Distribution

Seattle – Sales growth outpaced that of expenses during second quarter 2015, leading to a rare report of positive net income at Amazon.com Inc. Amazon reported net income of $92 million, compared to net loss of $126 million the same quarter the prior fiscal year.  

Abingdon, Va. - K-VA-T Food Stores Inc. is expanding in Tennessee and Georgia. K-VA-T, parent company of the Food City supermarket chain, will acquire 29 Bi-Lo stores located in Chattanooga, Tennessee and Northwest Georgia from Southeastern Grocers.    K-VA-T intends to continue to operate all of these stores under the Food City banner and hire the vast majority of their store associates.  

Brentwood, Tenn. – Tractor Supply Company met Wall Street expectations with profit growth that was part of an overall bountiful financial harvest in the second quarter of fiscal 2015. Net income rose 15% to $153.3 million from $133.4 million the same period a year earlier, aided by selling, general and administrative expenses, which stayed flat as a percentage of increasing sales.  

Regional grocery chain Southeastern Grocers has agreed to sell 29 BI-LO stores to another regional grocery chain: K-VA-T Food Stores.

K-VA-T says it intends to continue to operate all of these stores under the Food City banner and hire the vast majority of their store associates, retaining their years of service.

Shares of Amazon.com surged past the $500 mark after the company reported a second quarter profit and revealed more details about a phenomenally successful Prime day promotion that fell in the third quarter.

Commerce, Calif. – Smart & Final Stores Inc. reported net income of $11 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2015, essentially flat compared to $11.1 million in the year-earlier period. Higher expenses related to higher sales volumes, increased store support costs, additional marketing expense, and public company costs inhibited profit growth.

Bentonville, Ark. – Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has made it clear with recent promotions that it has Amazon.com in its sights, and the retailer is now boning up on back-end fulfillment capability for its e-commerce business. Wal-Mart is opening two new e-commerce distribution facilities Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

Atlanta - The Home Depot Inc. is spending about $1.6 billion in an acquisition squarely aimed at better meeting the needs of its professional customers.

The retailer is purchasing Jacksonville, Florida-based Interline Brands Inc., a national distributor and direct marketer of broad-line maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) products.

New York - Elizabeth Arden Inc. has named JuE Wong as president, Elizabeth Arden brand, effective Aug. 3. Wong was previously CEO of StriVectin and Astral Brands and also held several leadership positions for brands including N.V. Perricone, M.D. Cosmeceuticals and Murad.

In addition, Elizabeth Arden has signed a joint venture agreement with Asian prestige beauty distributor Luxasia Ventures Pte Ltd for the Southeast Asia region. Elizabeth Arden expects to commence operations in the first fiscal quarter of fiscal 2016

The Home Depot Inc. is spending about $1.6 billion in an acquisition squarely aimed at better meeting the needs of its professional customers.