Supply Chain & Merchandising

Port Jefferson Station, N.Y.  -- Centro Properties Group US said that Five Guys Burgers & Fries has opened in Port Jefferson Station, N.Y.

The new 2,400-sq.-ft. restaurant is located at Nesconset Shopping Center, which is owned Centro Properties Group, based in New York City.
 

Bentonville, Ark. -- Wal-Mart Stores reported Tuesday that profit for the quarter ended July 31 rose to $3.8 billion, up from $3.6 billion in the year-ago period. Overall revenue, up 5.4% to $109.37 billion, topped Wall Street’s expectations.

Yet, the world’s largest retailer is feeling the pinch from a tight economy that is slow to loosen. Wal-Mart U.S., the company's biggest unit, posted a 0.9% drop in same-store sales, the ninth consecutive quarterly drop and beneath analysts' estimates for a 0.6% fall.

New York City -- Saks reported Tuesday that it has tightened its losses in the quarter ended July 30, posting a loss of $8.4 million compared with a loss of $32.2 million in the year earlier period.

The luxury retailer cited increased full-price selling for the improvement, but warned Wall Street that it was heading into the fall selling season with caution because of the uncertain economic conditions.
 

Albuquerque, N.M. -- Kroger Co. said Tuesday that its Smith's Food & Drug Stores division has completed the installation of photovoltaic energy panels at two Albuquerque, N.M. stores.

The solar energy output from these two store systems is 320,000 kWh, eliminating the need for that amount of energy from fossil fuel sources. It is estimated this energy savings would heat and cool 30 homes in New Mexico for one year; is the equivalent of planting 57 acres of trees; or removing 40 cars from the road.

PHILADELPHIA — Urban Outfitters, which caters to a clientele with a unique and forward-looking approach to fashion and lifestyle merchandise, missed the mark during the second quarter, reporting a 21% profit decline and a same-store sales slip of 2%.

The company reported that earnings for the quarter were $56.7 million compared $71.7 million a year earlier. The company blamed increased expenses related to investments in e-commerce, retail catalogs and technology for the performance slip.

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. — TJX announced that net sales for the second quarter of fiscal 2012 increased 8% to $5.5 billion and consolidated comparable-store sales increased 4%. Net income for the second quarter was $348 million and diluted earnings per share were 90 cents, compared with 74 cents per share last year. 

ATLANTA — Sales increased 4.2% at The Home Depot, the company reported Tuesday morning.

The Atlanta-based company posted $20.2 billion in sales for the period. The company's net earnings for the quarter were $1.4 billion, compared with net earnings of $1.2 billion in the same period of fiscal 2010. 

Encouraged by the growth, the world's largest home improvement retailer raised its fiscal 2011 diluted earnings-per-share guidance to an expectation of $2.34 for the year, up 16%.

Framingham, Mass. -- TJX Cos. reported Tuesday that net income for the second quarter rose 14% to $348 million, compared with $305 million in the year-ago period.

The parent of TJ Maxx and other discount concepts saw revenue climb 8% in the quarter, to $5.47 billion, topping analysts' estimated $5.44 billion.