News

NEW YORK — Costco Wholesale Corp. reported a better-than-expected 6% rise in September same-store sales, helped by higher gasoline prices and a stronger dollar. Excluding the impact of gasoline prices and foreign exchange, comparable September same-store sales rose 5%.

Net sales rose 8% to $9.31 billion in the five weeks ended Sept. 30. Costco, which currently operates 608 warehouses, said it plans to open up to 14 new warehouses prior to the end of calendar year 2012.

New York -- The Wet Seal Inc. encouraged its shareholders on Wednesday to reject efforts by its third-largest investor, Clinton Group, to gain control of the board, Reuters reported. The company's board has eight seats, of which one is vacant.

Clinton, which holds approximately 7% of Wet Seal, said retailer earlier in the day backtracked on an offer, made via an investment banker, for four directors to resign in exchange for the activist investor ending its move, according to the report.

CAMP HILL, Pa. — Rite Aid unveiled what it called its "next generation" Wellness store as the chain reported a decrease in same-store sales Thursday.

The store, in Lemoyne, Pa., is less than a mile from the 4,639-store chain's Camp Hill, Pa., headquarters. A ribbon-cutting Thursday morning marked the store's grand opening.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Membership-based retailer Sam's Club is offering free health screenings for women, the company said.

Sam's Club said it would offer screenings worth $150, including those for thyroid-stimulating hormone, prostate-specific antigen, blood pressure, body mass index, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, blood sugar and vision. In addition, the chain will give away more than 25,000 free breast self-exam tests with the screenings. The events will take place at every Sam's Club with a pharmacy on Oct. 13.

NEW YORK — Apparel retailers and department stores reported monthly revenue results for September that were mixed, as Gap Inc. and Limited Brands posted gains that beat Wall Street estimates, while Macy's and Kohl’s missed expectations.

However, many analysts said spending was fairly strong for the month.

Target’s senior executive ranks are filled with women, but don’t look for any of them on Fortune’s recent listing of the 50 most powerful women.

Topping the list in the October 8 issue is IBM president and CEO Ginni Rometty followed by PepsiCo chairman and CEO Indra Nooyi, Hewlett-Packard president and CEO Meg Whitman and Kraft Foods chairman and CEO Irene Rosenfeld. Gracing the cover is Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer who recently defected from Google.

New York -- Apparel retailers and department stores reported monthly revenue results for September that were mixed, as Gap Inc. and Limited Brands posted gains that beat Wall Street estimates, while Macy's and Kohl’s missed expectations.

However, many analysts said spending was fairly strong for the month.

Three top executives from Walmart were among the 50 most powerful women recognized recently by Fortune.

The business publication put Sam’s Club president and CEO Rosalind Brewer at 12th on the list with Walmart U.S. EVP and COO Gisel Ruiz ranked 21st. Also making the list in 36^{th place was Susan Chambers, Walmart’s EVP of the global people division.}