Retail

Greensboro, N.C. -- The Fresh Market Inc. grew net income, same-store sales and net sales during first quarter 2013. Net income rose 14% to $22.1 million, from $19.3 million in the prior year.

Net sales jumped 13% to $366.6 million.

New York -- Fleur du Mal, a recently launched online retailer of women’s specialty apparel, is deploying the Usablenet U-Experience platform and Acadaca e-commerce platform to support a new personalized mobile web shopping experience for its customers. The site is optimized for fast mobile navigation and has dynamic feeds to and direct integration with Instagram and Twitter.

New York -- Nickelodeon has opened a 'Nick Shop' on the first level of the Toys "R" Us flagship in New York City’s Times Square.

Fort Myers, Fla. – Chico's reported a lower-than-expected profit of $51.1 million for the first quarter, excluding non-recurring acquisition and integration costs related to its Boston Proper acquisition, versus a profit of $54 million in year-ago period.

Sales rose 3% to $670.7 million, up 3% from $650.8 million last year. Chico’s, which operates its namesake stores, as well as the Soma Intimates and White House | Black Market chains, attributed much of this boost to the opening of 114 net new stores in the past year.

New York -- Foot Locker Inc. has appointed Paulette Alvitti as senior VP and chief human resources officer. Alvitti will begin her new role on June 3 and oversee the development and delivery of global human resources, including compensation and benefits, organization and executive development/succession planning, employee engagement, talent management, human resources management systems, and corporate communications. She comes to Foot Locker from PepsiCo, where she spent 17 years, most recently serving as senior VP and chief human resources officer at PepsiCo Asia, Middle East and Africa.

St. Louis -- Brown Shoe Company Inc. reported a net loss and declining net sales in first quarter 2013 as the company cited the impact of having exited some businesses in the past year.

The retailer experienced a net loss of $10.8 million, compared to net earnings of $1.7 million a year earlier. Net sales declined about 1% to $588.7 million from $598.2 million.

New York -- Wal-Mart Stores pleaded guilty in federal court in San Francisco to improperly handling and disposing of hazardous waste in California and Missouri, and agreed to pay about $82 million in fines. The settlement brings to a close an environmental investigation that lasted some eight years.

New York -- Michael Kors Holdings Ltd. reported better-than-expected net income of $101.1 million, compared with a year-earlier profit of $43.6 million, on strong demand for its products around the globe.

Retail net sales increased 58.8% to $272.7 million driven by a 36.7% increase in comparable store sales and 67 net new store openings since the end of the fourth quarter of fiscal 2012.

Wholesale net sales increased 59.4% to $304.7 million and licensing revenue increased 15.7% to $19.8 million.