Data & Analytics

New York -- Chain Store Age is pleased to announce that Dan Berthiaume has joined the staff as senior editor, technology.  

Berthiaume, who started covering retail technology in 1998, brings a wealth of experience to his new position. He served as corporate content manager of Retail Systems AlertGroup from 1998 to 2006, writing and editing the company's retail tech publications and overseeing its website, and then moved on to a successful freelance career, reporting on technology for a variety of print and online publications.

Sunbury, Pa. -- Weis Markets announced it would invest $135 million in its 2013 capital expenditure program, an 8% increase compared to the year prior.
   
“To position our company for continued growth, we have made record investments in our store base,” and vice chairman Jonathan H. Weis, at the company’s annual shareholder meeting. “Look for more of the same in 2013 when we increase our Cap Ex investment to $135 million – an 8% increase compared to 2012 – and a 33% increase compared to 2011.”

Pleasanton, Calif. -- Safeway Inc. on Thursday said it earned $118.9 million, in the first quarter ended March 23, up from $72.9 million a year earlier, helped by tax benefits. The company maintained its forecast for the year.

Net sales inched down to $9.99 billion, from $10 billion a year ago, as the company sold its Genuardi’s division. Same-store sales rose 1.5%.

New York -- The Jones Group Inc. announced Monday that it will put into action a series of events designed to shore up profitability, the most significant of which includes shuttering 170 underperforming stores in the U.S. by mid-2014.

The stores identified for closure include 50 units previously announced in the fourth quarter.

By Brian Gillespie, Continuum

San Antonio, Texas -- A survey by open-cloud company Rackspace Hosting of 1,300 U.S. and U.K. companies revealed that retail in both countries has benefited from cloud computing via IT cost reductions, increased profits, improved disaster recovery and business agility, as well as strengthened out-of-office employee performance.

New York -- A Wednesday report by Bloomberg said that Apple plans to double its number of retail stores in China over the next two years to help offset slowing growth worldwide.

Secaucus, N.J. -- The Children's Place said Wednesday that current CFO Michael Scarpa has also been appointed COO, effective immediately.

Scarpa will continue to oversee finance, information technology, distribution, logistics and wholesale, and will add store operations, store development and international to his current responsibilities.

Prior to joining The Children's Place, Scarpa was COO and CFO of The Talbots.