Apparel

New York -- Aéropostale has implemented Gerber Technology’s YuniquePLM software to optimize and increase collaboration between its headquarters and global suppliers. By implementing YuniquePLM, Aéropostale’s designers, sourcing team and vendors speak a much more consistent language.

Strong retail sales in the month of October point to a good holiday sales season ahead. According to the National Retail Federation, October retail sales, excluding automobiles, gas stations and restaurants, increased 2.5% seasonally adjusted over September, and 4.2% unadjusted from 2012.

In a broader view, October retail sales released Wednesday by the U.S. Census Bureau, which include non-general merchandise categories such as automobiles, gasoline stations, and restaurants, increased 0.4% seasonally adjusted month-to-month, and 3.9% adjusted year-over-year.

Worthington, Ohio — Target, Kohl’s, Costco, Macy’s and Old Navy, with an honorable mention to J.C. Penney, are the holiday 2013 retail winners, according to business intelligence provider Prosper Insights & Analytics.  The firm on Tuesday released its  Holiday 2013 Retail Winners & Losers list at the Morgan Stanley Global Consumer and Retail Conference.

Seattle -- REI will open a store in Southlake Texas, in fall 2014. The 22,000-sq.-ft. store, at Park Village, will include a bike shop offering expert assembly and repair services, and provide outdoor-related classes and presentations.

Framingham, Mass. -- The TJX Companies reported better-than-expected net income of $622.6 million for the third quarter, up 35% million from $461.5 million in the year-ago period. The chain also raised its full-year guidance.

Net sales grew about 9% to $6.98 billion from $6.41 billion as bargain-hunting consumers flocked to its stores. Same-store sales rose 5%. The chain credited the ability of its off-price format to succeed in any economic environment as a key component of its strong quarterly performance.

Philadelphia -- Urban Outfitters’ third quarter profit increased 18%, helped by strong results at its Anthropologie and Free People divisions. The company's quarterly earnings per share and sales both in above estimates.

Urban Outfitters’ net income totaled $70.2 million, up 18% from $59.5 million.

Net sales equaled about $774 million, a 12% increase from $692.9 million. Same-store segment net sales, which include the direct-to-consumer channel, increased 7%.

Toronto -- Sears Canada posted a net loss of about $46.7 million USD in the third quarter of fiscal 2013, more than double the net loss of $21 million it posted in the same quarter of the previous fiscal year. One-time charges of $41 million related to restructuring and asset impairment helped widen the company’s net loss.

In addition, revenues of $940.7 million were down about 6% from $1 billion. In one bright spot, same-store sales climbed 1.2%. Sears Canada is in the middle of a three-year turnaround program launched in 2012.

Pittsburgh -- Sales growth fueled in part by the opening of 25 new branded stores did not prevent Dick’s Sporting Goods from reporting a slight decline in net income during the third quarter of fiscal 2013. Net income totaled about $50 million, down incrementally from $50.1 million a year earlier.

Net sales totaled $1.4 billion, up 7% from $1.31 billion. Consolidated same-store sales rose 0.3%, beating company estimates of a 2-3% decline.

Los Angeles -- Mobile shopping continues to rise, with almost one-quarter (23%) of consumers planing to shop using a mobile device this year, up 44% from 2012, according to PriceGrabber’s second Winter Holiday Survey. In addition, when respondents were asked to select all the ways they plan to shop for gifts, 88% said online from a desktop computer and 47% said they plan to visit brick and mortar stores, with 46% who plan to make fewer trips to retail stores this year.

Columbus, Ohio -- The Limited will debut the Stylinity Style Stage, an omni-channel “selfie studio,” on Thursday, Nov. 21 at its flagship store at Easton Town Center in Columbus, Ohio.

Sitting outside the store's dressing rooms, the Style Stage photographs the user wearing store apparel and tags that apparel allowing other shoppers to search for and buy those products online in a fully shoppable social commerce catalogue.