Logistics

Maine-based L.L. Bean Inc. intends to almost triple its store count by 2020, according to a company memo distributed to employees this month.

Hibbett Sports is on track to open at least 80 new stores in 2015 as strong holiday sales and early tax refunds gave the retailer a boost in the January quarter.

The company posted quarterly earnings of $19.9 million, compared to $16.9 million, in the year-ago period. EPS surged to $0.79 from $0.64. Its sales gained 9.9% to $239.3 million. Same store sales rose 5.4% in the quarter.

Westlake, Ohio – Rising fuel gross margins and a non-recurring litigation settlement helped Travel Centers of America Inc. (TA) roughly triple its net income to $34.34 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2014, from $11.97 million in the fourth quarter of the previous fiscal year. Revenues dipped 9% to $1.72 billion, from $1.9 billion.

New York -- Ann Inc. on Friday posted a 94% drop in profit for the fourth quarter as incremental air freight costs in response to the West Coast ports dispute and lower margins resulting from increased promotional activity cut into sales. Its results, however, topped the Street forecasts. The company also announced efforts to deliver an additional $35 million in cost savings by 2016 through a new selling, general and administrative optimization program.
 

Consumer electronics retailer Tiger Direct has decided that brick-and-mortar is overrated.

The retailer is closing all but three of its 34 physical stores in the U.S. and internationally in order to focus exclusively on e-commerce.

An IT products and solutions provider, the company has made the strategic decision to accelerate its business-to-business and public sector customer focus, but mostly via its website.

By Hayden Shipp, IBISWorld

Shippers, carriers, longshoremen, businesses and consumers alike can breathe a sigh of relief in light of the tentative deal the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) reached on Feb. 20.

Ankeny, Iowa – Casey’s General Stores Inc. beat Wall Street estimates with net income of $39.2 million in the third quarter of fiscal 2014, more than triple $12.65 million earned in the year-ago period. Steady decline in wholesale fuel costs and rising inside sales helped Casey’s achieve impressive profit growth.

Casey’s currently has 26 new and 11 replacement stores under construction. The retailer’s annual goal is to build or acquire 72 to 108 stores and replace 25 existing stores.

For the past two months, New England has been dealing with an historically snowy, cold winter. As a lifelong resident of the region, I have had time to reflect on a few technology-related lessons retailers can take from my experience as a snowbound consumer.

Factor the Weather into your Planning