Retail

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.

Procter & Gamble, in support of the National Sleep Foundation's Sleep Awareness Week 2014, announced the launch of its newest fabric care line, the Sweet Dreams Collection.

New Albany, Ohio – Abercrombie & Fitch Co.'s fourth-quarter net income plunged 58%, less than Wall Street expected, amid several one-time charges, including costs tied to the closure of its Gilly Hicks’ stores. The company’s board also approved a $150 million accelerated share repurchase plan, to be executed during the first quarter.

For the quarter ended Feb 1, Abercrombie’s income fell to $66.1 million from $157.2 in the year-ago period. For the full year, income declined 77% to $54.6 million from $237 million last year.

Severe winter weather was no match for Lowe’s in the fourth quarter. The company reported sales of $11.7 billion, up 5.6% from the same quarter last year, as comps increased 3.9%.

The company also posted fourth-quarter net earnings of $306 million, up 6.3%.

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.

By Richard P. Fennelly, director of product development, Coilpod

It’s a well-known industry fact that refrigeration and freezer appliances, which are no longer exclusive to supermarkets, are major electricity “hogs” in retail stores.  

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.

Atlanta – Home Depot Inc.'s net income in the fourth-quarter edged down 0.8%, hurt by snow and severe cold and one less week in the period than a year ago. But cost costs helped its earnings to top estimates and the chain raised its quarterly dividend by 21%.

The very cold weather should boost sales this spring, the chain’s most important sales period of the year, as people repair homes damaged this winter, Home Depot said.