Events

As Walmart CFO Charles Holley noted recently during an investor conference, the company was pleased with its February sales. Unseasonably warm weather surely played a role as did a surge in promotional activity which seems oddly inconsistent with the company’s renewed emphasis every day low prices. The number of ad pages increased 58% to 41 total pages compared to 26 the prior year, according to promotional research firm Market Track.

WASHINGTON — February retail sales rose 8.6% over last year, marking 20 consecutive months of sustained growth, The National Retail Federation reported Tuesday.

The seasonally adjusted increase -- stronger than expected -- was 0.5%, which excludes automobiles, gas stations and restaurants.

Houston -- Francesca's Holdings Corp. reported Tuesday that profit for the fourth quarter grew nearly 100% to $8.4 million, from $4.3 million in the year-ago period. Results handily beat Wall Street expectations.

Sales surged in the period almost 55% to $61.7 million, past Wall analysts’ estimated $57.6 million. Same-store sales increased 15%.

The retailer said it expects to open 76 new boutiques during fiscal year 2013.
 

Las Vegas -- Digital gift card solution-provider Transaction Wireless said Tuesday that Applebee’s expanded its offering with the Transaction Wireless platform to provide its sports fans with personalized digital gift cards as part of its “Catch the Game” invite application on Facebook.

The app is timed to launch in concert with the March Madness NCAA basketball series. Basketball fans visit the Applebee’s Facebook page and schedule a viewing party at any Applebee's location to invite family and friends to attend.

Northridge, Calif. -- Chicago-based General Growth Properties announced that Brooke Whitebread has been named general manager of its Northridge Fashion Center property, located in Northridge, Calif.

Whitebread will oversee coordination and implementation of strategic advertising, public relations, budgeting, retailer relations and special events.

Whitebread comes from a GGP-owned center, Fashion Place in Salt Lake City, Utah where she developed and executed strategic marketing plans. 
 

Washington, D.C. -- The National Retail Federation released information on Tuesday that showed a year-over-year retail sales rise of 8.6% in February, marking 20 consecutive months of sustained growth.

The seasonally adjusted increase -- stronger than expected -- was 0.5%, which excludes automobiles, gas stations and restaurants.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Mass merchandiser Sam's Club has made a deal with the pregnancy and parenting brand of an author who has signed on to write articles in its in-store magazine.

Washington, D.C. -- A report released Tuesday by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates said that import cargo volume at the nation’s major retail container ports is expected to increase 10% in March compared with the same month last year. And, according to the monthly Global Port Tracker, year-over-year gains should continue through mid-summer.