News

New York -- Ann Inc. reported that its second quarter net income rose a better-than-expected 16% to $35.6 million, with strong performances from both its Ann Taylor and Loft banners. Similar to many other retailers in recent weeks, the chain trimmed its full-year revenue forecast.

Revenue for the period ended Aug. 3 increased 7% to $638.2 million.
 
Same-store sales rose 2.8%, with a 3.1% rise at Ann Taylor and a 2.5% lift at Loft.

Sweet! Hollywood, at the Hollywood & Highland Center, in Hollywood, Calif., is sure to appeal to anyone in need of a sugar rush. The candy megastore features more than 200 types of gummy candies, 140 flavors of chewing gum, 250 types of lollipops, 300 different chocolate bars and more.

SANTA MONICA, Calif. — Social Reality, a developer of platforms for social and digital advertising, has elected Malcolm CasSelle to the company's board of directors.

Pleasanton, Calif. -- Ross Stores Inc. reported a profit of $213 million for the second quarter, compared with $182 million last year and beating Wall Street’s expectations.

Revenue rose 9% to $2.5 billion, matching forecasts. Same-store sales edged up 4%, compared to a 7% rise in the same period last year. However, the retailer expressed caution about the months ahead.

Russell Athletic brand deployed its brand ambassador and Washington wide receiver Pierre Garcon to three Washington, D.C.-area high schools. Garcon delivered Russell Athletic uniforms to the school's respective football teams.

The teams selected were from Thomas Jefferson (Alexandra, Va.), Theodore Roosevelt (Washington, D.C.) and Springbrook (Silver Spring, Md.).

The National Retail Federation definition of September 2013 shifts the month one week later in the calendar when compared to 2012. This shift introduces a significant cooler bias in the forecast. Therefore, while the nation on a year-on-year basis trends cooler, most of that will be due to a calendar shift and not a change in the weather. Conditions are expected to be similar to 2012 when the shift is removed.

Dublin, Calif. – Epicor Software announced the appointment of Noel Goggin as senior VP and general manager of the Epicor Retail solutions business reporting to Epicor president and CEO Pervez Qureshi.

In this strategic role, Goggin will have operating responsibility for the Epicor Retail solutions business which delivers a comprehensive retail management suite representing a complete range of advanced solutions for specialty, soft goods, and general merchandise retailers.

In advance of the Walmart-led U.S. Manufacturing Summit held in Orlando, Walmart U.S. president and CEO Bill Simon wrote an op-ed piece for the Huffington Post titled, "Reviving U.S. Manufacturing Key to Rebuilding the Middle Class." In it, Simon alludes to the vanishing middle class — which found themselves jobless as products once produced in the U.S.