News

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — Kmart is responding to changing trends affecting the "back-to-school" experience with a number initiatives designed to meet the needs of its consumers.

According to Kmart, more public schools are requiring uniforms and others are now adopting a year-round school calendar. In response, Kmart has adjusted its approach to back-to-school by increasing the number of stores that sell uniforms and aligning its back-to-school sales periods by region to match that of the local school districts.

BATTLE CREEK, Mich. — Kellogg's is honoring the gold-medal-winning U.S. women's gymnastic team by featuring them on their Corn Flakes cereal box.

Gabby Douglas, McKayla Maroney, Aly Raisman, Kyla Ross and Jordyn Wieber of the "Fierce Five" will be featured on special-edition boxes of Kellogg's Corn Flakes, which will be on shelves this fall. 

LOS ANGELES — With just 54 stores located throughout California, Arizona, Nevada and Utah, Sport Chalet may not appear to be much of a threat to the bigger sporting goods players, but with growing sales, particularly online, the specialty chain could prove to be something to watch out for.

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Dillard's posted an impressive 97% increase in earnings per share for its second quarter ended July 28. Net income for the quarter was $31 million, or 63 cents per diluted share, compared with net income of $17.6 million, or 32 cents per diluted share, for the same period last year.

Net sales for the quarter were $1.5 billion compared with net sales for the prior year period of $1.442 billion. Sales in comparable stores increased 3%.

Little Rock, Ark. -- Dillard’s reported net income for the second quarter, ended July 28, of $31.0 million, up from $17.6 million in the year-ago period.

Total merchandise sales rose 2% in the quarter to $1.456 billion, compared with $1.426 billion last year. Same-store sales rose 3%.

Dillard’s CEO, William T. Dillard, II, stated, “Continuing on the momentum of a successful first quarter, we are proud to report a 97% increase in second quarter earnings per share.

Arlington, Va. -- In letters sent to President Barack Obama and Governor Mitt Romney, the Retail Industry Leaders Association urged both to consider the retail industry’s prominent role in the U.S. economy as they advance their visions for the future.

The letter was signed by Gregg Steinhafel, Target chairman, president and CEO and Sandra L. Kennedy, RILA president. Steinhafel serves as chairman of the RILA board of directors. 

Atlanta -- First Data Corp. announced that Bank of America Merchant Services will offer the First Data OfferWise solution to all eligible merchants’ 650,000 U.S. locations through 2Go Media’s iDeals Marketing Platform.

By Jundong Song, [email protected]

In mid-June, Safeway, the number three U.S. food retailer after Wal-Mart and Kroger, capped two years of testing in selected markets and rolled out its enhanced reward program, “Just for U,” chain wide.

It’s a key move in loyalty card programs that all retailers should be watching.

New York -- Ralph Lauren Corp. said that its net income rose 5% in its first quarter, but the company forecast a revenue decline in the current quarter and sounded a note of caution about the weak global economy hurting consumer spending.

"The outlook for consumer spending and global economic growth remains challenging and we are planning our business accordingly," said CEO Roger Farah.

Net income from April through June was $193.4 million, up from $184.1 million a year ago.

Cincinnati -- Macy's reported a nearly 16% increase in net income for its second quarter as the chain benefited from cost controls and its ongoing strategy of tailoring its fashions to local markets. The company said it was raising its full-year profit forecast.

Macy's net income rose to $279 million for the three-month period ended July 28, up from $241 million in the year-ago period.