Retail

Fort Worth, Texas – Snowstorms that affected as many as two-thirds of the selling days in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2014 in some key markets dampened financial performance at Pier 1 Imports Inc.

Compared to the same period the prior year, net income fell 31% to $42.6 million from $61.7 million. Total sales fell 6% to $515.8 million from $551.6 million and same-store sales dropped 4.6%.

New York – Ann Inc. has signed a long-term renewal agreement with Alliance Data Systems Corp. to continue providing private label and co-branded credit card services. Alliance Data will continue to deliver marketing-driven private label and co-branded credit card programs that recognize and reward Ann Taylor and Loft card members.

Ann Taylor and Loft brands are marketed in approximately 1,025 stores across the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico through its Ann Taylor, Loft, Ann Taylor Factory and Loft Outlet stores, as well as globally online.

Fort Worth, Texas – RadioShack opens its latest custom concept store, located in Boston, April 10. Situated in the Downtown Crossing neighborhood, the newly remodeled store features a custom contemporary nautical design, paying homage to the city's maritime heritage with sailing rope accents, weathered wood and a ship's bow centerpiece.

Atlanta -- Dollar year-over-year volume growth during the month of March 2014 remained positive at 2.1%, but slipped from February’s growth of 2.4%, according to the First Data Corp. SpendTrend report. The report, which analyzes same-store point-of-sale data by credit, signature debit, PIN debit, EBT, closed-loop prepaid cards and checks from nearly four million U.S.

Southfield, Mich. -- Kris Abrahamson has been named as VP retail consultancy of shopper marketing agency The Mars Agency. Abrahamson has more than 20 years experience in the consumer packaged goods industry and was most recently the senior director of innovation with PepsiCo's Global Nutrition Group.

As part of the retail consultancy group, she will drive strategic growth initiatives against The Mars Agency's clients' key retailers and lead innovation initiatives that will address evolving shopping behaviors affecting retailers today and in the future.

San Francisco -- Zynga Inc. named former Best Buy executive David Lee as CFO, effective April 14, as the online games company and creator of “Farmville” seeks to return to growth. He will replace current CFO Mark Vranesh who has decided to leave the company.

Lee was previously the senior VP of corporate finance, treasury, mergers and acquisitions and corporate strategy at Best Buy.

Camp Hill, Pa. — In the wake of acquiring Houston-based RediClinic, Rite Aid on Thursday reported revenues of $6.6 billion for the fourth quarter ended March 1, resulting from a 2.2% lift primarily attributed to an increase in pharmacy same-store sales. For the full year, Rite Aid reported $25.5 billion in revenues, up 0.5%.