FINANCE

Costco Wholesale Corp.’s second quarter profit took a hit amid higher costs. And for the first time since 2011, the retailer is raising the cost of entry into its stores.   As of June 1, Costco’s annual fee for individual and business members will increase by $5.00, to $60. The executive membership fee will go up $10, to $120.    Costco’s net income for the quarter, ended Feb. 12, fell 5.7% to $515 million, or $1.17 per share, below Wall Street expectations.  

Publix Supermarkets’ sales and profit rose in the fourth quarter amid continued expansion.      Publix’s net earnings for the fourth quarter rose 4.5% to $544.5 million, from $521.1 million in the year-ago period.   Sales rose 11.1% to $9.1 billion. (The additional week in the fourth quarter of 2016 increased sales by 7.4%.) Same-store sales increased 2.2%.  

Strengthened by strong holiday performance, a steadily recovering housing market and an increasingly omnichannel approach, Lowe¹s reported fourth quarter net sales of $15.8 billion, up 19.2% from $13.2 billion in the same quarter a year ago.   Net earnings for the quarter swelled to $663 million, up from $11 million in the fourth quarter of 2015.   Comparable sales increased 5.1% in the quarter.  

The Conference Board announced a new high for consumer confidence in February, which reached its highest level since July 2001.   The index now stands at 114.8, up from 111.6 in January.  

American Eagle Outfitters topped earnings expectations amid a strong performance by its Aerie division, but issued a cautious note for fiscal 2017.   For the quarter ended Jan 28, the retailer reported better-than-expected earnings of $54.6 million, or 30 cents per share, down from $81.7 million, or 42 cents per share, a year earlier. Excluding one-time items, the chain has earnings of 39 cents per share, beating consensus analysts estimates by a penny.  

The competitive apparel market and a touch retail climate overall has claimed another victim.    BCBG Max Azria Group LLC on Wednesday announced that it taken “the next step in the restructuring of its brands and operations” by filing for Chapter 11 of bankruptcy protection. Earlier this month, the company revealed plans to close 120 stores as part of its restructuring efforts.   

Target Corp. has a lot on its plate for the next three years.   Among other initiatives the retailer will open 30 small format stores in 2017, doubling its presence in urban markets and on college campuses. By 2019, Target will operate more than 130 smaller stores.  

Best Buy Corp. came up short on top line growth in its fourth quarter amid problems with product availability. But its income topped expectations, helped by operational improvements and store closures.    The consumer electronics retailer on Wednesday issued a first-quarter forecast that missed Wall Street's expectations. It also detailed the next phase of its turnaround, which includes expanding its in-home advisory program, accelerating growth in Canada and Mexico, and more cost cutting.