Distribution

Following fourth quarter results that missed Wall Street expectations, Ascena Retail is looking ahead to fiscal 2015, which CEO David Jaffe said will see the continuation of a critical, multi-year investment to build the company’s omnichannel platform.

The company reported net earnings of $15.7 million, compared with $29.8 million in the year-ago period.

Two acquisitions in two years blended with organic growth have allowed Boot Barn to nearly double in size and lay claim to being America’s largest western and work wear retailer.

Tractor Supply with its more than 1,300 stores and Walmart might dispute that assertion — depending how western and work wear are defined — but there is no denying that Boot Barn is a retailer on the move with backing from growth oriented private equity owners.

Thorofare, N.J. -- Checkpoint Systems has been selected by global retailing giant Inditex Group to implement radio frequency identification (RFID) technology into its distribution centers.

Inditex’s RFID implementation project was recently unveiled by chairman and CEO Pablo Isla at the company’s annual general meeting.

The nation’s largest automotive retailer has entered some rarified retailing air after reporting its 33rd consecutive quarter of double digit profit growth during the fourth quarter ended August 30.

The operator of 5,391 stores in the U.S., Mexico and Brazil said its fourth quarter profit increased 7.4% to $373.7 million while earnings per share increased 15.6% to $11.28, compared to prior year profits of $371.2 million, or $9.76 a share.

Dublin, Calif. – DD’s Discounts, a division of Ross Stores Inc., will open a new store in Orlando on Sept. 27. The store is located in the Century Plaza. 

Including this new location, DD’s Discounts will operate approximately 150 locations in 13 states and is on schedule to complete its expansion plan to open approximately 20 locations in 2014. Together, Ross Dress for Less and DD’s Discounts currently operate more than 1,300 off-price apparel and home fashion stores in 33 states, the District of Columbia and Guam.

Memphis, Tenn. -- AutoZone on Monday reported better-than-expected fiscal fourth-quarter net income of $373.7 million from $347.8 million a year earlier. The chain also reported a milestone as its net income for the full year rose 7.7% to $1.1 billion.


The auto parts retailer’s revenue in the fourth quarter rose 3.4% to $3.05 billion in the period, up falling short of Street forecasts of $3.06 billion. Same-store sales rose 2.1%.

Sunrise, Fla. - Pet Supermarket has recently opened its 150th store in Bartow, Florida. The per supply retailer now has more than 100 in Florida, as well as stores in Georgia, Alabama, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Kentucky, California and Nevada, and is continuing to consider real estate opportunities in the states and markets it serves, as well as others.

Dublin, Calif. -- dd’s Discounts, a division of Ross Stores, Inc., will open a new store in the California Central Valley on Sept. 27. The store is located in the Shaw Village Shopping Center in Clovis.  

Including this new location, dd’s Discounts will operate approximately 150 locations in 13 states and is on schedule to complete its expansion plan to open approximately 20 locations in 2014.