Supply Chain & Merchandising

BOSTON — Gordon Brothers Group, a global advisory, restructuring and investment firm specializing in the retail, consumer products, industrial and real estate sectors, has named Robert Paglia COO. Paglia will focus on the oversight of Gordon Brothers Group's operating, financial planning, human resource, administrative, corporate marketing, and information technology functions in support of the firm's global platform of integrated operating and capital solutions, the company reported.

New York City -- Sally Beauty Holdings on Thursday said that its fiscal third-quarter profit increased 68% as sales rose while it held its expenses in line.

The beauty retailer posted net income of $69.1 million for the three months ended June 30, compared with $41.1 million a year earlier. Revenue rose 13% to $837 million.

Sales at Sally Beauty Supply stores rose 11% to $517.2 million. Same-store sales gained 6.1%. The division had 3,123 stores at the end of the quarter.

Little reason to believe Sam’s Club won’t easily meet or possibly exceed second-quarter same-store guidance that calls for an increase of 3% to 5%, following reports this week from Costco and BJ’s Wholesale club. Sam’s results correlate closely to its warehouse club rivals, and they both reported solid gains even after excluding the distorting effect of higher year-over-year gas prices.

Plano, Texas -- A Wednesday report by the Wall Street Journal said that J.C. Penney Co. has launched a voluntary early-retirement program for certain employees over 55 years old.

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — CVS Caremark posted second-quarter results that were at the high end of its guidance and narrowed its 2011 outlook on continued confidence. But it was the PBM business — and the potential merger of PBM rivals Express Scripts and Medco Health Solutions — that was top of mind for many industry observers, and was a topic that CVS Caremark president and CEO Larry Merlo hit head on at the start of Thursday morning’s conference call.

INDIANAPOLIS — Specialty electronics retailer Hhgregg reported a net loss of $0.8 million for the first quarter ended June 30, or a loss of 2 cents per diluted share, compared with net income of $2.7 million, or 7 cents per diluted share, for the comparable prior-year period. 

New York City -- The nation’s specialty apparel retailers reported mixed results in July. as Hot Topic and Limited Brands turned in strong performances, while Gap and Aeropostale stumbled.

Hot Topic said its same-store sales rose 7.3% in July. far exceeding the 0.5% rise in analysts’ forecast. Hot Topic said the measure rose 6.2% at its namesake stores and rose 11.8% at its plus-sized Torrid division. The teen retailer also raised its second-quarter outlook.

New York  City -- The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company (A&P) has asked U.S. Bankruptcy Court in White Plains, N.Y., for a second extension of its deadline to submit an exclusive plan of reorganization to its creditors.

The supermarket operator is looking for an extension to Jan. 16, 2012, from a previous deadline of Dec. 31, 2011. In court papers, it said the extension  would provide it with "the very best opportunity for a successful exit from Chapter 11."