Department Store

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — For the second quarter, Mattel reported net income of $96.2 million, or 28 cents per share, compared with last year’s second quarter net income of $80.5 million, or 23 cents per share.

New York -- A survey released Tuesday by the International Council of Shopping Centers and Goldman-Sachs found that 42% of U.S. consumers expect to spend more on back-to-school items this year than they did in 2011.

With the back-to-school shopping season already well underway as one-third of households reported that they have begun to shop, ICSC and Goldman-Sachs expect the average household expenditure on all types of back-to-school items will be about $300 this year.

NORWALK, Conn. — LogicSource, a procurement services firm which initially focused on printed materials and related commodities and services, will now offer clients sourcing and procurement of materials for store construction and maintenance, including rollout displays, fixtures, lighting, flooring, mannequins, hangers, gift boxes, bags and exterior signage.

New York -- Macy's on Friday won a preliminary injunction against Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia that would prevent it from selling some of its products at the chain.

Macy's Inc. sued Martha Stewart Living in January after J.C. Penney acquired a 16.6% stake in Martha Stewart Living and announced plans in December to open Martha Stewart mini-shops beginning next year. Macy’s said that it had exclusive rights to certain categories of the Martha Stewart brand until 2018.

New York -- New York City metro area retailer Daffy’s is going out of business. The discount apparel chain will close all of its 19 stores (eight of which are in Manhattan) this fall, according to various reports.

The closings are not totally unexpected. In June, Crain’s New York Business reported that Daffy’s was having trouble paying its vendors.

New York -- Sycamore Partners extended the expiration date of its tender offer to buy The Talbots by 14 days. Sycamore said in May that it would buy the women's apparel retailer for $193.3 million, or $2.75 per share -- a price that was lower than its previous offers.

The tender offer was previously scheduled to expire at midnight, New York City time, on July 13. It now has been extended to July 27.
 

WASHINGTON — U.S. retail sales declined during the month of June, the Census Bureau reported Tuesday.

U.S. retail and food services sales for the month, adjusted for seasonal variation and holiday and trading-day differences, but not for price changes, were $401.5 billion, an decrease of 0.5% from the previous month but 3.8% above the year-ago period. Retail trade sales were down 0.5% from last month but 3.5% above last year.

New York -- Retail sales fell 0.5% in June, the Commerce Department said on Monday, as consumer spending declined for the third consecutive month. The drop, which followed a 0.2% decrease in May, was unexpected as many economists were expecting growth.

Falling gas prices were attributed to some of the weakness. But even excluding sales at gas stations, retail spending fell 0.3% in June. Economists said weak job growth was making consumers cautious and eating away at consumer confidence.