Supply Chain & Merchandising

Columbus, Ohio -- DSW Inc. reported Tuesday that net income increased to $53.7 million in the third quarter, up from $35.5 million a year earlier.

Sales rose 8.5% to $530.7 million, from $489.3 million. Same-store sales increased 5.2%.

The shoe retailer cited strong boot sales for the performance surge. “We are confident in our strategies and continue to expect fiscal 2011 to represent a strong year of growth, and as a result we have increased our annual guidance," said Mike MacDonald president and CEO.
 

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Photo enthusiasts that shop at Walgreens now can enjoy same-day pickup for many of its photo gifts at more than 3,000 stores nationwide.

Walgreens customers can create their gifts by utilizing Walgreens touchscreen photo kiosks in stores (or from home at Walgreens.com/photo) and pick them up within the same day at their local store. The drug store chain said its new photo technology and printing systems produce high-resolution, color-rich prints that allow photo technicians to produce some photo gifts in as little as an hour.

Menomonee Falls, Wis. -- Kohl’s Corp. was recognized with its third Green Power Partner of the Year Award by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Department of Energy and the Center for Resource Solutions. The chain is the first retailer to be named Partner of the Year for three consecutive years.

Carle Place, N.Y. -- 1-800-Flowers.com announced Tuesday the signing of a 45-store franchise development agreement for its Fannie May Fine Chocolates division with GB Chocolates. The agreement calls for 45 new Fannie May franchise stores beginning in December 2011, with all open and operating by year-end 2014.

The first three stores under the agreement are slated to open in Minnesota in time for the Christmas holiday. The agreement provides exclusive development rights for several Midwestern states as well as specific cities in Florida and Ohio.

Savannah, Ga. -- Citi Trends reported Tuesday a loss of $6.8 million in the third quarter, compared with a loss of $0.4 million a year earlier.

Sales increased 2.2% to $143.1 million, from $140 million. Same-store sales decreased 9.3%.

The company opened 26 stores, relocated or expanded four others and closed one store in the third quarter.
 

AMSTERDAM — Dutch supermarket operator Royal Ahold reported sales of $9.3 billion and profits of $347.8 million in third quarter 2011, the company said.

Those figures represented a 2.5% increase in sales and a 15.2% increase in profits over third quarter 2010.

East Cleveland, Ohio -- Walgreens received GE Lighting’s Retailer of the Year award in recognition of the drugstore chain’s transition from F28 to F25 linear fluorescent lamps, a strategic move that enabled the company to achieve a 9% energy savings while also extending its re-lamp cycle — how frequently it changes bulbs — by 10%. The award was presented at GE’s third annual LED & Energy Efficient Lighting Trends for Retail conference, held at the lighting unit’s headquarters in East Cleveland, Ohio.

WILLIAMSVILLE, N.Y. — Regional supermarket chain Tops Markets reported a 3.6% increase in net sales for the period ended Oct. 8.

Third-quarter net sales rose $18.7 million to $538.6 million, the retailer said. Supermarket sales (excluding gasoline sales) totaled $491 million, up $7.5 million, or 1.5%, compared with the year-ago period.