Winter Holidays

MINNEAPOLIS  — Target overcame modest fourth-quarter sales growth to report profits that exceeded earnings guidance and also provided a better than expected outlook for 2012.

Menomonee Falls, Wis. -- Kohl’s Corp. reported Thursday that profit for the fourth quarter dropped 7.9% to $455 million, from $494 million a year earlier, as the retailer experienced unexpected revenue declines during the holiday selling period.

Kohl's reported that total sales dipped 0.3% to $6.02 billion in the period, and same-store sales dropped 2.1%. It was the chain’s first revenue decline in three years

Hoffman Estates, Ill. -- Sears Holdings Corp. reported Thursday a loss of $2.4 billion in the fourth quarter, compared with a profit of $374 million in the year-ago period. And in a move long anticipated by some analysts, the chain also announced plans to tap into its massive real estate holdings to help make up for its faltering retail performance.

Revenue slipped 4% to $12.5 billion from $13 billion. Same-store sales fell 4.1% during the quarter at Sears and 2.7% at Kmart.

WASHINGTON — Retailers hoping to see a boost in sales this tax season may be out of luck as more Americans this year plan to save their refunds.

The National Retail Federation's tax returns consumer survey, conducted by BIGinsight, found that 43.8% of those expecting refunds will save some of that money, up from 42.l% who said so last year and the most in the survey’s nine-year history. Two-thirds (66.2%) of tax payers are expecting a refund this year, the exact same as last year.

CHESAPEAKE, Va — Dollar Tree's sales and earnings growth for the fourth quarter and fiscal year is just another example of how discounters dominated in 2011. 

The company reported that net sales for the fourth quarter were $1.95 billion, a 12.8% increase compared with $1.73 billion reported for the quarter ended Jan. 29, 2011. Comparable-store sales increased 7.3%, on top of a 3.9% increase for the fourth quarter 2010.

DALLAS — Zale Corp. reported increased revenues and earnings for its second quarter ended Jan. 31, thanks to a successful holiday season.

The company reported that revenues for the quarter were $664 million, an increase of $37 million, or 6%, compared with $626 million in the same period last year. 

Comparable-store sales, which are based on year-over-year merchandise sales, increased 5.8% during the quarter. This increase follows a 7.9% rise in the same period last year. 

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. — TJX Cos. is headed for a strong 2012, thanks to fourth-quarter sales and profit growth. The company reported that its fiscal fourth-quarter profit rose 42% to $475.3 million, from $334.4 million a year earlier. The owner of Marshalls, HomeGoods and T.J. Maxx also announced plans to repurchase up to $1.3 billion of stock this fiscal year.

For the quarter, sales rose 6% to $6.7 billion. Same-store sales increased 7%.

Fire safety presents extra challenges to retail locations. Stores are filled with combustibles that aid the spread of fire and smoke. And confusing store layouts impede escape during emergencies. The results can be expensive: loss of revenue from store closures, and worse, loss of life.

Chain Store Age spoke with three leading fire safety experts as to what steps retailers could take to avert fire disasters. Here are their top 10 recommendations.

1. WATCH THE STOCK

Dallas -- Zale Corp. posted a higher second quarter profit helped by a surge in holiday sales. Net profit rose to $28.8 million, from $27.2 million a year ago.

Overall revenue rose 6% to $663.8 million. Same-store sales rose 5.8%.
 

ATLANTA — Boosted by mild temperatures and spring-like selling conditions throughout much of the country, Home Depot saw sales rise nearly 6% in the fourth quarter.

The home improvement giant reported fourth-quarter sales of $16.0 billion, up 5.9% from the same quarter last year. Comparable store sales were positive 5.7%, and up 6.1% in the United States.

"We had a strong finish to 2011, and with favorable weather, our business delivered results that exceeded our expectations," said CEO Frank Blake.