Corporate Governance

Foothill Ranch, Calif. -- The Wet Seal, Inc. has selected the Demandware Commerce platform to help support omni-channel operations. The specialty apparel retailer will leverage the solution to provide optimal online and mobile shopping services in a secure environment, integrated with its larger merchandising strategy.

Fremont, Calif. -- Allen I. Questrom, who has held CEO and other senior executive positions at several major retailers in the past 40 years, has joined the board of directors of The Men’s Wearhouse. With the addition of Questrom, currently a member of the boards of directors of Sotheby's and the Glazer family of companies, Men’s Wearhouse has nine directors, seven of whom are independent.

NEW YORK — Lower sales, weaker margins and higher costs at the Jones Group translated into a $3.4 million loss for the second quarter ended July 6, compared to a profit of $8.1 million in the year-ago period.

Revenue decreased 1.1% to $845.6 million from $855 million for the second quarter of 2012. Analysts estimated revenues of $832.06 million for the quarter. One bright spot for Jones Group was an almost 21% year-over-year increase in wholesale jeanswear sales.

Austin, Texas -- Whole Foods Market reported that its net income in the third quarter increased 21% to $142 million, better than analysts had expected. The company also sounded a bullish note about expansion.

Walter Robb, co-CEO, Whole Foods, said the company continues to gain market share and still sees the potential for 1,000 stores in the United States alone. It currently operates 355 U.S. locations.

Philadelphia -- Five Below will make its Texas debut, opening four locations in Austin. The stores, slated to open Aug. 2, are the first of more than a dozen stores Five Below plans to open in the Lone Star state this year.

Targeted at pre-teens and teens, Five Below offers a variety of merchandise across a number of retail categories, with every item priced $1 to $5

Target’s second quarter just ended and if the dourest of back-to-school spending forecasts proves correct the company’s expectations for same-store sale growth in the range of 2% to 3% could prove optimistic and its third quarter outlook could come under pressure.

Denver — Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage plans to open freestanding locations in Beaverton and Bend, Oregon in August.

The focus of retail analysts will be squarely on Target later this year when the company hosts an investor conference in Toronto on October 30. It will be the company’s first such event since entering the market and by the fall the company should have all of its 124 planned stores open and ready to roll for Christmas. For more details and to add to your calendar, click here.