Seasonal

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens announced on Tuesday record sales and earnings for the second quarter as it celebrated a milestone of filling 1-in-every-5 retail prescriptions for the first time in the company's history.

Net earnings for the quarter were $739 million, or 80 cents per diluted share, compared with $669 million, or 68 cents per share, in the year-ago period.

GOODLETTSVILLE, Tenn. -- Though Dollar General's fourth-quarter sales growth came in at slightly below analysts' expectations, the company is still considered a good investment.

BOSTON — Beers that were highlighted in Samuel Adams' annual homebrew contest last year now are available in a six-pack.

The company said that the 2011 Samuel Adams LongShot American Homebrew Contest - Category 23 Variety six-pack has hit store shelves. The variety pack includes two bottles each of Richard Roper's Friar Hop Ale, Rodney Kibzey's Blackened Hops, and Caitlin DeClercq's Honey B's Lavender Wheat, which all were named winners in Samuel Adams LongShot American Homebrew Contest in 2010.

New York City -- Dollar General Corp. reported Tuesday that its fourth quarter profit more than doubled over last year, boosted by increasing sales and traffic. The discounter generated a higher-than-expected profit of $222.5 million for the quarter ended Jan. 28, up from $87.2 million in the year-ago period. The company also gave a full-year forecast that topped analysts’ estimates.

Sales increased 9.4% to $3.49 billion, and same-store sales rose 3.8%.

New York City -- Shoppers plan to wait until next year and beyond to spend generously again, a survey on Monday showed, in an early sign that rising gasoline prices could make the spring selling season tough for retailers, Reuters reported.

About three-quarters of Americans surveyed by America's Research Group said they were shopping less due to rising gas prices, with more than 62% of the participants planning to spend generously only next year or beyond.

Chattanooga, Tenn.-based CBL & Associates Properties said that eleven of its malls in the Midwestern U.S. handed out 6,000 gifts during National Random Acts of Kindness week, Feb. 14-20.

The program is designed to give back to the community and support local nonprofit groups.

WAYNE, N.J. -- The Toys"R"Us Children's Fund announced that it has donated $500,000 donation to Save the Children to help provide relief to children and families impacted by the 9.0 magnitude earthquake and devastating tsunami that recently struck the northeast coast of Japan.

New York City -- Fast-fashion retailer Forever 21 has pledged to donate 100% of its global online sales on March 18 to help the victims of Japan’s earthquake and tsunami. 

All of Forever 21's e-commerce sites -- forever21.com, canada.forever21.com, forever21.com/eu, forever21.com/uk, forever21.co.kr, and forever21.co.jp -- are participating in the initiative.

WEST CHESTER, Pa. -- St. Patrick's Day is here, and QVC is celebrating with 24 hours of Irish programming that will feature an extensive assortment of authentic Irish goods, many of which were created especially for QVC.

During the event, which began at 12 a.m. EST March 17, QVC will offer jewelery, fashion, home decor and othe products from Ireland-based brands. The world-renowned singing group Celtic Thunder is also scheduled to perform several times throughout the broadcast, the company reported.  

NEW YORK – Leigh Anne Brodsky, president Nickelodeon Consumer Products has been selected for induction into the International Licensing Industry Merchandisers’ Association (LIMA) Licensing Industry Hall of Fame. Brodsky joins a select list of only 36 inductees—including Charles Schulz and Jim Davis, both of whom she worked with earlier in her career—since LIMA began recognizing these giants in 1985.