Research Topic

April same-store sales at Target increased 1.1% and helped the company achieve a 5.3% first-quarter comps increase that was the highest in six years. How much of the performance was due to record warm weather versus good execution of a solid strategy against the back drop of an improved economy is debatable.

NEW YORK — Macy's Inc., Kohl’s, Saks and Costco’s Wholesale Corp. all reported results that fell short of expectations in April. An early Easter, which helped fuel March results, high gas prices, cool weather and renewed worries about the economy contributed to the decline, according to many analysts.

NEW YORK — Several apparel retailers, including Limited Brands, Zumiez and Ross Stores, posted better-than-expected sales in April. It was widely expected that an earlier Easter, which pushed demand into March, and cool weather would hurt sales.

Limited Brands, parent of Victoria’s Secret, reported a 7% rise in same-store sales for April, beating estimates.

Cindy Davis, Walmart’s EVP global customer insights and analytics, is set to headline the second annual SHOP conference next week presented by MARS Advertising and the Center for Retailing Excellence in the Sam M. Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas.

Westlake Village, Calif. -- Academy Sports + Outdoors ranks highest in customer satisfaction, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2012 Sporting Goods Retailer Satisfaction Report. The inaugural report measures the overall sporting goods retailer customer satisfaction experience by examining five key factors: staff, cost, facility, merchandise and sales/promotions.

New York -- New York City Pension Funds is urging shareholders to vote against the re-election of Wal-Mart Stores CEO Mike Duke and four other board members out of concerns about the chain’s bribery investigation in Mexico, the Associated Press reported.

The pension group owns 5.6 million shares of Wal-Mart, which has more than 3.4 billion shares outstanding.

Jacksonville, Fla. -- Body Central Corp. reported Thursday that net income for the first quarter rose to $5.9 million, from $5.4 million in the same period last year. Sales increased 11.8% to $82.7 million, and same-store sales dipped 1.4%.

The retailer, which operates 243 stores, said it is on track to open at least 35 stores in 2012.
 

Charlotte, N.C. -- Harris Teeter Supermarkets reported Thursday that net income for the quarter ended April 1 edged up to $30.3 million, from $29.9 million in the year-ago period.

Sales climbed 6.7% in the period, to $1.12 billion from $1.05 billion. Same-store sales increased 3.9%.

Chelmsford, Mass. -- The Kronos Retail Labor Index edged down to 3.8% in April from a March level that was revised three-tenths lower. Even with declines over the last two months, the Retail Labor Index remains above levels seen over the last few years, averaging 4.0% over the first four months of this year, up from 3.5% last year. (The Index is defined as the ratio of hires to applications within a given month, expressed as a percentage. A level of 3.0) means that for every 100 applications received, three hires occurred)

Davenport, Iowa -- Von Maur Department Store will premier its newly redesigned lingerie department at its soon-to-be-opened location at Atlanta's Perimeter Mall. The 234,000-sq.-ft. store is set to become one of the chain’s largest stores to date.