Events

Naperville, Ill. -- Office Max Inc. reported Thursday net income of $10.7 million for the second quarter, besting Wall Street predictions and representing a strong turnaround from last year’s $3 million loss stemming from store closures and severance expenses.

Revenue for the quarter slipped 2.7% to $1.6 billion, missing analysts’ forecasted $1.64 billion in revenue. The office supply retailer said it will reinstate its quarterly common stock dividend, which it suspended more than three years ago.

NEW YORK — Many retailers reported better-than-expected results in July as warm weather and clearance sales drew shoppers into stores. Thomson Reuters reported that three-quarters of retailers reported results beat expectations. Costco Wholesale Corp., Target Corp., Limited Brands and Gap Inc. all reported gains above expectations.

Camp Hill, Pa. -- Rite Aid Corp. reported Thursday that July same-store sales rose 0.5%.

Total sales dipped 0.1% to $1.88 billion.
 

NEW YORK — Avery Dennison's office and consumer products division and the UPS Store have signed on as the inaugural sponsors of  Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia's"American Made," a multimedia celebration of American artists, artisans and entrepreneurs. The program will celebrate 10 rising stars from a range of lifestyle arenas in a special feature in the November issue of Martha Stewart Living.

GOODLETTSVILLE, Tenn. — Older Americans who still want to participate in the work force will be welcomed by Dollar General. The retailer has eaffirmed its commitment to experienced workers by supporting the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP)’s “Work Reimagined” program and the 50-plus worker pledge.

WASHINGTON — Desire for more organic food, high-end products and mobile technologies were the driving trends of the fastest-growing retailers in the United States, according to the National Retail Federation's "Hot 100 Retailers" list. Published annually in the group's STORES August issue, the list consists of retail companies that reported the greatest increase in domestic sales between 2010 and 2011. All public and private companies with more than $300 million in sales were eligible for the list, which was compiled by Kantar Retail.

LAS VEGAS — Epson America Inc., a supplier of value-added Point of Sale (POS) solutions, has received the Gold Award of Excellence in the hardware technology category during the Retail Solutions Providers Association's RetailNOW 2012 show.
 

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Sam's Club announced that Dale Talde, celebrity chef and owner of Talde and the soon-to-be opened Pork Slope Restaurant, both in New York, joins the Sam's Club Simply Delicious Chef Brigade to help families serve up healthy, restaurant-quality meals in their own backyard.