Business Analytics

LAKELAND, Fla. — Gino DiGrazia, who currently serves as VP and controller of Publix's business analysis and reporting, has been promoted to VP finance. In addition to his current responsibilities for business analysis and reporting, DiGrazia assumes many of the responsibilities previously held by Kelly Underhill, director of tax and treasury, who retired from Publix on March 30.

MINNEAPOLIS — First quarter earnings at Target exceeded a profit forecast the company increased last month after a strong start to the quarter.

Framingham, Mass. -- Staples Inc. said its first-quarter net income fell 6% to $187.1 million, compared to $198.2 million a year ago, hurt by weakness abroad.

Total sales fell 1.1% to $6.1 billion. International sales, which account for roughly 20% of the company’s total revenue, dropped 8% to $1.2 billion. In the United States, Staples’ revenue was flat.
 

Framingham, Mass. -- The TJX Cos. reported Tuesday that net income rose to $419 million for the quarter ended April 28. On an earnings per share basis, adjusted profit results showed a 41% increase over the prior year period.

Sales increased 11% to $5.8 billion and same-store sales climbed 8%.

Carol Meyrowitz, CEO of TJX Cos., said: “We saw significant increases in customer traffic across all divisions in the first quarter over last year, which we believe points to the strength of our values and our brand content.”

ATLANTA — Warm weather and demand for core products helped drive up sales and earnings at The Home Depot during its fiscal first quarter. The company reported sales of $17.8 billion for the first quarter of fiscal 2012, a 5.9% increase from the first quarter of fiscal 2011. Comparable-store sales for the first quarter of fiscal 2012 were positive 5.8%, and comp sales for U.S. stores were positive 6.1%.

Atlanta -- Home Depot reported Tuesday that profit for the first quarter rose a healthy 27.5% to $1.04 billion, aided by warmer weather during the period.

Sales rose 6% to $17.81 billion from $16.8 billion, missing analysts’ forecasted $17.89 billion in revenue. The company boosted its 2012 outlook based on year-to-date performance. Same-store sales increased 5.8% in the quarter, with a strong 6.1% gain in the United States.
 

Seattle -- Nordstrom Inc. reported Thursday that profit for the first quarter edged up just 2.7% to $149 million, compared with $145 million in the same period last year. Results, which were negatively impacted by free shipping offers and promotional initiatives, met internal expectations but missed Wall Street estimates.

Sales soared 13.7% to $2.53 billion, but still missed analysts’ forecast of $2.55 billion. Same-store sales rose 8.5%.

ISSAQUAH, Wash. — Costco announced that its board of directors declared a quarterly cash dividend on Costco common stock and approved an increase from 24 cents to 27.5 cents per share, or from 96 cents per share to $1.10 per share on an annualized basis.

The quarterly dividend is payable June 8 to shareholders of record at the close of business on May 25.

Costco plans to release its operating results for the third quarter, ended May 6, on May 24.