News

New York City -- The real estate recovery is well under way, though not without some bumps, workout specialist Dennis P. Yeskey recently told a gathering of more 100 real estate professionals at the "Industry Spotlight: Finance -- Global Trends in the 2011 Real Estate Capital Markets" discussion sponsored by NYCREW, the New York area chapter of the Commercial Real Estate Women network.

New York City -- Revionics said that it has been selected by Roundy’s Supermarkets as the retailer’s price optimization provider. The supermarket chain said it will leverage Revionics' analytic services, which will provide the retailer with insight into market patterns and consumer preferences to make better, fact-based decisions.

CUPERTINO, Calif. -- Apple announced that for its first quarter ended Dec. 25, 2010, it posted record revenue of $26.74 billion and record net quarterly profit of $6 billion, or $6.43 per diluted share. These results compare to revenue of $15.68 billion and net quarterly profit of $3.38 billion, or $3.67 per diluted share, in the year-ago quarter. 

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — Fast on the heels of her departure from Ahold USA’s Giant Foods of Landover supermarket unit, Robin Michel has been tapped for an increasingly critical role at retail giant Sears Holdings. Michel, who left as president of Giant-Landover in December 2010, will serve as SVP and president of food and consumables, health and beauty and pharmacy at Sears and its Kmart subsidiary.

Seattle -- Starbucks announced the launch of mobile payment in all U.S. company-operated stores, allowing customers to pay for in-store purchases with select smart phones. The company said test markets in Seattle, Northern California, New York and more than 1,000 Starbucks in domestic Target stores have successfully used the program.

The retail analysts at Standards & Poor Equity Research predict that 2011 will be a good year for retailers as consumer spending rises 3%, with sales boosted by the extension of the Bush-era tax cuts and the 2% payroll tax cut for all workers for one year.

ATLANTA - Hair accessories brand Goody is gearing up for spring with the launch of its new Modern Organica collection, exclusively available at Target next month.

This season, headbands comprised of shells and barrettes dressed in colorful knits will help beauty mavens get back on-trend while staying true to their roots. Mother of pearl embellishments provide a feminine feature, while earth stones and nature-inspired designs add a glamorous touch.

Atlanta -- RedPrairie Corp., a productivity solutions provider, announced that it has finalized the acquisition of SofTechnics, a leading provider of integrated retail enterprise solutions that has been serving customers for more than 20 years.