News

New York -- Ralph Lauren Corp. reported Wednesday that profit for the quarter ended June 29 dipped 6% to $181 million, compared with $193 million in the year-ago period.

Sales edge up 4% in the period, to $1.61 billion, but missed Wall Street’s estimated $1.65 billion in revenue. Same-store sales slipped 1%.

The fashion retailer has issued a cautious sales outlook, projecting a low-single-digit increase in current quarter revenue from last year’s $1.86 billion.

By Adam Siegel, VP sustainability and retail operations, Retail Industry Leaders Association [email protected]

Northbrook, Ill. – Crate and Barrel is implementing the Flagship parcel shipping and Netship expense management solutions from Kewill, Inc. Using the new Kewill software, Crate and Barrel hopes to consistently manage domestic and international shipments from multiple shipping locations across North America, integrating with a roster of carriers to ensure the best available rate and service is selected.

Troyes, France – Lacoste is establishing an online presence in Greater China using a new multichannel commerce solution from Accenture that features Demandware as the core digital commerce platform. Under terms of the agreement, Accenture has designed and built Lacoste’s online store and will continue to manage the operations of its online business in China.

Los Angeles – Total spending on at-home entertainment in the U.S. declined 1.4% in the second quarter of this year compared to the same time period last year, according to research by Digital Entertainment Group. Consumers spent $3.94 billion on at-home entertainment in second quarter 2013, compared to $4 billion in second quarter 2012.

Philadelphia - David Johnston, COO of Five Below, Inc., will leave his position at the company effective Aug. 31. In the wake of his departure, the company is seeking a president who will report directly to co-founder and CEO Thomas Vellios.

Menomonee Falls, Wis. – Law firm Levi & Korsinsky has commenced a class-action lawsuit against Kohl’s Corporation in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. The suit has been filed on behalf of investors who purchased Kohl's commons stock during the period between February 26, 2009 and September 13, 2011.

San Diego – PriceSmart reported substantial increases in both net warehouse club sales and same-store warehouse club sales during July of this year as compared to July of last year. For the month of July 2013, net warehouse club sales increased 11.9% to $188.5 million, from $168.5 million in July a year earlier. There were 31 warehouse clubs in operation at the end of July 2013 and 29 warehouse clubs in operation at the end of July 2012.

Boca Raton, Fla. – Office Depot sent its shareholders a letter this morning urging them to vote for its 10 nominees for the board of directors at its annual shareholders meeting on Aug. 21. The letter says that nominees from activist investor Starboard Value LP could disrupt progress and momentum in the ongoing OfficeMax merger and also prevent future synergies from the merger as well as make excessive cuts in critical business functions.

Officer Depot sent a similar letter to its shareholders on July 29.

Bentonville, Ark. – Wal-Mart is considering entering the bidding for Hong Kong-based grocery chain ParknShop, Reuters reports. Wal-Mart is currently exploring options to enter the initial bidding process for ParknShop, which closes Aug. 16.

ParknShop is owned by Hutchison Whampoa Ltd., which in turn is owned by Li Ka-shing, reputedly the wealthiest man in Asia. The chain may be valued as high as $4 billion.

Wal-Mart, which has not commented publicly, said last year it would open 100 new stores in China by 2015.