News

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Retail Ventures reported that income from continuing operations for the quarter ended Jan. 29 was $5.7 million on net sales of $468.5 million, compared with the loss from continuing operations of $5.3 million on net sales of $402.6 million for the same period last year. DSW same-store sales increased 14.9% during the fourth quarter versus an increase of 12.9% last year.

SEATTLE -- Apple iTunes may have met its match in the form of a new music service from Amazon.com that offers the flexibility in file purchasing and access previously unseen by similar programs. 

BERLIN, N.J. -- A.C. Moore Arts & Crafts reported that sales for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2010 were $143.2 million, a decrease of 4.4% compared with sales of $149.7 million during the fourth quarter of last year. This decline was primarily attributable to a decrease in comparable-store sales of 4.3% during the quarter. Net loss was $4.8 million, or 20 cents per share, compared to a net loss of $0.5 million, or 2 cents per share, in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2009.

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — CVS Caremark has named Helena Foulkes, who is widely regarded as one of the most visionary marketers in modern drug store retailing, to the newly created position of EVP and chief healthcare strategy and marketing officer.

WASHINGTON -- The nation’s court is set to hear arguments on Tuesday in a decade-old legal fight that could cost Wal-Mart Stores billions of dollars if the 500,000 women claiming sex bias are allowed to band together in a class action.

Wal-Mart is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to end the massive sex discrimination lawsuit in which the women are claiming that the retailer favors men over women in pay and promotions.

KATY, Texas – Sue Miller Payton has been named director of marketing at Igloo Product Corp. In her new position, Payton will be responsible for all aspects of product marketing, promotion, advertising and public relations, cyber-marketing including all social media, special events and exhibits. She is based at the company’s corporate headquarters and primary manufacturing location in Katy, Texas.

HACKETTSTOWN, N.J. — Mars Chocolate said its Kudos brand will debut a new-and-improved line of granola bars this May.

Kudos will don flavors from M&M's, Dove and Snickers in a 10-count pack and a 30-count variety pack.

What's more, a marketing campaign will kick off to celebrate the Kudos granola bars, which will include a refreshed website at Kudosbar.com and cross promotions with others Mars Chocolate brands.

Kudos 10-count and 30-count variety packs will retail for $2.99 and $6.99, respectively.

NEW YORK — Costco Wholesale CEO Jim Sinegal has made the Barron’s magazine list of the top 30 CEOs.

Sinegal earned the 22nd spot on the list. The magazine pointed out his busy travel schedule, which takes him to most of Costco’s 582 stores every year, as well as a recent trip to Asia from which he arrived in Issaquah, Wash., at 8 a.m., showered and was in the office at 9 a.m.

The article can be accessed here.

Kohl’s will open its third distribution center devoted to e-commerce by July as it looks to build on the 50% growth rate experienced last year and surpass annual online sales of $1 billion in 2011.

Dallas -- A Wall Street Journal report on Monday said that, according to court filings, Blockbuster will start closing 186 more stores by the end of the month, bringing the number of its U.S. locations closed or slated for closure to 1,145, or more than a third of its total, since the video-rental chain filed for bankruptcy protection in September.

In filings Friday with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Manhattan, Blockbuster said it will reject the leases on 186 of its stores by March 31.