Retail

San Francisco -- Gap Inc. on Thursday reported a 12.5% decline in fourth-quarter profit, with its results impacted by heavy discounting during the holidays. The retailer also issued a profit outlook for the full year that is below analysts' expectations, and said it will open 30 additional U.S. stores during fiscal year 2014.

Gap reported net income of $307 million for the three-month period ended Feb. 1, better than the Street expected, down from $351 million in the year-ago period.

King of Prussia, Pa. -- eBay Enterprise, a global provider of omnichannel solutions, including commerce technologies, retail order management, fulfillment and customer care services and marketing solutions, has extended its partnership with Karmaloop to provide marketing solutions that increase conversion.

Hampstead, Md. – Goldman-Sachs Group, sole underwriter of a $400 million bridge loan supporting Jos. A. Bank’s tentative acquisition of Eddie Bauer, is reportedly postponing the loan. According to the Wall Street Journal, Goldman Sachs had previously set a Feb. 27, 2014 deadline for investors to commit to purchasing portions of the loan, and has not yet set a new deadline.

Cleveland – American Greetings is offering the iPad Creatacard app that provides children with virtual tools like crayons, paint, stickers, stamps and chalk to create personalized greeting cards. Kids can also add their own photos and enhance them with frames, as well as virtually sign the cards.

Each design can be printed as a paper greeting card and shipped anywhere in the world by American Greetings for $3.49. Cards can be tracked online from creation at the American Greetings factory all the way through the post office and delivery.

Oakbrook Terrace, Ill. — Mid-America Real Estate Corporation’s Investment Sales team recently brokered the sale of The Shops of Uptown in Park Ridge, Ill. Phillips Edison-ARC REIT purchased the 70,402-sq.-ft. center for $27 million.

Trader Joe’s anchors the center, which also hosts Jos. A. Bank, Chico’s, LensCrafters Optique, Houlihan’s, Jason’s Deli and Noodles & Company.

Columbus, Ohio – L Brands Inc. saw its fourth-quarter profit increase 19% as the prior year was negatively impacted by special charges. The owner of Victoria’s Secret, Bed, Bath & Body Works and other brands earned $489.6 million for the quarter that ended Feb. 1, compared to $411.4 million, in the prior year.

Revenue for the quarter, which included an extra week, declined to $3.82 billion from $3.86 billion. Same-store sales were up 1%.

For the full year, L Brands earned $903 million, and reported sales of $10.77 billion.

Hoffman Estates, Ill. - Sears Holdings Corp. narrowed its loss for the fourth quarter as it lowered expenses and reduced inventory.

Sears said Thursday that it lost $358 million for the period ended Feb. 1, compared with a loss of $489 million a year ago.

Sales plunged 14% to $10.6 billion, from $12.3 billion. Sears’ revenue performance was hurt partly by having one less week in the latest quarter and having fewer Sears and Kmart stores, the company said.

Walmart honored more than a dozen trucking and transportation partners this week as “Carriers of the Year,” and the list includes many of the supply chain world’s biggest companies along with some lesser known firms.

In addition to its massive private trucking fleet, the enormity of Walmart’s business means it works with more than 400 third party carriers. Out of those the company recognized 13 companies and further singled out Charlie Crawford from UPS as carrier representative  of the year.