News

It may be the right thing to do long-term, but Walmart’s plans to slow growth in China, Mexico and Brazil didn’t sit well with investors this week.

The revelation that Walmart would add between 21 and 23 million square feet of space versus the previously planned addition of 30 to 33 million square feet will result in Walmart International spending between $4.6 billion and $5 billion compared to a previously budgeted amount of $5 billion to $5.5 billion.

San Francisco -- Gap Inc. reported Thursday that net income for the quarter ended July 28 surged 29% to $243 million, prompting the retailer to raise its guidance for full-year 2012.

Sales increased 6% to $3.58 billion, compared with $3.39 billion for the second quarter last year. Same-store sales rose 4%.

“Our continued focus on product and store execution are helping to drive positive momentum and we’re committed to sustaining solid performance for the remainder of the year,”said Glenn Murphy, chairman and CEO.

Seattle -- Nordstrom said Friday it has debuted a new iPad app that will allow its customers to browse and purchase merchandise via their iPad tablets.

New York -- Ann Inc. reported Friday that profit for the second quarter rose 24% to $30.7 million, compared with $24.8 million in the year-ago period.

Same-store sales companywide increase 4.7%; by brand, Ann Taylor store comps increased 3.2% and Loft comps rose 4.1%.

The company raised its outlook for the full year of fiscal 2012, and also said that it is on track to open approximately 65 new stores this year, partially offset by the impact of downsizes at Ann Taylor stores and approximately 30 store closures. 
 

CORTE MADERA, Calif. — Restoration Hardware has expanded its Big Style/small spaces collection.

“We call it a collection of epic proportions,” says Creator and Curator Gary Friedman of Restoration Hardware's Big Style/small spaces source book, which features a tongue-in-cheek cover of a climber scaling the nose of Abraham Lincoln on Mount Rushmore. Friedman continued, “And good design is all about proportions.”

Kearney, Neb. -- The Buckle reported Thursday that net income for the period ended July 28 dipped 2% to $23.2 million, compared with $23.6 million in the year-ago period, but matching forecasts.
 
Net sales rose 2% to $215.5 million, just missing Wall Street’s expected $215.9 million in revenue. Same-store sales dipped 0.8%.

Merchant Customer Exchange is the name of a new mobile payments group in which Walmart and other leading retailers are involved.

Expectations are high that mobile payments represent the future of commerce and group of leading retailers this week formed a new organization to offer an alternative way to pay.

The group is called the Merchant Customer Exchange and currently consists of 14 retailers. Plans call for development of a payment application available for smartphones that offers secure technology to process transaction.

Washington, D.C. -- According to the National Retail Federation and BIGinsight’s 2012 Back-to-School survey, families with school and college-aged students as of Aug. 7 say they have more than half of their shopping lists to complete.

The average person with children in grades K-12 has completed 40.1% of their shopping, while college shoppers and their families have completed slightly more at 45.3%.

Overall, school and college shoppers this year are expected to spend a total of $83.8 billion.