News

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Strength in ladies accessories and lingerie contributed to a 1% second quarter same store sales increase that helped Dillard’s exceed profit forecasts.

FAIRFIELD, Calif. — Halloween may still be a couple of months away, but Jelly Belly Candy Company has unveiled the third edition of its BeanBoozled collection of jelly beans.

The third edition features new flavors such as Stinky Socks and its twin Tutti-Fruitti and Lawn Clippings with its double Lime. BeanBoozled jelly beans come in 20 flavors — 10 “weird and wild flavors” which look exactly like 10 “tasty flavors,” according to the company. 

NEW ALBANY, Ohio — Hollister Co., a division of Abercrombie & Fitch Co., is partnering with Keds, a division of Wolverine Worldwide, to release an exclusive line that features signature Hollister patterns on Keds-brand sneakers. 

The exclusive Hollister + Keds sneakers will be available only at HollisterCo.com, but will be on display inside Hollister stores so shoppers can get a closer look.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — July sales at Walgreens experienced an 8% boost. They totaled $6.03 billion, up from $5.59 billion for the same month in fiscal 2012. 

Comparable-store sales increased by 6.3% in July. Calendar day shifts positively impacted total comparable sales by 1.4 percentage points, while generic drug introductions in the last 12 months negatively impacted total comparable sales by 1.8 percentage points.

BOSTON, Mass. — Brand Networks, a leading integrated social software solutions and digital marketing services provider, has made additions to its executive team as part of the company’s strategy to accelerate expansion. 

Bonn, Germany -- Mobile commerce and gamification are two of the leading trends shaping the future of e-commerce. A new report from Deutsche Post DHL, “The Future of E-commerce in the U.S.,” identifies eight trends driving qualitative changes in e-commerce beyond rapid growth. A brief summary of each trend follows.

Boca Raton, Fla. -- Office Depot is making a public offer to its largest shareholder, Starboard Value LLP, to settle a dispute about who should serve on its board of directors. In a press release, Office Depot said that if CEO Selection Committee members Tom Colligan and Marsha Evans are re-elected, the company would immediately invite to its board of directors any of the three Starboard nominees recommended by proxy advisory firms Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) and Glass Lewis who are not elected.

WASHINGTON — Retailers had sales gains in many back-to-school categories like clothing and sporting goods but experienced surprising declines in home-based categories, including building materials and furniture stores, according to the National Retail Federation. 

The world’s largest retail trade association found that July retail sales — excluding automobiles, gas stations and restaurants — increased 0.3% seasonally, adjusted from June and increased 5% unadjusted year-over-year.