News

ISSAQUAH, Wash. — A $62 million tax benefit in the second quarter, alongside a portion of a special cash dividend Costco received in December 2012, helped bolster the company's net income for the first 36 weeks of fiscal 2013, ended May 12. 

Columbus, Ohio -- Express Inc. reported Thursday that its third-quarter net income fell 23% to $32.4 million, compared with $42.1 million in the same period last year. Results, impacted by heavier discounting and higher costs, still beat Wall Street’s estimates.  

Revenue climbed 3% to $508.5 million, solidly topping analysts’ estimate of $498 million and prompting the apparel retailer to lift its full-year earnings forecast. Same-store sales were flat in the quarter, after a 4% gain last year.

LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Nearly 60 years to the day after Edmund Hillary and Tensing Norgay climbed Mount Everest, 48-year-old Russian Valery Rozov has jumped off its north face at 23,667 ft. to set a world record for the highest B.A.S.E. jump.

Los Angeles -- Guess? reported Thursday that adjusted net earnings for the quarter ended May 4 plummeted 56.1% to $11.7 million, from $26.6 million in the year-ago period.

According to CEO Paul Marciano, the results were better than the company had expected.

"Despite the continued global economic challenges … these earnings reflect the ongoing success within the company to globally streamline and improve productivity,” he said.

SEATTLE — Amazon has launched Login with Amazon, a new service that will enable the more than 200 million active Amazon customers to securely log in to apps, games and websites once without having to remember multiple passwords.

Login with Amazon allows developers to easily reduce sign-in friction for their customers, leading to higher engagement and order conversion.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Kid Brands announced late today that it has appointed James Christl as SVP and CFO. He replaces Guy Paglinco, who has resigned as CFO "to pursue other opportunities."

Paglinco has agreed to remain with the company full-time through July 5 to ensure a smooth transition, and has reportedly agreed to make himself available to the company for up to six months following his departure, if deemed necessary.

LONDON — The International Council of Shopping Centers’ executive committee has elected Marcus Wild, CEO of SES Spar European Shopping Centers, as divisional VP for the association’s European division. 

ATLANTA — The Home Depot announced a single-day effort to prepare residents in storm-prone regions for the upcoming hurricane season. On July 27, Home Depot said it will host Hurricane Preparedness Workshops at more than 700 of its stores from the Gulf Coast to New England.

The expansion of the workshops is one of several preemptive measures the company is taking in preparation for 2013 hurricane activity, which is once again predicted to be above average.