Apparel

Warrendale, Pa. -- Rue 21 earned a better-than-expected $9.1 million for the quarter ended July 28, up from $7.7 million in the same quarter last year.

Revenue rose 17% to $202.1 million, from $172.8 million. Same-store sales rose 0.5%, well below analyst expectations.

BALDWYN, Miss. — Hancock Fabrics reported that net sales for the second quarter increased 5% to $60.5 million from $57.8 million for second quarter of last year, and comparable-store sales improved by 5%.

Earnings per share increased by 3 cents, or $0.6 million with a net loss of $3.3 million, or 17 cents per basic share, in the second quarter of fiscal 2012 compared to a net loss of $3.9 million, or 20 cents per basic share in the second quarter of fiscal 2011.

Matthews, N.C. -- Family Dollar announced that it has named Holly Shaskey-Platek to the position of senior VP – merchandising. She will lead the home, apparel and seasonal divisions.

Prior to joining Family Dollar in 2008 as a consultant to provide company-wide change management leadership, Holly spent a total of 25 years with Target Corp. and ShopNBC.
 

New York - Amazon.com, Trader Joe’s and Costco Wholesale Corp. came out on top with consumers in a survey by global strategy firm OC&C Strategy Consultants, Boston. Rounding out the top five were Zappos and iTunes.

Cherry Hill, N.J. -- Philadelphia-based Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust said that Essensuals London will open a high-end salon – its first on the East Coast – at PREIT’s Cherry Hill (N.J.) Mall property.

The 1,530-sq.-ft. salon will be the third of its kind in the country, and will join recently opened Henri Bendel. Pottery Barn and The North Face are opening in the fall.


 

New York -- On Thursday, Saks’ top shareholder Carlos Slim sold 1.5 million of his shares in Saks Inc., remaining the retailer’s No. 1 shareholder but reducing his holdings to 25 million shares.

The Mexican billionaire, through Inmobiliaria Carso SA De CV, sold the 1.5 million shares on Monday and Tuesday.
 

Fort Worth, Texas -- Dallas-based Cypress Equities said that CD Ski & Sports will open its fifth Climate store, locating it at the West 7th mixed-use project in Fort Worth, Texas.

The new 4,221-sq.-ft. store is slated to open in late September.

Palo Alto, Calif. -- A survey released Thursday by Apigee found that three out of five – or 57% – of mobile app users would consider purchasing their holiday gifts this year on a mobile device.

The 2012 Holiday Shopping survey revealed that the top items that would potentially be purchased via mobile are books (32%), electronics (31%), gift cards (27%), DVDs/Blue-ray discs (26%), clothing (24%) and toys (20%).