Financial/Banking

WAYNE, N.J. — Toys“R”Us reported that sales for the the fourth quarter decreased $155 million to $5.8 billion and that net earnings fell to $239 million from $343 million in the prior year.

Memphis -- Fred's Inc. said Thursday that its fourth-quarter net income decreased 33% amid higher operating costs and restrained consumer spending. The discounter’s forecast for this year also fell below analyst expectations.

Net income for the three months ended Feb. 2 fell to $6.6 million, compared to $9.8 million the year before.

Revenue increased 7%, to $533.4 million, also below analysts’ expectations. Same-store sales were up 4.8%.    

Hamilton, Bermuda -- Signet Jewelers Ltd. reported better-than-expected fourth-quarter results, helped by sales gains at its biggest division, Kay Jewelers. The company, which raised its quarterly dividend by 25%, said it anticipates opening 65 to 75 new U.S. stores for the year. 


Signet, which also operates the Jared chain in the United States and the Ernest Jones stores in Britain, said revenue increased 11.8% to $1.51 billion for the quarter ended Feb. 2.

Hackensack, N.J. -- Academy Service Group, nationwide provider of facility maintenance services, announced Wednesday that it has sold Academy Fire Protection to a California-based private equity firm.  

New York -- Five Below reported Wednesday that net income for the quarter ended Feb. 2 rose to $19.2 million, compared with $12.4 million in the year-ago period.

Revenue surged 38% to $173.6 million from $125.8 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2011. Same-store sales rose 4.4%.

For the full year, profit rose to $20 million from $16.1 million and revenue increased 41% to $418.8 million. The company said it expects to open 60 stores this year, including new markets in Texas, as well as adding units in existing markets.
 

Birmingham, Ala. -- Books-A-Million reported Wednesday a profit of $8.1 million for the fourth quarter, up slightly from $7.6 million a year earlier.

Sales dipped 0.8% to $165.6 million, and same-store sales dropped 6.1%.

For the full year, the retailer swung from a loss of $4 million to a profit of $2.5 million. Revenue rose 7.5% to $503.8 million.

New York -- Five Below reported Wednesday that net income for the quarter ended Feb. 2 rose to $19.2 million, compared with $12.4 million in the year-ago period.

Revenue surged 38% to $173.6 million from $125.8 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2011. Same-store sales rose 4.4%.

For the full year, profit rose to $20 million from $16.1 million and revenue increased 41% to $418.8 million. The company said it expects to open 60 stores this year, including new markets in Texas, as well as adding units in existing markets.

Bentonville, Ark. -- Wal-Mart Stores Inc. revealed in a Tuesday SEC filing that it will most likely incur a loss from bribery probes into its operations in Mexico and other countries.

According to the filing, Wal-Mart said it expects to incur costs beyond the $157 million it spent on the probes in 2013, but didn’t elaborate on the amount or the size of the potential loss.