Sales & Marketing

Walmart CEO Doug McMillon's statement on social media Wednesday asking the state of Arkansas to reject legislation that critics say could allow discrimination against lesbians and gay men is indicative of the retailer's increased role in many social issues, according to the New York Times.

Camp Hill, Pa. – Rite Aid’s positive momentum continued in March, with the drugstore chain reporting a 4.3% increase in March overall same-store sales.

Total drugstore sales for the four-week period increased 4.1% to $2.026 billion, compared to $1.947 billion for the same period last year. Prescription sales accounted for 69.9% of sales.
 

Hingham, Mass. – Talbots Inc. has signed an extension to a long-term agreement to continue receiving private label credit card services from Alliance Data Systems Corp. Talbots operates nearly 500 stores throughout the U.S. and Canada.

Sam’s Club is expanding its prescription savings program to allow Plus and Business Plus members to save even more money through new benefits.

New savings on generic prescriptions, some of which are available free of charge or at a discounted cost of $4 or $10 at specified quantities, are now available in all Sam’s Club locations with pharmacies.

This new benefit is part of Sam’s Club Extra Value Drug List, through which Sam’s Club Plus and Business Plus members also receive 10-30% savings on select brand name medications.

New York -- Investment firm TowerBrook Capital Partners is acquiring women’s apparel retailer J. Jill, which operates some 250 stores nationwide. TowerBrook is buying the company from Investment firm Arcapita and private equity firm Golden Gate Capital.  

In a statement, J. Jill CEO Paula Bennett noted that the retailer has just completed its best sales year in history and 12 quarters of consecutive growth.

Oak Brook, Ill. - McDonald’s USA has decided to give employees a break, in the form of higher pay, paid time off and educational assistance. McDonald’s is raising starting wages at company-owned restaurants in the U.S. one dollar more than the locally-mandated minimum wage, as of July 1.

Fast casual chain Forever 21 has added men’s, girls and plus collections to 50 more stores as part of its global expansion plan.

Forever 21+, Forever 21 Men and Forever 21 Girls will now be added to 50 existing U.S. stores in markets such as Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, New Orleans, Orlando, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Seattle, Stamford, Conn., and more.

Sears Holding Corp. is looking to raise more than $2.5 billion by selling its stores to a real estate investment trust.

The REIT, called Seritage Growth Properties, will purchase 254 Sears and Kmart stores for more than $2.5 billion and then lease back the Sears and Kmart stores to Sears Holdings. Seritage will partially fund the transaction through a public rights offering.