Apparel

Hamilton, Bermuda -- Signet Jewelers Ltd.’s net income fell to $67.4 million for the quarter ended Aug. 3, down from $70.7 million a year earlier, impacted by the Mother’s Day calendar shift.  

Total sales increased 3.1% to $880.2 million, fueled by strong sales at the company’s Kay Jewelers and Jared stores in the United States. Sales were soft at its British chains.

Same-store sales were up 3.6%. At Kay, same-store sales rose 5.8%.

Destin, Fla. — H&M and Uncle Buck’s Fish Bowl & Grill will anchor a 100,000-sq.-ft. expansion of Destin Commons slated to open in mid-2014.

Construction is underway on the 20,000-sq.-ft H&M store, the first H&M in northwest Florida.

Uncle Buck’s, a concept by Bass Pro Shops, will offer casual dining and 16 lanes of bowling. Uncle Buck’s has also taken 20,000 sq. ft.

The expansion will include about 20 additional stores and restaurants.

New York -- DSW plans to test a smaller-store format that will run about 10,000 sq. ft., down from its average 22,000-sq.-ft. model.

DSW did not disclose where the tests would be. But CEO Mike McDonald told securities analysts that, if successful, the small-format stores “will create a new growth vehicle for DSW, which could significantly expand our store count potential,” Columbus Biz Insider reported.

DSW is on track to open 30 stores in 2013.
 

Despite challenges in the overall consumer discretionary spending environment, Shoe Carnival saw sales increases for the second quarter ended Aug. 3, which coincided with the back-to-school season, driven primarily by its selection of women’s seasonal and children’s footwear.

The leading retailer of value-priced footwear and accessories reported net sales of $216.4 million for the quarter, an 18.8% increase from $182.2 million for the year-ago quarter. Comparable-store sales for the quarter increased 2.6%.

Regional department store chain Gordmans gave shareholders a huge gift this week when the private equity controlled company’s board said it had borrowed $45 million to fund a $3.61 special dividend after reporting lackluster second quarter results.

Los Angeles -- Guess Inc. reported net income for the second quarter above expectations due to improving sales in North America.

Net income fell 7% to $39.8 million, down from $42.9 million a year ago.

Overall sales rose 0.6% to $639 million. In North America, which accounts for about 40% of the chain’s revenue, retail sales were up 1%.

Same-store sales fell 2%, compared to a 10% drop in the first quarter.

New York -- Analysts project that Francesca’s, a junior apparel and accessories retailer, will have the retail industry’s fastest rates of growth during the next three years, Bloomberg reported.

Francesca’s plans to expand to 900 stores, or double its current store count, in the next seven years.  The chain is projected by analysts to grow sales by 80% during the next three years, faster than any other apparel retailer, according to the report.

The New York press has been all abuzz over the latest news about Nordstrom’s new Manhattan digs – that the West 57th Street space is officially Nordstrom’s.