Sales & Marketing

Seattle -- Outdoor gear and apparel retailer REI has promoted Eric Artz, CFO, the additional role COO), and Susan Viscon, VP merchandising, to senior VP merchandising.

Charlotte, N.C. -- The Cato Corporation reported that net income rose 6% to $15.7 million for the second quarter ended Aug. 2, from $14.8 million last year.

Sales increased 6% to $243.8 million, from $229.4 million last year. Same-store sales increased 3%.

"Second quarter same-store sales were in line with our year-to-date trend," said John Cato, CEO. "However, we continue to expect the second half earnings per diluted share will be within our original guidance range.”

New York -- A new Nielsen survey found that nearly 20% of consumers have already started their back-to-school shopping, and 75% plan to start within the next few weeks.

More parents are starting their shopping earlier than in the past, as 18% of survey respondents had already started their back to school shopping as compared to 7% at the same time last year. On the flip side, 15% are choosing to wait longer, while 50% do not plan to do any back to school shopping this year.

Secaucus, N.J. -- The Children's Place, Inc. reported a loss of $10.7 million in the quarter ended Aug. 2, compared to a loss of $23.6 million in the year-ago period. Sales edged up to $384.6 million, from $382.4 million for second quarter 2013.

Same-store sales increased 0.8%.

San Francisco -- Gap Inc. posted a better-than-expected quarterly profit and sales and raised its full-year profit forecast, helped by strong sales at Old Navy.

Net profit rose to $332 million in the second quarter ended Aug. 2, from $303 million a year ago.

New York -- Dollar Tree Inc. reported that net income in the second quarter dipped 2.6% to $121.5 million, from $124.7 million a year earlier, amid higher freight costs and investments in higher-value products.

Revenue rose 9.5% to $2.03 billion, and same-store sales increased 4.5%, beating Wall Street estimates of a 2.5% rise. It was the chain’s26th consecutive quarter of positive comparable store sales growth.

Houston -- Baker Katz, an X Team International partner, announced that it has completed the lease of a 40,000-sq.-ft. Dave & Buster's in Houston.     

Located in the Baybrook Mall expansion project, this will be the third Dave & Buster's location to open in the Houston area.

By Michael Hirschfeld, senior VP of JLL’s National Retail Tenant Services