News

Forever 21 continues expansion plan
Fast casual chain Forever 21 has added men’s, girls and plus collections to 50 more stores as part of its global expansion plan.

Forever 21+, Forever 21 Men and Forever 21 Girls will now be added to 50 existing U.S. stores in markets such as Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, New Orleans, Orlando, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Seattle, Stamford, Conn., and more.
Rite Aid same-store sales up 4.3% in March
Camp Hill, Pa. – Rite Aid’s positive momentum continued in March, with the drugstore chain reporting a 4.3% increase in March overall same-store sales.

Total drugstore sales for the four-week period increased 4.1% to $2.026 billion, compared to $1.947 billion for the same period last year. Prescription sales accounted for 69.9% of sales.

Papa Murphy’s serves up mobile promotions

Vancouver, Wash. – Papa Murphy’s Holdings Inc. is running enhanced mobile marketing campaigns using the Waterfall cloud mobile messaging platform. Papa Murphy's in-store promotions, supplemented with text alerts and calls to action that offer coupons and other incentives, are driving more in-store sales and Web traffic.

Optimizing mobile campaigns at both national and franchise levels is an integral part of the company's technology strategy to meet customer needs
Gun sales a drag for Sportsman's Warehouse

Weaker-than-expected demand for guns led to a decrease in same store sales for Sportsman’s Warehouse in the fourth quarter.

The Midvale, Utah-based company’s same store sales declined 5.3% for the quarter ended Jan. 31. Hunting and shooting make up roughly half of Sportsman's Warehouse's sales.

The retailer had net income of $3.2 million, or 8 cents per share, compared to $7.4 million, or 22 cents per share, in the year-ago quarter. Income from operations dropped to $14.1 million in the latest quarter, versus $16.4 million in the year-ago quarter.
Report: Walmart emerges as social force

Walmart CEO Doug McMillon's statement on social media Wednesday asking the state of Arkansas to reject legislation that critics say could allow discrimination against lesbians and gay men is indicative of the retailer's increased role in many social issues, according to the New York Times.
Nordstrom refinances credit

Seattle - Nordstrom Inc. has completed a new five-year, $800 million senior unsecured revolving credit facility. The new facility replaces an $800 million senior unsecured revolving credit facility that was scheduled to mature in March 2018.

The revolving credit facility may be used for general corporate purposes and is scheduled to mature in April 2020. At present, there are no outstanding borrowings under the revolver.
Target to close all Canada stores by April 12

Target will complete its inventory liquidation efforts and close the last of its 133 Canadian retail stores by April 12.

The retailer has already shut down 46 stores across Canada and will close another 32 on April 2; 18 on April 4; and 24 on April 8. The final 13 stores will close just days after that.
Sam's Club expands discounted prescription program

Sam’s Club is expanding its prescription savings program to allow Plus and Business Plus members to save even more money through new benefits.

New savings on generic prescriptions, some of which are available free of charge or at a discounted cost of $4 or $10 at specified quantities, are now available in all Sam’s Club locations with pharmacies.

This new benefit is part of Sam’s Club Extra Value Drug List, through which Sam’s Club Plus and Business Plus members also receive 10-30% savings on select brand name medications.
Lumber Liquidators Q1 sales top estimates

Toano, Va. – Despite bad publicity from a March 2015 “60 Minutes” report alleging carcinogenic materials in the laminate of some Chinese hardwood it sells, Lumber Liquidators beat Wall Street sales estimates in first quarter 2015. In a sales update, Lumber Liquidators said sales were $260 million, an increase of 6% from first quarter 2014.
Lumber Liquidators sales better than expected

Despite bad publicity from a “60 Minutes” report alleging carcinogens in some of the hardwood it sells, Lumber Liquidators increased sales in the first quarter of 2015.