Budgets/Spending/Market Size

MATTHEWS, N.C. — With Father’s Day just around the corner, Family Dollar is touting its small-store format, accessible staff and assorted product offerings to draw shoppers into its stores.

The value retailer is offering greeting cards, apparel and grills, while reminding shoppers that stores carry not only grills but also charcoal, coolers, hot dogs, hamburgers and even condiments.

Philadelphia -- Five Below Inc. reported Wednesday a profit of $1.6 million, compared with a loss of $1.2 million in the year-ago period.

The discount retailer saw sales during the quarter rise 33% to $95.6 million from $71.8 million, meeting internal expectations but beating Wall Street’s forecasted $93.9 million in revenue. Same-store sales advanced 4.2%.

According to president and CEO Thomas Vellios, Five Below will open another 60 stores by the end of 2013.

Washington, D.C. -- A report released Thursday by the Commerce Dept. said that retail sales in the U.S. gained 0.6% in May, more than forecast and likely boosted by increased hiring during the month.

The increase was the largest in three months and followed a 0.1% advance in April. Bloomberg economists called for a 0.4% increase. The figures used to calculate economic growth, which exclude categories such as automobiles, climbed 0.3%.

Washington, D.C. -- The National Retail Federation reported Thursday that retail sales in May increased 0.6% seasonally adjusted from April and rose 4.8% unadjusted year-over-year.

The results, which excluded automobiles, gas stations and restaurants, were boosted by improved consumer confidence and spending.

Yonkers, N.Y. – American consumers are reporting significantly fewer financial troubles than any time in the past three years, according to the Consumer Reports Index. The Index’s trouble tracker index, which measures the proportion of consumers that have faced difficulties as well as the number of negative financial events they have encountered, dropped from 41.7 in April to 34 in May. This is the lowest trouble tracker score since Consumer Reports began reporting it in April 2009 and more than 50% below its all-time high score of 68.7 in September 2009.

Washington, D.C. -- U.S. retailers added almost 28,000 new jobs in May, according to statistics from the Department of Labor. This followed 20,000 new retail hires in April.

Restaurants hired another 38,000 people last month.

New retail and restaurant hires helped drive the addition of 175,000 total new jobs to the U.S. economy in May.

New York – Initial Bloomberg estimates indicate US retail sales edged up 0.4% last month, with growth in the job market spurring increased consumer willingness to spend money. The projected increase is the largest in three months and follows smaller increases of 0.1% in April.

Camp Hill, Pa. -- Rite Aid projected that it would turn a profit in the first quarter of fiscal year 2014, results of which it will announce next week. The company has also moved to refinance its debt, announcing that it would buy half a billion dollars in notes using proceeds from a new loan, while also

The retail pharmacy chain said it would buy $500 million worth of 7.5% Senior Secured Notes, due 2017, using the proceeds from a $500 million second lien term loan.

The offer will expire on July 5 unless it's extended, the company said.