News

Gib Mitchell was named director of national accounts for demand intelligence provider LumiData and will be based in the firm’s Bentonville, Ark. office.

New York City -- The nation’s discount chains reported solid results for January, with Target Corp., TJX Cos., and Costco Wholesale Corp. all reporting gains above expectations. Overall, discounters reported stronger results than department stores, which appeared to take a greater hit due to the unseasonably warm weather and heavy promotions.

As the first month of the year, January accounts for only 20% Nov.-Jan. sales, and 7% of annual sales, according to RetailMetrics.

WASHINGTON — Consumers are set to put out all the stops this Valentine’s Day, with the average person shelling out $126.03, up 8.5% over last year, according to NRF’s 2012 Valentine’s Day Consumer Intentions and Actions survey, conducted by BIGinsight. Total spending is expected to reach $17.6 billion.

MINNEAPOLIS— Target appears to have salvaged its fourth-quarter sales results with a 4.3% same-store sales increase in January to offset a disappointing 1.6% increase in December and a 1.8% increase in November.

Sam’s Club and Costco may not be identical twins, but there is enough similarity between the two to assume the traffic and inflation trends that propelled Costco to an 8% January same-store sales increase favorably impacted Sam’s as well.

Visitors to Walmart.com increased in December compared with the prior year, but decelerated from a record performance in November, according to the online measurement firm comScore.

Walmart had 55.8 million unique visitors in December, which was a pretty good dip from the 58.5 million visitors comScore data shows the company had in November. However, the December figure was still well above December the prior year when comScore showed Walmart.com with 51.4 million visitors.

NEW YORK — The nation’s apparel retailers reported mixed results for January as shoppers remain cautious about spending in the uncertain economy.

“It was as tough month as retailers battled holiday hangover, lack of incentive to shop and mild winter that killed outerwear clearance," said Ken Perkins, president of RetailMetrics Inc., in a Reuters report.

As the first month of the year, January accounts for only 20% November-January sales, and 7% of annual sales, according to RetailMetrics.

Deerfield, Ill. -- BioScrip Inc. said it will sell certain assets of its community specialty pharmacies and centralized specialty and mail service pharmacy businesses to Walgreens for about $225 million.

The deal includes about $170 million in cash at closing and retention by BioScrip of associated accounts receivable and working capital liabilities of about $55 million.