Sales & Marketing

Indianapolis -- The Finish Line Inc. on Friday reported a decline in its fourth-quarter profit and cautioned that profits in its current year may not hit expectations of a fiscal fourth-quarter net income of $40.8 million.

The retailer also authorized a new 5-million-share buyback program.

The Finish Line’s earnings in the fourth quarter fell 5% to $40.8 million.

Consolidated net sales for the quarter were $551.3 million, an increase of 6.3% over the prior year period. Same-store sales increased 2.6%.

Trendy teen retailer American Apparel reported a deep decline in fourth quarter revenue, as the company grapples with a social media scandal and losses stemming from an investigation of its former CEO.

Washington, D.C. -- An overwhelming majority (70%) of consumers around the globe say that the best way retailers can add value to their shopping experience is to provide easy access to information about their products and services, both online and in stores. That’s one of the key takeaways of a new consumer research study by Oracle.

Brown Shoe Company has added another big name to its big portfolio of designer brands.

The retailer says it will produce and distribute Diane von Furstenberg brand women’s shoes for the 2016 season through a new licensing deal.

San Juan -- The Mall of San Juan, the first upscale shopping center in Puerto Rico, officially opened its doors on March 26. The 650,000-sq.-ft. shopping center, developed through a partnership between Taubman and New Century Development, has a retail line-up includes the Caribbean's only Nordstrom and Saks Fifth Avenue. Sixty percent of the tenants are unique to the market.

Santa Monica, Calif. -- Online teen fave Nasty Gal is opening its second brick-and-mortar location on March 27, on Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica, California.

The mall is certainly not dead in Puerto Rico, where Taubman Centers Inc. held the grand opening for the Mall of San Juan on Thursday.

The island's first upscale shopping center features a singular collection of retailers, more than 60% of which are unique-to-market and the Caribbean's only Nordstrom and Saks Fifth Avenue. The 650,000-square-foot shopping center was developed through a partnership between Taubman and New Century Development, Inc.

New York -- RKF has arranged a 1,560-sq.-ft. lease with international high-end fashion retailer IRO at 241 Columbus Avenue on the Upper West Side in New York City. This will be the second Manhattan store for the French apparel brand, known for its mixing of luxury fabrics with casual street style.

The transaction was arranged by RKF’s executive VP Joshua Strauss and associate Taryn Talmadge, who represented IRO, while the building ownership was represented by RKF executive VP Ariel Schuster and managing director Brandon Eisenman.