Supply Chain & Merchandising

Fort Worth, Texas – RadioShack Corp. on Thursday posted a net loss of $137.2 million in its second quarter, more than double the $52.2 million loss reported in the year-ago period.  It was the troubled retailer’s 10th straight quarterly loss. RadioShack warned in a regulatory filing it may seek bankruptcy protection, with a possible sale or third-party investment as other potential avenues to remedy its ongoing financial woes.

Walmart unveiled new details regarding the digital strategy for its Asda division in the United Kingdom that could have implications for how the retailer serves the U.S. market.

U.K. shoppers love the internet and Walmart’s Asda unit is responding with growth of order online, pick up in store capabilities known as Click and Collect, dedicated facilities and the consolidation of Web sites.

Foothill Ranch, Calif. – Teen retailer The Wet Seal reported a new loss of $22 million for its second quarter, up from $1 million to $22 million in the year-ago period. Lower merchandise margins, higher occupancy costs, costs related to exiting its Arden B business, and non-cash asset impairment charges all helped increase Wet Seal’s net loss.

Net sales decreased 11.6% to $121.2 million, from $137.2 million. One bright spot was e-commerce, where sales rose 25%.

Cincinnati – The Kroger Co. beat Wall Street expectations with strong net earnings and sales results for the second quarter of fiscal 2014. Net earnings rose 9% to $347 million from $317 million, while total sales increased 12% to $25.3 billion compared to $22.7 billion for the same period in the prior year.

Philadelphia – Five Below plans to open a new distribution center in Oldmans Township, New Jersey, in 2015. The center will replace an existing 421,000-sq.-ft. facility located in New Castle, Delaware.

Five Below will occupy approximately 700,000 sq. ft. of the facility to start with, and plans to grow to one million sq. ft. over time. The new distribution center, which is expected to be fully operational in the second half of 2015, will support the company's continued growth and expansion on the East Coast.

Jacksonville, Fla. - Stein Mart is opening six new stores in fall 2014 as part of its 2014 store expansion plan that calls for  nine new locations, strategically selected in key growth markets, and seven relocations. The openings will bring the company's total nationwide store count to more than 270.

New York -- Fitch Ratings downgraded the credit ratings of Sears Holding Corp. from “CCC” to “CC,” citing the “magnitude” of the retailer’s drop in profitability and lack of visibility to turn operations around as a significant concern.

Fitch also cited the company’s cash burn rate, calling it a “significant concern.”

According to Lands’ End president and CEO Edgar Huber, the company is well positioned to continue executing against its strategic initiatives to drive long-term sales and earnings growth.

The retailer, which completed its separation from Sears on April 4, has achieved double digit year-over-year adjusted EBITDA growth for more than four consecutive quarters as of the second quarter of fiscal 2014.