Budgets/Spending/Market Size

WASHINGTON — The National Retail Federation is set to go to court in order to block the proposed $7.25 billion settlement of a federal antitrust lawsuit over Visa and MasterCard credit card swipe fees.

Ankeny, Iowa -- C-store operator Casey's General Stores Inc. reported Monday a profit of $39 million in the quarter ended July 31, compared with a profit of $39.4 million last year.

Results beat Wall Street expectations, although flat revenue of $1.87 billion missed forecasts of $1.93 billion in sales.

Philadelphia -- Three-fourths (75%) of retailers forecast an increase in holiday sales this year, according to a survey by Hay Group, a global management consultancy.

The annual Seasonal Staffing Survey report also finds that retailers have more confidence in holiday hiring plans. While 57% of retailers plan to hire seasonal workers at the same level as 2011, 36% say they will be hiring more. This stands in contrast to 2011 when just 10% planned to hire more seasonal workers than the year prior.

BOSTON — The future North American grocery business of Kraft Foods will deliver steady and profitable top-line growth, consistent bottom-line growth and a superior dividend payout, according to the business' future executive team.

Back-to-school shopping, the second-largest shopping season in the United States, helped make this August a strong month for retailers. Shoppers took advantage of back-to-school promotions to outfit students for the new school year. ShopperTrak, the world’s largest counter and analyzer of retail foot traffic, found that August’s retail foot traffic increased 6.3% compared with the previous month and increased 12.3% compared with the same month last year. 
   

Chelmsford, Mass. -- A report released Thursday by workforce management solution-provider Kronos Inc. found that retail experienced gains in job applications and hiring during the month of August.

Houston -- The Men's Wearhouse Inc. reported Wednesday that net income for the quarter ended July 28 rose to $59.4 million, from $57.1 million in the year-ago period.

Sales edged up 1% to $662.3 million, narrowly missing Wall Street’s expected $662.9 million in revenue. Same-store sales grew 4.4% at namesake stores, but fell 3.3% at K&G stores.

The company has raised its guidance for full-year 2012.
 

Camp Hill, Pa. — Rite Aid posted a 0.4% increase in same-store sales for the month of August.

The increase included a 2.4% increase in front-end comps and a 0.6% decrease in pharmacy comps.

Total store sales for the five-week period that ended Saturday were $2.406 billion, a 0.4% decrease from last year's $2.414 billion. Same-store prescription count increased by 4.5%.