Sales & Marketing

So maybe the Walmart U.S. isn’t lighting things up on the same-store sales front just yet; the division did manage to grow total sales by 0.6% to $62.7 billion and increase operating profits by 0.8% to $4.65 billion. This despite the fact that division president and CEO Bill Simon noted the paycheck cycle remains pronounced, and higher year-over-year gas prices are eating into the disposable income of the company’s core shoppers who are consolidating trips.

Washington, D.C. -- A report released Thursday by Bloomberg said that consumer confidence fell last week to the lowest level in nine months as the cost of fuel pinched U.S. household budgets.

The Bloomberg Consumer Comfort Index declined to minus 49.4 in the period to May 15, the worst reading since August, from the prior week’s minus 46.9. A gauge of personal finances plunged to the weakest level since October 2009, and a monthly measure of economic expectations held at a seven-month low.

SAN FRANCISCO — Williams-Sonoma reported that net income for the quarter ended May 1 jumped 62% to $31.6 million, from $19.5 million a year earlier, topping company expectations.

Revenue rose 7.4% to $770.8 million, better than expected.

Same-store sales, which includes direct-to-consumer revenue, rose 9%. Same-store sales rose 3.1% at the namesake brand, 7.9% at Pottery Barn and a record 11% at Pottery Barn Kids.

New York City -- Borders Group on Thursday said it planned to end its relationship with Seattle's Best Coffee and begin operating its own in-store cafes. 

The move will allow Borders to reduce licensing fees as it works toward emerging from bankruptcy, a spokeswoman said on Thursday, and also to tailor its menus to customer needs.

The company said in a filing in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Manhattan that it will seek the court's approval of the move to reject its leases with Seattle's Best.
 

Kearney, Neb. -- The Buckle reported Thursday that net income for the first quarter rose to $33.5 million, compared with $30.1 million in the year-ago period.
 
Sales in the quarter ended April 30, 2011, increased 11.8% to $240.1 million. Same-store sales rose 8.1%. Online sales (which are not included in comparable store sales) increased 18.6% to $17.1 million.
 

SEATTLE — Amazon.com has launched an electronics trade-in service that allows customers to exchange their used electronics for Amazon.com gift cards. According to Amazon.com, customers can trade in multiple items, including video games, tablets and cell phones, at the same time by sending in one box. 

San Francisco -- Gap reported Thursday that its first-quarter earnings plummeted 23% as costs rose faster than expected, and the chain dramatically lowered its full-year earnings forecast.

Gap is spending about 20% more to produce each item than it did a year ago -- a much faster rise than it expected, the Associated Press reported.

Gap’s net income was $233 million for the quarter ended April 30, compared with $302 million. The performance was slightly better than analysts expected, however.

San Francisco -- Williams-Sonoma reported Thursday that net income for the quarter ended May 1 jumped 62% to $31.6 million, from $19.5 million a year earlier, topping company expectations.

Revenue rose 7.4% to $770.8 million, better than expected.

Same-store sales, which includes direct-to-consumer revenue, rose 9%. Same-store sales rose 3.1% at the namesake brand, 7.9% at Pottery Barn and a record 11% at Pottery Barn Kids.