Data & Analytics

Houston -- Specialty retailer Charming Charlie announced the appointment of four retail executives as part of the ongoing development of the company’s internal structure and another step in its ongoing national expansion, including the opening of 60 retail locations in 2012.

Columbia, Md. -- Micros Systems  announced that Bertucci’s Italian Restaurant has expanded its partnership with Micros through the deployment of Micros webOrdering, a fully integrated online ordering program, and the cloud-based back-office platform, mymicros.net.

Walmart chief merchandising officer Duncan Mac Naughton was back in Canada earlier this week at the CIBC World Markets Retail and Consumer Conference in Toronto sharing a message of improved traction and accelerating momentum.

Retailers are now well familiar with social media as a means of engaging consumers, but may be less familiar with using this means of interactive dialogue to engage employees. And, yes, even those employees out on the sales floor. Why is employee engagement so important? Because profits are important.

GOODLETTSVILLE, Tenn. — Nothing is slowing down Dollar General, which, shortly after reporting surging quarterly sales and profits, announced that it will open its 10,000th store in the United States. The store will be located in Merced, Calif., and is one the company's first stores in California.

IRVING, Texas — After much speculation, Michaels Stores Friday confirmed that it is has filed a registration statement on Form S-1 with the Securities and Exchange Commission relating to the proposed initial public offering of its common stock. According to the filing, the company proposed to raise $500 million in the IPO. The number of shares to be sold and the price range for the proposed offering have not yet been determined.

New York -- Consumer spending rose 0.8% in February, the Commerce Department said Friday. It was the biggest increase since July. However, the increase came as Americans' income barely grew, and the saving rate fell to its lowest point in more than two years.

Some of the higher spending last month reflected rising gas prices. But even after excluding inflation, which was due mainly to gas prices, spending rose a solid 0.5%.

Brentwood, Tenn. -- Hobby Lobby International has named its first female president, hobby industry veteran, Debra Love.

Love has been at Hobby Lobby since 2009 when she joined as VP IT and communications, and most recently served as executive VP.
 

Indianapolis -- Finish Line Inc. posted earnings of $41.9 million for the fourth quarter, compared with $34.2 million in the year-ago period. But the chain forecast a plunge in first-quarter earnings due to lower margins.

Sales in the quarter ended March 3, 2012, rose 18.6% to $456.3 million, ahead of analyst estimates of $432.62 million. Same-store sales rose 10.8%.

For the full fiscal year, consolidated net sales increased 11.4% to $1.37 billion. Same-store sales increased 9.2%.

Indianapolis -- The Finish Line announced that Gart Capital Partners will invest $10 million in Finish Line’s Running Specialty Group, with the goal of creating the largest operator of specialty running shoe business in the United States.