Retail

New York -- Marks & Spencer, one of the leading retailers in the United Kingdom, is set to unveil a new property lease policy under which all new M&S stores will have ‘green’ clauses as standard enabling landlords and tenants to better manage a building's environmental performance.

New York -- Limited Brands is putting the expansion of its teen-favorite Pink division into high gear.

On the chain’s quarterly conference call, company representatives said Pink will more than double its store count this year, growing from 34 stores to 83 stores by yearend.

Littleton, Mass. -- Dover Saddlery Retail, a wholly owned subsidiary of Dover Saddlery, will open its first New York store, in Huntington (on Long Island), on April 19.

The store, which will evoke the look and feel of a premium equestrian stable, will feature an extensive range of riding apparel, tack and horse care supplies from all the leading brands. The location, as all Dover Saddlery stores, will offer helmet, boot and coat fittings as well as demo saddles for test rides in a wide selection of models.

New York -- Lane Bryant announced the opening of its new 7,835-sq.-ft. flagship in New York City.

Located near Herald Square, the store has a feminine, contemporary look and features such amenities as fitting rooms with lighting that can be adjusted to office, daylight and evening settings. New imagery and design is prominent throughout the store, plus fixtures that allow for high-impact merchandise displays.

Lane Bryant, a wholly owned subsidiary of Ascena Retail Group, operates 805 stores.

Minneapolis -- Best Buy Co. said that its loss narrowed in the fourth quarter, helped by improved U.S. sales. In a separate release, the company said that the deadline passed without it having received an acquisition offer from its co-founder, Richard Schulze, who had been considering making a bid for the chain.

“The company received no such offer and will continue to focus on its transformation for the benefit of all of its stakeholders,” Best Buy said in a statement.

New York -- Publix Super Markets is interested in Harris Teeter Supermarkets, Bloomberg reported.

Royal Ahold, the Netherlands-based company that operates Stop & Shop, is also looking to making a bid for the North Carolina-based chain, according to various media reports.

Harris Teeter released a statement on Feb. 13 in which it said it hired JPMorgan to assist in holding talks with suitors after being approached by two buyout firms.

Dedham, Mass. -- iParty Corp., a leading party goods retailer with a strong presence in New England, has entered into an agreement to be acquired by Party City Holdings Inc., North America’s largest party supply retailer.

Menomonee Falls, Wis. -- Kohl's Corp. reported a lower fourth quarter profit on Thursday, hurt by markdowns during the holiday season. The loss was lower than Wall Street had expected. The retailer also forecast full-year earnings that fell short of analysts’ forecasts.
 
Kohl's said its net income fell to $378 million for the quarter ended Feb.2, from $455 million a year earlier. (The retail calendar for fiscal January 2013 included a fifth week, resulting in a 14-week fiscal fourth quarter and a 53-week year.)