Supply Chain & Merchandising

Fort Worth, Texas -- Pier 1 Imports said Thursday it has launched a fully redesigned website, Pier1.com, with a lineup of new features, including “Pier 1 To-You” allowing users to buy products online and have them shipped to any location in the continental United States.

Additional options continue to include “Pier 1 To-Go,” which launched in June 2011 and allows customers to pay for selected product offerings online and pick them up in-store with no shipping charges.

Wounded retailers have a tendency to take irrational actions which means Walmart could have its hands full this holiday season as Best Buy is looking desperate and has a new CEO at the helm.

Memphis -- Fred’s reported Thursday that net income for the quarter ended July 28 rose 19% to $6.1 million, compared with $5.1 million in the year-ago period.

Sales rose 4% to $470.8 million from $452.7 million, and same-store sales dipped 1%.

Profit results missed Wall Street expectations, and the discounter has lowered its full-year earnings forecast.


 

Confectionary, food and beverage conglomerate Kraft Foods is selling part of its natural-food products line, Back to Nature, to private-equity firm Brynwood Partners.

While Kraft has sold two other brands to Brynwood, it’s keeping a minority stake — reported to be between a quarter and a half, according to Dow Jones— in the Back to Nature line, which currently includes crackers, cookies, granola and trail mixes that contain less-processed ingredients.

The nation’s leading closeout retailer offered a bleak outlook for the remainder of the year following worse than expected second quarter results and announced the departure of its top merchant.

Columbus, Ohio -- Big Lots reported Thursday that net income for the quarter ended July 28 slipped to $22.1 million, from $35.7 million in the year-ago period.

Sales in the United States edged up 1.7% to $1.18 billion, from $1.16 billion, and domestic same-store sales decreased 1.9% for the quarter.

In Canada, the company recorded a loss for the quarter of $3.3 million, widened from its loss of $1.2 million last year.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Express Inc. reported a 25% increase in net income for the second quarter. But the retailer slashed its profit outlook for the year and said that same-store sales barely rose last quarter and that it expects about the same for the rest of the year.

Express earned $15.8 million for the quarter ended July 28, better than analysts expected, compared with $12.6 million in the year-ago period.

Revenue increased 2% to $454.9 million, short of the $467 million analysts had expected. Same-store sales inched up 1%.

Sidney, Neb. -- Cabela’s Inc. announced today plans for two new stores, including its first-ever locations in Virginia and Delaware. Construction is expected to begin on the new locations in 2013, with the stores expected to open in 2014.

Cabela’s said it will build an 85,000-sq.-ft. store in The Falls, a new retail development in Bristol, Va., that will accommodate about 1.5 million sq. ft. of retail space.

In Delaware, the company will open a 100,000-sq.-ft. store adjacent to Christiana Mall, in Christiana.