Sales & Marketing

New Albany, Ohio -- Abercrombie & Fitch Co. earned $11.4 million for the second quarter, down from $17.1 million in the year-ago period, amid a 10% drop in same-store sales. The retailer, whose results missed analysts' estimates, also gave a third-quarter earnings forecast well below Wall Street expectations.

Abercrombie & Fitch and many other teen retailers have struggled of late, with their sales impacted not only by financially constrained consumers but also by the inherent fickle nature of their customer base.

ZAANDAM, Netherlands — Dutch supermarket-operating company Ahold has appointed Abbe Luersman as the company’s chief human resources officer.

Ahold said that Luersman, who will report to CEO Dick Boer, will assume the new position on Nov. 1. Ahold's U.S. division operates the Stop & Shop, Giant Food Stores of Carlisle, Pa., and Giant Food of Landover, Md., supermarket banners, as well as the Peapod online grocery service.

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Stein Mart is preparing to launch its e-commerce business. The company expects the initiative to have a negative bottom line impact this year, in part, because of startup costs.

For the second quarter ended Aug. 3, however, the company is enjoying total sales of $291 million, up 3.8% from the prior-year quarter. Comparable store sales increased 6.4%. 

PLEASANTON, Calif. — Ross Stores credited strong sales and merchandise gross margin for its better-than-expected results for the second quarter ended Aug. 3.

The company reported earnings per share of $.98, up from $.81 for the prior-year quarter — a 21% increase on top of a 27% gain in last year's second quarter. Net earnings for the 2013 second quarter grew to $213.1 million, up 17% from $182 million in the prior year.  

Jacksonville, Fla. -- Stein Mart Inc. reported that its second-quarter net income increased 48%, helped by higher same-store sales. The retailer also announced that the SEC is conducting an investigation related to Stein Mart's restatement of prior years' financial statements and its change in its auditors.

For the quarter ended Aug. 3, Stein Mart earned $3.4 million up from $2.3 million in the same quarter of 2012.

Revenue increased 4%, to $291 million from $280.4 million. Same-store sales rose 6.4%.

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New York -- A disconnect between chief marketing officers and chief information officers threatens the ability of companies to deliver effective customer experiences, according to a new study by Accenture. Only one-in-10 of executives believing collaboration between CMOs and CIOs is currently at the right level.