Retail

Hibbett Sports beat the Street on profit in the first quarter, but missed on sales.   The retailer on Friday reported better-than-expected first-quarter earnings of $27.9 million, compared with $27.4 million in the year-ago period. Revenue for the quarter ended April 30 totaled $282.1 million, up from $269.8 million last year.   Comparable store sales increased 1.1%.  

A record 36,000 retail real estate professionals are gathering in Las Vegas this week for the annual RECon conference where for an intense few days they will exchange ideas -- doing deals and showcase hot projects against the backdrop of a challenging retail sales environment and heightened omnichannel activity.  

Minted, the online marketplace for crowdsourced stationery, art and home decor from independent artists, has opened its first brick-and-mortar store.   The store, a pop-up in San Francisco’s Union Square shopping district, is called Minted Local. Open through October 2016, it will highlight the work of regional California artists, including original art and one-of-a-kind decorative items for the first time in Minted’s history.  

Off-price retailer Century 21 will make its West Coast debut in a most unusual way — taking over a high-tech, high-touch “smart” store for six weeks.  

Foot Locker Inc. saw net income reaching unprecedented levels during the first quarter of fiscal 2016, although sales growth missed Wall Street expectations.   Net income rose 4% to $191 million, from $184 million. Higher pretax income offset a slight increase in income tax expense, resulting in the profit boost. Sales also climbed 4% to $1.99 billion, from $1.92 billion. Same-store sales rose 2.9%.  

Fabulous Freddy’s, an eight-unit retail chain headquartered in Las Vegas, provides customers with a little bit of everything.   “We’re a full-service car wash, express lube operation, gas station and convenience store,” said Jeff Warwick, VP and CFO of Fabulous Freddy’s, during an interview with Chain Store Age. “We’re always exploring opportunities to lease store space to franchises or operate in-store franchises ourselves.”  

Big and tall men continued to spend in the first quarter, bucking slow apparel sales throughout the rest of the industry.   Destination XL Group Inc. posted revenue of $107.9 million in the quarter, up 3.3% from $104.4 million in the year-ago period. Total same-store sales rose 2%.  

The recent Momentum 2016 conference held by Manhattan Associates in Orlando, Florida, was a great opportunity to catch up on the latest developments in supply chain solutions and strategies.   Here are three especially important retail supply chain trends uncovered and explained at the event:   Supply chain is key to omnichannel