Supply Chain & Merchandising

Boilignbrook, Ill. — Ulta Beauty reported fiscal results for the third quarter of fiscal 2014 that looked pretty darned good. Net income rose 30% to $59.1 million compared to $45.4 million in the third quarter of fiscal 2013, with lower expenses helping drive up profit.

The company said it will have opened 100 new stores in all of fiscal 2014 and remodeled another 12.

Genesco detailed succession plans for its CFO on a day that the company also reported weaker-than-expected earnings for the fiscal third quarter and lowered its outlook for the full year.

New York — Teen retailer Delia’s Inc. plans to liquidate operations as it prepares to file Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection "in the very near term." The struggling retailer has been hurt by sluggish mall traffic, evolving fashion trends and weak online sales. It said it has  unable to find a merger partner, or get an acquisition or financing proposal that would allow it to remain a viable concern.  

Columbus, Ohio – Big Lots Inc. came up smaller than Wall Street expected with its fiscal performance in the third quarter of fiscal 2014. Net loss shrank to a higher-than-expected $3.44 million from $9.52 million in the same quarter the prior fiscal year.
  Net sales marginally grew to $1.11 billion from $1.1 billion, and same-store sales increased 1.4%. The company expects low-single-digit increases in same-store sales for the fourth quarter and full fiscal year 2014.
 

An increase in selling, general & administrative (SG&A) expenses helped increase net loss at New York & Company Inc. to $9.7 million in the third quarter of fiscal 2014, up from $3.4 million a year earlier.

Net sales declined 3% to $210.6 million from $217.3 million, and same-store sales dropped 3.4%. New York & Co. cited soft performance in its wear-to-work category and the impact of product delays resulting from West Coast port labor issues as negatively impacting sales.

Columbus, Ohio – Express Inc. topped Wall Street expectations with net income of $14.6 million during the third quarter of fiscal 2014, a 24% decline from $19.3 million the same quarter the previous year. Increased buying and occupancy costs contributed to the decline in profits.   Net sales decreased 1% to $497.6 million from $503.8 million. Same-store sales, including e-commerce sales, decreased 5%. E-commerce sales rose 11% to $79.1 million.  

Amazon has introduced a line of “ethically sourced” products for Amazon Prime members.

Amazon Elements will consist of premium products with “transparent origins,” the company said. Amazon Elements will offer Prime members an upgraded level of information about products: when and where items were made, why each ingredient was included, where the ingredients were sourced and more.

Anaheim, Calif. – Pacific Sunwear of California Inc. reported a $469,000 net loss in the third quarter of fiscal 2014, compared to net earnings of $17.7 million the same period the prior year. The loss, which included a charge stemming from a $60 million term loan with Golden Gate Capital, was smaller than expected by Wall Street and driven by one-time charges.   Net sales were $212.3 million, up 4.4% from $202.8 million.    Same-store sales rose 4%.