Walmart

As Dollar Tree moves forward with its acquisition of Family Dollar, the company reported an increase in same-store sales and expressed a favorable holiday outlook.

Dollar Tree's earnings per share increased 19% to $0.69 and its revenue increased 11.2% to $2.1 billion compared to the third quarter of fiscal 2013; these results were driven by comparable-store sales increasing 5.9% during the quarter compared to an increase of 3.1% in the prior-year period.

Lost in the crush of holiday related news this week was a supply chain visibility related announcement involving Walmart and an obscure company called I.D. Systems, Inc.

Walmart uses I.D. System’s trailer and tracking management services branded as VeriWise to manage a range of logistics assets. The new development this week involved a three year contract extension whereby Walmart will continue using I.D. System’s services.

BJ's Wholesale Club has introduced a Mastercard program that ups the ante in the wholesale club credit card category. The My BJ's Perks MasterCard will offer members 10 cents off per gallon of BJ's gas every day, up to 5% back on purchases in-club and at BJs.com, 2% back on eating out and non-BJ's gas purchases, and 1% back on purchases made everywhere else MasterCard is accepted.  

New Delhi, India – The India unit of Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has reportedly fired a mid-level manager as part of a probe into alleged bribery violations. According to the Economic Times, Wal-Mart gave the manager a termination notice last week, two years after the company suspended its former India CEO and legal team due to possible violations of U.S. anti-bribery laws.

Bentonville, Ark. –- Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is partnering with Holoma Inc. to provide a service that is a Walmart exclusive through the holiday season. Consumers can use the online service to create interactive photo cards and gifts that play a related video.    

Merrimack, N.H. -- Brookstone Inc. will appoint senior retail executive Thomas M. Via as president and CEO, and as a member of its board of directors, effective Dec. 1. Steven H. Schwartz, who had been serving as interim CEO, will resume his role as chief merchandising officer.  

Hoffman Estates, Ill. -- Sears has introduced "Reserve It,” a free service that lets Shop Your Way loyalty program members identify apparel and footwear items in-stock at their local store, place them on hold and then try them on in-store. Members log in to their Shop Your Way account on Sears.com and select their local Sears store; apparel and footwear product searches will now show items in-stock at that specific store.  

A Toys“R”Us executive will take over the top post at Brookstone, the product development company and specialty retailer that emerged from bankruptcy this year after being bought by a group of Chinese investors.

“We were impressed by Tom's success at rejuvenating businesses and by his broad and deep achievements as a senior executive in the retail industry,” Piau Phang Foo, chairman of the board of directors, said. “He has demonstrated success at driving innovation and growth globally."