Business Analytics

Dedham, Mass. -- Party goods retailer iParty Corp. reported Wednesday a loss of $1.51 million in the quarter ended March 26, compared with a loss of $1.49 million in the year-ago period.

Revenues for the quarter edged up 1.7% to $15.1 million. Same-store sales dipped 1.1%.

iParty Corp. operates 53 iParty retail stores in New England and Florida.

The recent opening of the 500th Vitamin Shoppe store was heralded as an important milestone for this rapidly growing company but within a few years the nation’s second largest nutritional products specialty retailer could be eyeing 1,000 units.

“There are many markets we are interested in establishing a presence in, and we will continue to move forward with our growth plans to expand in current markets and penetrate new ones,” Vitamin Shoppe CEO Tony Truesdale said on the occasion of the opening of the 500th store in St. Peters, Mo., earlier this month.

ABILENE, Kan. -- Duckwall-ALCO Stores reported that net sales from continuing operations for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2011 increased 4.4% to $136.9 million and same-store sales, excluding fuel center sales, increased 1.8%, compared with the same period in the prior fiscal year. Net sales from continuing operations for the fiscal year decreased 0.6% to $465.2 million and same-store sales decreased 2.4%, compared with the same period in the prior fiscal year.

COMMERCE, Calif.  -- Even with an extra week in this year's reporting period, 99 Cents Only Stores reported a total sales increase for it fiscal fourth quarter. The company reported total sales of $378.5 million for the 14-week fourth quarter of fiscal 2011 ended April 2, 2011, compared with $339.3 million for the 13-week fourth quarter in the prior fiscal year. 

The company reported a same-store sales increase of 0.5% for the quarter. Excluding Texas operations, comps were up 0.7%.

New York City -- Survey results released Thursday showed that, for the first time since 2006, small business owners are shifting their focuses from just surviving to plotting growth.

According to the 2011 American Express OPEN Spring Small Business Monitor, entrepreneurs say they are expecting to hire and make necessary capital investments in their firms, signaling signs of an economic recovery.

Minneapolis -- Supervalu reported Thursday that net income for the quarter ended Feb. 26 slipped 2% to $95 million, compared with $97 million in the year-ago period, but results still beat Wall Street expectations.

Performance was impacted by softer sales, which dropped 6% to $8.66 billion, missing Wall Street's estimate of $8.73 billion. Same-store sales fell 5%.

Supervalu, which operates Albertsons, Jewel-Osco and Save-A-Lot chains, launched a turnaround plan more than a year ago.

MINNEAPOLIS -- Supervalu reported net sales of $8.7 billion for the fiscal 2011 fourth quarter, compared with sales of $9.2 billion for the same period last year. Supervalu's fourth-quarter net earnings were $95 million, or 44 cents per diluted share, compared with net earning of $97 million, or 46 cents per diluted share the company reported last year. 

Dallas -- Tuesday Morning Corp. reported Tuesday that sales for the quarter ended March 31 rose 1.3% to $174.3 million, compared with $172 million in the year-ago period.

Same-store sales edged up 0.7%, as traffic dipped 3.2% and average ticket increased 3.9%.

The retailer said it expects capital expenditures of $19 million and to end the fiscal year with 10 to 13 more stores than at the end of the previous year.