Supply Chain & Merchandising

SECAUCUS, N.J. — Ashley Stewart, manufacturer of plus size apparel, announced that its board of directors has appointed Celia Clancy as president and CEO. 

City of Commerce, Calif. -- Discount retailer 99 Cents Only Stores reported Monday that net income for the quarter ended July 2 rose to $17.7 million, from $16.8 million in the year earlier period.

Total revenue rose 6.3% to $368.3 million, from $346.5 million a year ago. Same-store sales rose 5.9%.

CITY OF COMMERCE, Calif. — 99 Cents Only Stores reported that its consolidated net income for the first quarter of fiscal 2012 was $17.7 million, or 25 cents per diluted share, compared with $16.8 million, or 24 cents per diluted share, for the prior year.

Cary, N.C. -- C-store operator The Pantry reported Tuesday that net income for the quarter ended June 30 rose to $19 million from $18 million the year before.

Same-store merchandise revenue dipped 1.5%.
 

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Children will be returning to school in a matter of weeks, and many of them will be joining or returning to some sort of sporting activity. Enter Sports Authority, which is answering the need for sporting goods by opening six news stores on Aug. 13. The six new stores will open in five states nationwide, in the major markets of Miami, Los Angeles, Salt Lake City, Chicago and Milwaukee, the company reported.

The store locations will be as follows:

• Miami Beach, Fla. at 3401 N. Miami Ave.

Washington, D.C. -- A report released Tuesday by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates showed that import cargo volume at the nation’s major retail container ports dropped below last year, but are expected to see year-over-year gains again this fall.

According to the monthly Global Port Tracker report, volumes will stay below last year through the summer, but will edge up as retailers begin to stock up for the holiday season.

Oakbrook, Ill. -- McDonald's Corp. said Monday that its global same-store sales climbed 5.1% in July, buoyed by ongoing strength abroad and sales of its McCafe beverage and staples such as Chicken McNuggets.

By segment, same-store sales rose 5.3% in Europe. The Asia/Pacific, Middle East and Africa experienced a 4% gain, while the United States posted a 4.4% increase.

Last month McDonald's reported a 15% increase in second-quarter net income as it continued to entice customers to buy new menu items.
 

Target produced another month of solid same-store sales growth in July and had a lot of good things to say about its future prospects. But judging from the action in the company’s share price in the intervening days, it was as if second-quarter earnings per share had come in well short of analysts’ expectations. Target got caught up in the selling free-for-all that occurred on Friday when it appeared the United States was in for a credit rating downgrade followed by a further acceleration on Monday after the downgrade occurred.