Business Analytics

Chesapeake, Va. -- Dollar Tree said that its board has approved a $1.5 billion share repurchase program. The company said it has invested more than $1.9 billion for share repurchase since 2003, including $414.7 million in 2010 and $345.9 million in 2011, to date.

Brisbane, Calif. -- Bebe Stores reported Thursday that revenue for the quarter ended Oct. 1 rose 7.1% to $116 million, missing Wall Street’s expected $124.1 million in sales.

Same-store sales for the quarter rose 7%.

The apparel retailer said it is focused on international growth and expects its international licensees will grow by up to 30 freestanding stores and 30 shops inside department stores in the fiscal year.

WASHINGTON — A report released Thursday by the National Retail Federation predicted an average holiday shopping season. According to the NRF forecast, holiday retail sales for 2011 are expected to increase 2.8% to $465.6 billion. While that growth is far lower than the 5.2% increase retailers experienced last year, it is slightly higher than the 10-year average holiday sales increase of 2.6%, according to NRF.

Springfield, N.J. -- Village Super Market, which operates 28 supermarkets under the Shop Rite name in the Northeast, reported Thursday that net income for the fourth quarter was $8.8 million, an increase of 14% after backing out the extra week in last year’s fourth quarter.

Without the adjustment, net income fell from $8.9 million a year earlier.

Revenue rose nearly 1% to $345 million from $342.7 million. After excluding the extra week, revenue increased nearly 8%. Same-store sales rose nearly 8% excluding the extra week.

Washington, D.C. -- A Thursday report by Bloomberg said that consumer confidence last week capped the worst quarterly performance in more than two years, when the U.S. economy was still in a recession.

The Bloomberg Consumer Comfort Index rose to minus 50.2 in the week ended Oct. 2, from the prior period’s minus 53 that was the second-lowest level on record. The gauge averaged minus 48.4 from July through September, the third-worst quarterly reading of all time and the weakest since minus 49.9 in the first three months of 2009.

ISSAQUAH, Wash. — Costco membership seems to defy current consumer trends as the warehouse club announced Wednesday that it would raise its annual membership fees at the same time reporting increases in fourth quarter sales and earnings.

Issaquah, Wash. -- Costco Wholesale Corp. reported an 11% increase in its fourth quarter net income, below forecasts. The company also announced that it will raise its membership fees starting Nov. 1.

Costco's net income rose to $478 million for the period ended Aug. 28, up from $432 million in the year-ago period. The quarter included a "last-in, first-out" inventory charge of four cents per share. This charge reflects a requirement that the company revalue its inventory if prices rise or fall notably.

The pricing gap between Target and Walmart narrowed last month to a scant 1.7% as Walmart took prices up slightly during August while Target did the opposite, according to a monthly survey by the retail research team at Credit Suisse.