News

MENOMONEE FALLS, Wis. — Kohl’s Department Stores announced that in support of curing type one diabetes and improving the lives of local children, more than 1,300 Kohl’s associates, friends and family will take part in the JDRF Kohl’s Walk to Cure Diabetes on Sept. 15 at the Milwaukee County Zoo.

BUCKEYE, Ariz. — Walmart boosted its sustainable reputation Thursday with the announcement of a new solar initiative at its distribution center near Phoenix.

The retailer will outfit the DC with more than 14,000 solar panels -- making it Walmart's largest solar installation to date. The panels will cover the 1,000 sq. ft. building and parking canopies. The panels will produce up to 30% of the center's energy needs and generate up to 5.3 million kilowatt hours of renewable energy per year, according to Walmart.

GRAPEVINE, Texas — The struggling video game category should see a much-needed boost with the arrival of Nintendo's Wii U.

GameStop is wasting no time getting in on the buzz by announcing that it has begun taking pre-orders for the platform along with many popular Wii U games, including "Call of Duty: Black Ops II," "ZombiU," "New Super Mario Bros. U" and "Batman: Arkham City: Armored Edition."

OMAHA, Neb. — ConAgra Foods has been named to two leading sustainability indices. For the second straight year the company has earned a spot on the Dow Jones Sustainability Index, and for the first time, the company has been added to the Carbon Disclosure Project’s (CDP’s) 2012 Carbon Disclosure Leadership Index.

The Sam M. Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas was ranked among the top 30 public undergraduate business schools in the most recent edition of U.S. News & World Report's "Best Colleges 2013."

TORONTO — Nordstrom is partnering with Cadillac Fairview to open its first full-line stores in Canada beginning fall of 2014. The company will lease four stores at premier shopping centres located in Calgary, Ottawa, Toronto and Vancouver.

Nordstrom will be moving into space that will be vacated by Sears and then renovated at Pacific Centre in Vancouver, Calgary's Chinook Centre, Rideau Centre in Ottawa, with a new-construction store opening in Toronto's Sherway Gardens.

Richardson, Texas -- Fossil Inc. said Thursday that CFO Michael Kovar will retire effective March 2013 after 13 years with the company.  

Fossil said it has launched a search for Kovar’s successor.

Cincinnati -- The Kroger Co. said Thursday it will increase its quarterly dividend by 30% to 15 cents per share, payable Dec. 1.

The grocer said the move is prompted by a strong confidence in its business strategy.
 

Fort Worth, Texas -- Pier 1 Imports reported Thursday that net income for the quarter ended Aug. 27 surged to $26.2 million from $16.6 million last year, prompting the home goods retailer to raise its full-year adjusted profit forecast for the second time in three months.

Total sales increased 8.3% to $367.6 million from $339.6 million in the year-ago period, edging Wall Street’s expected $367.2 million in revenue. Same-store sales rose 6.7% on top of last year’s 10.8% gain.

Jacksonville, Fla. -- Stein Mart said Thursday that it received a notice of non-compliance on Wednesday from Nasdaq; specifically the retailer has not filed its second-quarter report.

By rule, Stein Mart has 60 days to submit a plan to regain compliance.

The retailer cited the replacement of its legacy merchandise information system, which delayed accounting reconciliations. It said it will file within the prescribed 60-day time frame.