq.-ft. store, including this quote from company co-founder Bill Bowerman that is painted onto the bleacher board behind the cash wrap: "There's no such thing as bad weather, just soft people."

Seattle -- Nordstrom announced plans to open a full-line store at The Domain in Austin, Texas. The two-level, approximately 123,000-sq.-ft. store is scheduled to open in fall 2016 and will be the company's second full-line store serving the greater Austin area. The Domain is owned and operated by Endeavor Real Estate Group.