eCommerce

New Delhi, India – Narendra Modi, candidate of opposition party Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for Indian prime minister, reportedly has made statements in favor of global online retailing and India’s small retailers learning to compete with large retailers. According to Reuters, at a meeting of the Confederation of All India Traders, Modi said small local retailers should improve the quality of their goods to a level closer to that of large global competitors, and also consider entering contracts with large online retailers to create virtual trade.

Dallas -- Alliance Data Systems, a global provider of data-driven marketing and loyalty solutions, today announced its Retail Services business has signed a multi-year renewal agreement to continue providing both private label and co-brand credit card services for lifestyle and entertainment retailer HSN.

Best Buy saw revenues slip in the fourth quarter and fiscal 2013, thanks in part to declining retail traffic fueled by a shorter holiday shopping season and severe winter weather. But all was not bad news for the retailer, which was able to profit from its Renew Blue cost reduction program.

During the fourth quarter, Best Buy reported net earnings of $311 million, a notable improvement from its $460 million net loss a year earlier. For the fiscal year, Best Buy reported net earnings of $523 million, compared to a net loss of $233 million the prior fiscal year.

San Diego -- As part of a restructuring, Sony Electronics announced plans to close 20 U.S. Sony stores, along with a total staff reduction of one-third by the end of the calendar year.

New York -- In a sign of some progress in its turnaround efforts, J.C. Penney Co. reported a net profit of $35 million for the fourth quarter ended Feb. 1, 2014, compared to a loss of $552 million a year ago. Excluding a tax benefit and other items, Penney had a loss of $206 million for the quarter.

Looking forward, the company expects same-store sales to increase approximately 3% to 5% for the first quarter and to increase mid single digits for the full year 2014.

New York – Aeropostale Inc. is reportedly working with investment bank Barclays plc to investigate options including selling the company to a private equity firm or a regular equity sale. According to Bloomberg, Aeropostale CEO Tom Johnson is already trying to reverse four consecutive quarters of losses through new products and the closure of up to 40 stores.

In November 2013, major investor Crescendo Partners sent Aeropostale a letter demanding the company sell itself. Aeropostale and Barclays did not comment in the article.

The TJX Companies CEO Carol Meyrowitz touted the company’s performance in the fourth quarter and fiscal 2014, calling it a successful year despite a competitive retail environment and generally unfavorable weather in many of its regions during the first and fourth quarters.

Minneapolis – Target Corp. saw dramatic year-over-year declines in its net earnings for the fourth quarter and fiscal year 2013, as the negative impact of its massive data breach and damages from its Canadian operations took effect. The chain warned that continuing costs related to the breach may affect its profits in the first quarter of fiscal 2014.