News

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. — TJX’s net income for the second quarter ended Aug. 3 rose a better-than-expected 14%. The off-price retailer also increased its profit outlook for the year.

The company earned $479.6 million for the quarter, which ended on Aug. 3, up from $421.1 million in the same quarter last year.

Barnes & Noble’s founder, chairman and largest shareholder, Leonard Riggio, is calling off his offer to buy the company’s retail business, following a worse-than-expected net loss of $87 million for the first quarter, compared to a loss of $39.8 million in the year-ago period. 

DALLAS — Closeout retailer Tuesday Morning has named Michael Rouleau as the company’s CEO. Rouleau, who was appointed interim chief executive in March 2013, will also continue to serve on the company's board of directors, which he joined November 2012.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — GE is leveraging social media as part of its Reimagining Home brand campaign, and holding a contest on its Tumblr page.

The brand is inviting consumers to submit their best cooking failure story to its Cooking Fail Redemption Tumblr page for a chance at redemption at GE’s headquarters, where the winner will re-create the same dish under the guidance of Chef Jeffrey Saad. Saad hosts United Tastes of America on the Cooking Channel. 

Epicor Software Corporation, a business software developer, has entered into a partnership with CyberM Information Technology Limited to resell Epicor retail technology solutions and provide in-country implementation and support services within the Asia Pacific region. 

Under the terms of the agreement, CyberM will provide sales, services and support to assist local retailers and meet the globalization requirements of multinational retailers looking to expand into APAC.

PURCHASE, N.Y. — Pepsi is teaming up with MTV to support a performance by pop star Katy Perry at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards, from an undisclosed location in Brooklyn Aug. 25. 

Pepsi will also hold a tweet-to-unlock and social voting program where fans can access information and audio samples of two songs from Perry's upcoming album, Prism, available Oct. 22. Participants who tweet #KATYNOW will unlock clues around two of the album's tracks, including the song titles and select lyrics. 

SIDNEY, Neb. — Cabela’s Inc. announced that its Cabela’s Credit Card Master Note Trust successfully completed the sale of $350 million of Asset-Backed Notes, Series 2013-II.

NEW YORK — Canadian shoppers aren’t wowed by Target Corp., according to a customer-satisfaction rating survey by Forum Research. As reported in The Globe and Mail, the survey ranked Target at the bottom of a list of major retailers operating in Canada. (Satisfaction as measured by the survey relates to service, prices and/or merchandise offering.)

Over all, Target scored a mean 2.7 out of 4, compared with Costco’s 3.5, Wal-Mart’s 3.1 and a 3.2 average.

New York -- Saks Inc. on Monday reported a worse than expected second-quarter loss amid disappointing sales of shoes and handbags. 

Saks, which last month reached a deal to be acquired by Canada's Hudson's Bay Co., had a net loss of $19.6 million for the quarter ended Aug. 3, compared with a net loss of $12.3 million a year earlier.

Overall sales rose 0.5% to $707.8 million for the quarter. Same-store sales rose 1.5%, below the 4.5% increase analysts had expected.

Staten Island, N.Y. -- The Shoe Gallery has stepped up inventory control with the help of Celerant Technology Corp. The chain has been using Celerant’s real-time, retail management system, Command Retail, to manage all areas of its retail operation for the past seven years. 

It is also using the supplier’s Style Matrix tool, a three-dimensional graphical representation of all the SKUs by size, width, and color, to improve operational efficiency.