News

Jacksonville, Fla. -- Winn-Dixie Stores said Monday that its fourth-quarter net income fell 48% amid tough competition. The chain attributed the drop to the quarter being a week shorter this year than it was last year.

Winn-Dixie's net income for the quarter that ended June 29 was $7.3 million versus $14 million in the year-ago period.

Revenue fell 4% to $1.62 billion from $1.68 billion last year. Same-store sales rose 3.2%. Although average amount customers spent per visit rose 3.9%, 0.7% fewer shoppers came in, the company said.

NEW YORK — Barnes & Noble reported that total sales for the first quarter were $1.4 billion, a 2% increase compared with the prior year. Sales through BN.com increased 37% as compared with the prior year to $198 million, with comparable sales increasing 65%. This increase was driven by strong demand for the Nook product line, including the continued success of the Nook Color, the mid-quarter launch of the Nook Simple Touch Reader and a quadrupling of digital content sales over last year’s first quarter.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Books-A-Million announced that it has promoted Terrance Finley, formerly EVP/chief merchandising officer to president and COO of the company, effective immediately. Finley has served in his previous role since August 2009 and in various other capacities in the merchandising department since joining the company in 1992. Finley was appointed to the board of directors of Hibbett Sports Inc. in March 2008.

Target may want to rethink its space allocation for the sporting goods department in light of the success the company is having with its Fan Central initiative. Granted, Fan Central is a licensed apparel program within the sporting goods department, but EVP merchandising Kathee Tesija described the success the program is having as “remarkable” during a recap of key merchandising initiatives earlier this month in a meeting with financial analysts.

Columbus, Ohio -- DSW said Tuesday that its second-quarter profit soared, boosted by a hefty one-time gain related to its acquisition of Retail Ventures.

The results beat Wall Street expectations and the company boosted its full-year outlook.

For the quarter ended July DSW posted net income of $139.9 million, compared with $26.9 million for the same quarter last year.

NEW YORK — Japanese fast-fashion giant Uniqlo is set to open its largest global flagship to date, an 89,000-sq.-ft. store on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. The store, which will also be the larger single retailer on Fifth Avenue, will open on Oct. 14.

One week later, Uniqlo will debut a second flagship in Manhattan, a 64,000-sq.-ft. store 34th St. It will be the chain’s second largest global flagship

Goodlettsville, Tenn. -- Dollar General Corp. reported Tuesday that its second-quarter net income rose 3.5% to $146 million from $141.2 million in the year-ago period. Sales increased 11% to $3.58 billion; same-store sales rose 5.9%. Its results beat expectations. 

The company also raised its full-year outlook.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — DSW's model of bringing designer goods to a budget-conscious consumer continues to pay off, as the company posted sales and earnings growth for its second quarter. DSW Inc. reported that net sales for the second quarter increased 4.7% to $476.3 million from $415.1 million in the second quarter of 2010. Comparable sales for the second quarter increased 12.3%. 

Reported net income was $139.9 million, or $3.96 per diluted share. This compares with reported net income of $26.9 million, or $1.00 per diluted share.