Supply Chain & Merchandising

Beachwood, Ohio -- Shopping center owner DDR Corp. said Tuesday that four new Shoe Carnival stores will open at DDR shopping centers in 2012.

The new stores are a result of DDR's focus to consolidate small shop space by reconfiguring and re-leasing space to national retailers, improving tenant mix and the quality of cash flow. At three of the shopping centers, multiple small shop units have been combined to accommodate the new Shoe Carnival stores. The fourth center is located in Puerto Rico.

Brentwood, Tenn. -- Tractor Supply Co. has increased its estimated domestic store growth potential to 2,100 locations from a previously estimated 1,800 stores.

NEW YORK — After more than a year since it first filed Chapter 11, A&P has won approval to exit bankruptcy. The company announced that the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in White Plains, N.Y., has approved its reorganization plan, which includes $490 million in debt and equity financing from Ron Burkle's Yucaipa Cos. 

Boca Raton, Fla. -- Office Depot Inc. reported Monday that it swung to a profit of $12.3 million in the quarter ended Dec. 31, compared with a loss of $108.6 million in the year-ago period.

Revenue edged up to $2.97 billion in the quarter, from $2.96 billion last year, missing Wall Street’s expected break-even on $3 billion in sales. Same-store sales dropped 5%, due in large part to a move away from promotions to shore up profitability, said the company.

Broomfield, Colo. -- Level 3 Communications said Tuesday that Stein Mart will implement its Smart WAN Solution to support critical business applications.

Stein Mart will use Level 3's Smart WAN Solution to more efficiently and reliably access frequently used business applications, such as revenue reporting, data analytics, and inventory tracking, by connecting its store and data facilities over a single network.

Broomfield, Col. -- Level 3 Communications announced that Stein Mart will implement Level 3's Smart WAN Solution to support critical business applications used by the company's 262 department stores throughout the United States.

Stein Mart will use the solution to more efficiently and reliably access frequently used business applications, such as revenue reporting, data analytics, and inventory tracking, by connecting its store and data facilities over a single network.

FAIRFIELD, N.J. — Consumers trust retailers will provide them with safe, effective products — no easy task when one considers the numerous items any given company can sell. This is especially true for such retailers as Wal-Mart Stores, which has approved a partnership with SGS for safety and compliance testing for all wireless and automotive products sold through Walmart and Sam's Club, both in store and online, for the U.S. market.

BOCA RATON, Fla. — Office Depot swung to profitability during the fourth quarter, despite a 5% comp sales decline at North American retail stores where the retailer shunned promotional activity during the holidays.