Budgets/Spending/Market Size

New York City -- Jo-Ann Stores reported Wednesday that net income for the quarter ended Jan. 29 rose 8.9% to $40.4 million, compared with $37.1 million in the year-ago period.

Sales increased 3.6% to $624.1 million, just missing Wall Street’s expected $625.1 million. Same-store sales rose 2%.

Chairman and CEO Darrell Webb said the fabric and crafts retailer plans to open 55 to 60 new stores and remodel 60 more this year.

PLEASANTON, Calif. — Safeway on Tuesday said that it expects to earn $1.60 to $1.80 per diluted share during the quarter, after the company's board approved a $1.1 billion dividend from Canada to the United States.

 The dividend, Safeway said during its 2011 investor conference, will be used to pay off $600 million of U.S. debt, and the company will use the remainder of the dividend for share repurchases.

Secaucus, N.J. — The Children's Place Retail Stores Inc. said Wednesday its profit fell nearly 6% in the fourth quarter, but results topped expectations as the company cut costs.

The retailer said its net income fell to $32.1 million in the three months ended Jan. 29, down from $34.1 million year ago. Revenue fell 2% to $453.2 million from $462.8 million in the prior-year period. Same-store sales fell 5.9%.

 York, Penn. -- Bon-Ton Stores Inc. said Wednesday its fiscal fourth-quarter profit climbed 6%.

The department store chain said its net income rose to $85 million for the period ended Jan. 29, up from $80.3 million a year earlier.

Revenue edged up 1% to $1.03 billion from $1.02 billion.

Revenue at stores open at least a year rose 0.8%.

Bon-Ton Stores' annual net income was $21.5 million. In the prior year, it lost $4.1 million. 

Washington, D.C. -- Total spending on St. Patrick’s Day festivities is expected to hit $4.14 billion this, according to NRF’s 2011 St. Patrick’s Day Consumer Intentions and Actions survey, conducted by BIGresearch. The survey found that 52.4% of Americans will celebrate the Irish holiday, up from 45.2% last year and the most in the survey’s eight year history.

WASHINGTON -- With Easter falling in late April this year, retailers are without a major holiday to boost March sales, and many are expecting weaker sales this month. However, thanks to St. Patrick's Day, which falls on March 17, retailers have the help of this micro-holiday.

YONKERS, N.Y. -- In another positive sign for the economy,  the March Consumer Reports Index reveals its most positive results in two years.

According to Consumer Reports National Research Center, which conducts the survey, the Consumer Sentiment Index has broken into positive territory at 50.3, which is up from 48.7 a month ago. This is the first time sentiment has been in positive territory since it was first measured in October 2008.

New York City -- The Conference Board’s Employment Trends Index, released Monday, increased in February for the fifth consecutive month.

According to the Conference Board, the index now stands at 101.7, up from January’s revised figure of 100.1. The index is up over 8% from a year ago.