Business Analytics

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Supermarket retailer Harris Teeter experienced a boost in second-quarter sales, as well as sales for the first half of fiscal year 2012, the company said.

Sales for the second quarter ended April 1, sales rose 6.7% to $1.12 billion, compared with the year-ago period, while the 26-week period experienced a sales boost of 7.6% to $2.24 billion, compared with the same period last year.

St. Louis -- Build-A-Bear Workshop posted a narrower-than-expected loss for the first quarter. The retailer reported a net loss of $1.0 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2012, down from a loss of $2.3 million last year.

Consolidated net retail sales of $95.2 million represented a 1.6% increase compared to $94.2 million. Revenue came in at $96.4 million, missing the $97.6 million analysts had expected. Same-store sales in the quarter rose 3.6% in North America. Overall same-store sales rose 1.2%.

Jacksonville, Fla. -- Body Central Corp. reported Thursday that net income for the first quarter rose to $5.9 million, from $5.4 million in the same period last year. Sales increased 11.8% to $82.7 million, and same-store sales dipped 1.4%.

The retailer, which operates 243 stores, said it is on track to open at least 35 stores in 2012.
 

New York -- Walgreen Co. said Thursday that same-store sales slipped a worse-than-expected 6.4% in April, largely due to its split with pharmacy benefits manager Express Scripts Inc.

For April, Walgreens’ same-store pharmacy sales were down 8.9%. Front-end sales fell 2.2%

At April 30, Walgreens operated 8,307 locations in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Guam

Chelmsford, Mass. -- The Kronos Retail Labor Index edged down to 3.8% in April from a March level that was revised three-tenths lower. Even with declines over the last two months, the Retail Labor Index remains above levels seen over the last few years, averaging 4.0% over the first four months of this year, up from 3.5% last year. (The Index is defined as the ratio of hires to applications within a given month, expressed as a percentage. A level of 3.0) means that for every 100 applications received, three hires occurred)

Austin, Texas -- In what it called the best quarter in its 32-year history, Whole Foods Market’s second-quarter profit jumped nearly 31% on stronger sales. The company raised its full-year outlook on the results.

“Our exceptional results in the first half of the year have given us the confidence to significantly raise our guidance for the full year. We are confident that our sales momentum and operating disciplines will create continued positive results for our shareholders," Walter Robb, co-CEO said in a statement.

Westlake Village, Calif. -- Academy Sports + Outdoors ranks highest in customer satisfaction, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2012 Sporting Goods Retailer Satisfaction Report. The inaugural report measures the overall sporting goods retailer customer satisfaction experience by examining five key factors: staff, cost, facility, merchandise and sales/promotions.

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — CVS Caremark’s president and CEO Larry Merlo told analysts Wednesday morning that he was “very pleased” with its first quarter, as results across both the retail and pharmacy benefit management segments came in at the high end of expectations and its integrated assets continue to demonstrate success and improve patient lives.