Supply Chain & Merchandising

Washington – After a solid start to the holiday season, the National Retail Federation announced that it is revising its holiday forecast to 3.3%, up from 2.3%. The upward revision is due to improvement in a variety of economic indicators including stock market gains, recent income growth, savings built up during the recession - all giving consumers the capacity to spend.  

New York City -- Winick Realty Group announced that Smart Fashion, a national importer and exporter of women’s apparel, has leased its first retail location at 149B West 36th Street, between Broadway and 7th Avenue in Manhattan’s Garment District.

Smart Fashion already operates a wholesale showroom nearby at 1407 Broadway.

The 2,000-sq.-ft. store will focus on trendy junior sportswear.

MINNEAPOLIS - Best Buy reported net earnings of $217 million, or 54 cents per diluted share, for its fiscal third quarter, compared with $227 million, or 53 cents per diluted share, for the prior-year period.

WAYNE, N.J. - Toys“R”Us reported that net sales for the third quarter were $2.7 billion, an increase of 1.9% compared with prior year, due to new locations including Toys“R”Us Express stores as well as comparable-store net sales growth of 2.3% in the domestic segment and a foreign currency translation benefit of $17 million. These increases were partially offset by a decline of 2.9% in comparable-store net sales in the international segment.

Bentonville, Ark. - Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is closing its Moscow office but said it is still interested in the Russian market.

The retailer said Monday that it has been looking to enter the Russian market through an acquisition, but has not found a near-term opportunity so it does not need the Moscow office at this time.

New York - Fast Retailing, Asia’s biggest clothing chain and the parent of Uniqlo, is lookjing to open at least 200 Uniqlo stores in the United States  by 2020 as it seeks to raise sales sixfold in a decade, according to a Bloomberg report. 

"The United States is one of the most important markets for us,” Shin Odake, CEO of Uniqlo’s U.S. unit, said in an interview with Bloomberg Television. 

CINCINNATI - Macy’s, Inc. (NYSE:M - News) today announced it will build a major new fulfillment center near Martinsburg in Berkeley County, W.Va., to support the continued growth of its online business. The site is located strategically along I-81, about 80 miles northwest of Washington, D.C.

OAKLAND, Calif. - Cost Plus confirmed that it is conducting a merchandising test with Bed Bath & Beyond involving its consumables products in three Bed Bath & Beyond stores located in San Diego, California; Totowa, New Jersey and Elmsford, New York. 

For the third quarter the company reported a same-store sales increased 8.8%. Net loss for the quarter was $8.3 million, a $13.7 million improvement.