Sales & Marketing

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Mattel’s board of directors has named CEO Bryan G. Stockton, 59, as chairman of the board, effective Jan. 1, 2013. The current chairman, Robert A. Eckert, 58, informed the board of his decision to retire from his service as director and chairman of the board, effective Dec. 31. Stockton will continue to function as CEO, a position he’s held since Jan. 2012.

A 2.7% third quarter same store sales increase at Sam’s Club was below expectations for a 3% to 5% increase. President and CEO Rosalind Brewer explained what went wrong yesterday morning during a pre-recorded message.

Canton, Mass. -- Casual Male Retail Group reported Friday a loss of $1.6 million in the third quarter, flat with the prior year’s third quarter.

Sales dipped slightly to $88.7 million from $89 million, and same-store sales inched up 1.5%. However, same-store sales for Destination XL rose 13.8% in the quarter.
    

Value never goes out of style during the holiday’s and Ross Stores is well positioned to capitalize on this most enduring of seasonal behaviors.

Birmingham, Ala. -- Hibbett Sports reported Friday that net income for the quarter ended Oct. 27 climbed 18.8% to $19 million, compared with $16 million in the year-ago period.

Sales rose 9.6% to $202.9 million, and same-store sales increased 6.4%.

The sporting goods retailer said it is on track to open 57 to 60 new stores in fiscal 2013, expand approximately 17 high-performing stores, and close up to 18 stores.

Forty participants in the annual OfficeMax ElfYourself campaign are due to join in next week’s McDonald’s Thanksgiving Parade in Chicago.

The elves will escort a candy train float along the parade route expected to be attended by 500,000 people and millions of television viewers. While on the parade route, the elves will distribute winter survival kits featuring cold-weather essentials such as lip balm, hand warmers and hot chocolate mix, and also invite spectators to enjoy OfficeMax's online and in-store deals this holiday season.

For a split second after the presidential election the victor and the vanquished struck a conciliatory tone on finding the balance between raising taxes and cutting spending. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. president and CEO Mike Duke wants the issue resolved as soon as possible.

Duke was among a group of business leaders in Washington earlier this week meeting with President Barack Obama and following the meeting Walmart released a statement expressing his views on the issue.

Minneapolis -- Supervalu on Friday said it would implement a pay freeze for all employees at its corporate headquarters and said it would also reduce or suspend matching contributions to workers’ 401(k) plans, effective next year.