FINANCE

Consumers cooled their spending in July.    Retail sales were flat in July, in line with a revised 0.8% gain in June, according to figures released Friday by the Commerce Department. The report ended three straight months of monthly gains.     Sales in July rose 2.3% from a year ago. Excluding automobiles and parts sales, sales fell 0.3% in July — the weakest reading since January, after a 0.9% gain in the prior month.     

Wal-Mart Stores’ Mexican unit is shedding its apparel store chain.   Wal-Mart de Mexico SAB (Walmex) is selling its Suburbia chain to El Puerto de Liverpool SAB, one of the largest department store operators in Mexico, in a deal valued at 19 billion pesos ($1.03 billion), Bloomberg reported.  

Kohl’s Corp. beat analysts’ expectations for the second quarter even as its sales continued to show weakness.     The retailer posted a profit of $140 million, or 77 cents a share for the quarter ended July 30, compared with $130 million, or 66 cents a share, in the year-ago period. Excluding certain items, earnings rose to $1.22 a share from $1.07 a year ago.   Revenue fell 2% to a better-than-expected $4.18 billion. Same-store sales fell 1.8%.  

Nordstrom Inc. on Thursday reported second quarter earnings that exceeded Wall Street estimates, and also lifted its full-year earnings outlook.   The upscale department store profit’s fell to $117 million, or $0.67 per share, from $211 million or $0.1.09 per share in the year-ago period. Analysts had expected earnings of $0.56 per share.   

Macy’s Inc. announced that it will close 100 full-line namesake stores as part of a wider effort to improve its business and succeed in an omnichannel environment. The move comes after six straight quarters of declining same-store sales.      The department store giant said it plans to concentrate its resources on the best-performing locations, and to invest in those stores by adding new vendor shops, increasing the size and quality of staff and new technology.  

Macy’s Inc. on Thursday posted second quarter results that topped analysts’ expectations. But with a steep drop in profit and sales still on the decline, the department giant said it will close 100 stores. It also gave an update on its real estate strategy.   

Supervalu is moving closer to spinning off its Save-A-Lot discount grocery banner.   The latest SEC filing by Supervalu is its most thoroughly documented to date, and details a 60/40 stock split of Save-A-Lot once it goes public, Twin Cities Business reported.   

Ralph Lauren Corp. swung to a loss in its first quarter as costs related to efforts to turn around its business cut into first quarter earnings. But it still managed to beat Wall Street expectations.   The company lost $22 million, or 27 cents per share, versus net income of $64 million, or 73 cents per share, in the year-ago period.     Revenue in the quarter was down 4% to a better-than-expected $1.55 billion.