Data & Analytics

BOCA RATON, Fla. — Sales continued to decline at two of Office Depot’s three divisions during the first quarter with weakness most pronounced in the retail business.

Total company sales declined 3% to $2.9 billion and were negatively affected by the ongoing struggles of the 1,123 unit North American retail division. Profits increased to $41 million or 14 cents a share compared with a prior year loss of $15 million or five cents a share.

NEWTOWN SQUARE, Pa. — Enterprise software application company, SAP, has named Geraldine McBride as president of its North America region. In this role, McBride is responsible for all of SAP's business operations in the United States and Canada. She will report to Robert Enslin, president of sales and part of the SAP Global Managing Board.

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — Ahead of its annual shareholders' meeting, Sears Holdings has provided first-quarter guidance calling for net income between $155 million and $195 million (between $1.46 and $1.84 per diluted share from continuing operations) versus a net loss from continuing operations of $165 million ($1.53 loss per diluted share from continuing operations), for the first quarter in 2011.  The above range includes approximately $235 million, after tax and minority interest, of gains from the sale of certain U.S. and Canadian stores.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Express has named Theo Killion has been appointed to its board of directors as a Class III director.  Killion is CEO and a director of Zale Corp.  

CHICAGO — Consumers’ confidence in their personal finances is returning to levels seen in first quarter 2011, according to SymphonyIRI Group’s latest MarketPulse survey, released Friday. But while confidence remains high, the same consumers remain frugal.

ASHEVILLE, N.C. — Net sales for Ingles Markets experienced a spike during the second quarter and first half of fiscal year 2012, the retailer reported Monday.

NEW YORK — Millennial shoppers (consumers ages 18 to 34 years) now represent the highest percentage of Americans who do not have enough money to cover their basic needs, according to WSL/Strategic Retail, a leading authority on shopper behavior and retail trends.

BOISE, Idaho — Albertsons LLC is sharpening its focus on social media and digital marketing with the creation of a new social and digital marketing team that will be led by technology and social marketing expert Karl Meinhardt.