Department Store

Same store sales growth of 6% and e-commerce strength helped J.C. Penney dramatically reduce its second quarter operating loss and demonstrate growing momentum of its turnaround.

Sales at the operator of 1,060 stores increased to $2.8 billion from $2.66 billion and the 6% comp increase the company reported was against an easy prior year comparison when comps declined 11.5%. Online sales through jcp.com were $249 million for the quarter, up 16.7 % versus the same period last year.

Seattle -- Just two weeks after announcing its $350-million acquisition of men’s personalized clothing service Trunk Club, Nordstrom Inc. reported second-quarter earnings and sales in line with Wall Street projections.

Profit for the quarter was flat at $183 million, and sales climbed 6.2% to $3.3 billion, from $3.1 billion last year. Same-store sales rose a respectable 3.3%.

Nordstrom’s second quarter earnings were in line with its expectations. The results come two weeks after the company said it was acquiring Trunk Club, a men’s personalized clothing service, for $350 million.

Profit for the quarter remained flat compared to last year’s second quarter at $183 million. Net sales for the quarter were $3.3 billion, a 6.2% increase from $3.1 billion in the prior-year quarter. Comparable sales increased 3.3%.

Macy’s tempered its full year sales forecast after solid second quarter results and growing optimism around omnichannel initiatives weren’t enough to offset a slow start to the year.

Macy’s said sales increased 3.3% to $6.267 billion and same store sales increased 4% during the second quarter ended August 2. Excluding sales in departments licensed to third parties same store sales increase 3.4%. Profits increased to $292 million, or 80 cents a share, from $281 million, or 72 cents a share.

New York – Although Macy’s Inc. reported a 4% increase in net income to $292 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2014, from $281 million in the same period a year earlier, the company still missed Wall Street expectations. Leftover merchandise from a sluggish first quarter helped keep Macy’s profit growth down.

Charlotte, N.C. -- Southern department store chain Belk has promoted Jan Clevenger from chair of the company’s Western Division in Birmingham, Alabama, to the position of executive VP and general merchandise manager over Men’s, Home and Kids.

David Luoma has been promoted to succeed Clevenger in the Western Division chair position.

Jan Clevenger has been named EVP and general merchandising manager of men’s, home and kids, reporting to newly named president and chief merchandising officer David Zant.

Clevenger has served as chair of the Belk Western Division based in Birmingham, Alabama, since March 2008. She began her retail career with Macy's in 1984 in store management before becoming a buyer for men’s and center core.  

Columbus, Ohio — Glimcher Realty Trust announced that Scott Barrett has been appointed to the role of VP development – anchor leasing. In this role, Barrett will lead the development, leasing and design activity associated with anchor, big-box and peripheral land deals across the portfolio.