News

Petco has filled two key executive roles as it continues to build a team to successfully execute key strategic initiatives.

The company has named Michael M. Nuzzo as EVP and chief financial officer and Michael W. Zuna as SVP and chief marketing and digital officer.

San Francisco – Strong same-store sales growth at Old Navy helped drive a 1% increase in net sales at Gap Inc. to $1.53 billion in March 2015, compared with net sales of $1.51 billion for the same month the previous year.

Gap Inc.’s overall same-store sales were up 2%. The company said that the earlier timing of the Easter holiday peak shopping weeks in 2015 benefited March sales results and will likely negatively impact its April sales results.

Surging sales at Old Navy helped Gap Inc. offset sales declines at its namesake division and its Banana Republic stores in March. 

Gap Inc. reported that net sales for the five-week period ended April 4 increased 1 percent to $1.53 billion compared with net sales of $1.51 billion for the five-week period ended April 5.

New York -- General Electric Company on Friday announced it will sell or spin off the majority of its $500 billion GE Capital finance business over the next two years as it looks to simplify and concentrate on its industrial roots. The company said it will keep its aircraft leasing operation and smaller lending lines.

GE said it has sold its real-estate assets, which include commercial loans and office buildings, for $26.5 billion, with  Wells Fargo & Co. and private equity firm Blackstone Group buying the bulk of it.

The National Retail Federation is investing millions of dollars into research for the retail industry by creating a new center.

NRF plans to form a new department called the Retail Research and Analysis Center to bring together all existing research within NRF and expand upon the wide range of issue areas and trends already studied. The center will focus on four main areas: the economy, legislative and regulatory policy, the retail industry and consumers.

American Eagle is leveraging the star power of Brad Pitt to launch an innovative denim recycling program that will put needy people in affordable homes.

Customers can bring their old denim into any of American Eagle Outfitters’ 823 stores throughout the U.S. and Canada and receive a 20% discount on a new pair of jeans. Any collected unwearable denim will be shredded and recycled into UltraTouch Denim Insulation and other building materials for use in Make It Right’s affordable homes around the country.

San Diego – Net income at PriceSmart Inc. fell 12% to $24.83 million during the second quarter of fiscal 2015, from $28.28 million in the same period a year earlier. Increased operating expenses helped cut profit even as revenues grew 10% to $750.3 million, from $674.38 million.

PriceSmart also attributed the drop in net income to the devaluation of the Colombian peso.

The parent company of Safeway and Albertson's has promoted its executive chairman and created a four-person Office of the CEO.