Data & Analytics

New York City -- The Labor Department’s Producer Price Index rose last month, primarily due to higher energy costs and the biggest rise in food prices in 36 years, USA Today reported.

Food prices rose 3.9% last month, the highest increase since November 1974.

The steep rise was due, in large part, to higher vegetable costs, which were up nearly 50%.

Dallas -- Transplace, a provider of transportation management services and logistics technology, today announced the continuation of its relationship with Anna’s Linens through a full contract expansion. The value-priced home-furnishings retailer will continue to leverage Transplace’s managed services solution and logistics technology for all domestic transportation management activities.

New York City -- The Home Depot has streamlined its in-store hiring process by centralizing it at the corporate level, making the process more uniform across the chain. Potential store hires now go through two reviews at the corporate level before they are even granted an in-person store interview, The Atlanta-Journal Constitution reported.

To read the full story, go to ajc.com/business/home-depot-centralizes-in-867327.html

Pittsburgh -- Teen retailer rue21 said that its fourth quarter net income increased 41% to $10.9 million from $7.7 million in the year-ago period. Net sales for the quarter increased 22.3% to $190.1 million, from $155.4 million. Same-store sales rose 1.5%.

NEW YORK — A report released by payment system provider ACI Worldwide found that many retail loyalty programs leave consumers feeling underappreciated and many consumers are enrolled in a program they don’t completely understand.

Charlotte, N.C. -- Cato Corp.'s fiscal fourth-quarter net income climbed 8% as revenue improved. The company earned $7.9 million, compared with $7.3 million a year earlier.

Sales for the quarter ended January 29, 2011 were $224.3 million, a 3% increase over sales of $217.7 in the year-ago period. Same-store sales increased 1%.

Toronto -- Opterus, a provider of web-based task management and store communications, announced that In the Pink Stores has chosen Opterus Store Ops-Center for improved communications and store execution management.

With most of their stores located at remote resort communities in New England, In the Pink’s unique business model incorporates a short-selling season with extremely high peak weeks, and some are only open part of the year. 

Bentonville, Ark. -- Walmart announced the deployment of five rooftop solar arrays for Walmart and Sam’s Club locations in Puerto Rico. The solar program is made possible through a solar energy service agreement where Sun Edison, a subsidiary of MEMC Electronic Materials, will design, deploy, operate and maintain over three megawatts of solar technologies across the five locations with no upfront costs to Walmart.