DSN Retailing Today articles from February 2004

DSN Retailing Today archives from February 2004

Circuit City's aggressive turnaround efforts result in 19 closings.
February 23, 2004... RICHMOND, VA. -- Circuit City announced it will close 19 underperforming stores in 14 states, including two Florida stores that were remodeled in 2000, as the company embarked on it's plan to refresh its store base. Closeout sales have...

Home Depot growth plan still focusing on remodels.
February 23, 2004... ZEPHYR HILLS, FLA. -- Home Depot's new store expansion, sales and profit growth are expected to slow this year from earlier levels, but for the nation's second-largest retailer, it's all relative. Home Depot still plans to add 175 new...

Menards opens 'biggest ever'.
February 23, 2004... WEST DULUTH, MINN. -- The largest Menards store ever built and the biggest home center in the nation opened with little fanfare here Feb. 12 as this privately owned company seeks to defend its turf from larger rivals Lowe's and The Home...

Crate and Barrel to open second CB2 format.(Market Watch)(stores)(Brief Article)
February 23, 2004... CHICAGO -- Crate and Barrel made the long awaited announcement that it will open its second CB2 store in Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood sometime this summer. The concept, which opened on the city's north side in January 2000, features...

Gadzooks files Chapter 11, closes units.(Market Watch)(Brief Article)
February 23, 2004... DALLAS -- Gadzooks' plan to go female-only has failed, and has forced the company into bankruptcy. As a result, it will liquidate a total of 156 stores in the coming weeks and eliminate 65 corporate and field overhead positions.

Kmart reduces workers across the board.(Market Watch)(Brief Article)
February 23, 2004... TROY, MICH. -- Kmart is conducting a store-by-store review of its 1500 units and is cutting jobs to help, in part, improve efficiency. The total number of jobs to be cut has not been disclosed. Total sales for the first two months of the...

Ahold to sell Bi-Lo, Bruno's chains.(Market Watch: Bi-Lo Grocery Stores L.L.C.)(Bruno's Supermarkets)(Brief Article)
February 23, 2004... CHANTILLY, VA. -- In an effort to reduce debt, Ahold plans to divest its Bi-Lo and Bruno's supermarket chains in the southeast region of the United States. The Bi-Lo chain is comprised of 292 stores, while Bruno's has 178 stores. Both chains...

Clarifications.(Market Watch)(Correction Notice)
February 23, 2004... Due to an automated computer error, the Financials chart in our Jan. 26 issue misinterpreted a stock split by Advance Auto Parts as a 50% decline in value. The correct change in value for the period was 3.44%. A recent article on Circuit...

Gateway points and clicks with eMachines: merger takes consumer-direct veteran to whole new retail realm.
February 23, 2004... POWAY, CALIF. -- Gateway, still struggling with its retail strategy and trying to gain consumer acceptance with its new selection of consumer electronics products, is embarking on yet another strategy. With the purchase of eMachines and its...

Tower Records tumbles; Viacom spins off Blockbuster.(planning and restucturing; Blockbuster Entertainment Group)
February 23, 2004... WEST SACRAMENTO, CALIF. -- The entertainment retail industry was dealt a one-two punch this month when Tower Records filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy protection and Viacom announced plans to spin off Blockbuster Entertainment. While neither...

Online poll.(Illustration)
February 23, 2004... Online Poll Should Martha Stewart go to jail? READER RESPONSES Based on responses collected from Jan. 29, 2004 through Feb. 12, 2004. Absolutely, she represents everything wrong with the system 33.47% Yes,...

Big 5 Sporting Goods announces 4Q gains.(Financials)(United Merchandising Corp.)
February 23, 2004... Big 5 Sporting Goods posted fourth quarter sales of $191.8 million, up 8.5% compared with the year-ago period. Same-store sales increased 3.6%. Net income totaled $9.9 million, or 43 cents per share, versus last year's $8.8 million, or 39...

Party City shows improvement in 2Q.(Financials)
February 23, 2004... Party City's second quarter sales at company-owned stores rose 8.4% to $175.3 million. Same-store sales rose 3.7% for company-owned stores and 7% for franchise stores. Total sales, which include both company-owned and franchise stores,...

Top gainers.(Financials)(Illustration)
February 23, 2004... TOP GAINERS For 2 weeks ended 2/11/04 Gottschalks Inc. 30.95% BJ's Wholesale Club 18.44 Hastings Entertainment 16.84 Linens 'N Things 14.46 Ross Stores Inc. 14.40

Top losers.(Financials)(Illustration)
February 23, 2004... TOP LOSERS For 2 weeks ended 2/11/04 Books-A-Million -(14.76%) Amazon.com (9.03) Great A&P Tea Co. (9.02) Blockbuster (8.39) Comcast Corp. (7.07) ( ): Decline

Major indices.(Financial)(Illustration)
February 23, 2004... MAJOR INDICES Close Close Net % 1/28/04 2/11/04 Change Change S&P 500 (GSPC) 1128.48 1157.76 29.28 2.59% Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) 10468.37...

2004 RAC Awards honor industry-best ads.(Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Co)((Davis, Brad))((Field, Marshall))(Brief Article)
February 23, 2004... NEW YORK -- The Retail Advertising Council (RAC), has announced the winners of the 2004 RAC Awards. For the second year in a row, Marshall Field's was awarded RAC's Best of the Best Award. Other award winners included Target and Mervyn's,...

Garden Ridge gets Chapter 11 cushion.(Garden Ridge Corp.)
February 23, 2004... HOUSTON -- A short period in bankruptcy is expected for home decor and crafts retailer Garden Ridge as the chain extricates itself from costly or unfavorable store leases as part of a turnaround strategy implemented early last year. The...

Kohl's signs Fuentes to spice things up.(Regatta Ltd.)(Kohl's Corp.)
February 23, 2004... MENOMONEE FALLS, WIS. -- Celebrity brands are in the spotlight, Hispanic brands are muy caliente and Kohl's has scored two for the price of one with its new Daisy Fuentes fashion line. This exclusive apparel offering, licensed and...

Ollie's gears up for expansion.(Ollie's Office, School and Art Supplies Inc)((Butler, Mark) )
February 23, 2004... GREENSBERG, MD. -- That's right, Stanley, Ollie's is growing. The close-out chain, with units in Delaware, Maryland and Pennsylvania, plans to expand by more than half over the next two years. Founded in 1982 in Mechanicsburg, Pa., by...

Concept stores offer glimpse of future.(Opinion)(JCPenney Company Inc.)(Wal-Mart Stores Inc)(Sears Business Centers)
February 23, 2004... There's always been something special about a new store or prototype. Whether it's the grand opening, the throngs of shoppers at the registers, or the well-stocked shelves. A new store often reflects the future direction of a retailer's...

Scrapbooks and catwalks put buzz in Hobby Show.
February 23, 2004... DALLAS -- Craft and hobby supplies, a long-forgotten merchandise category for many mass retailers, has generated attention once again as a moneymaker due in large part to the hot growth of scrapbooking and increasing interest in crafting...

Office Depot says outlook rosy.
February 23, 2004... DELRAY BEACH, FLA. -- After nearly four years of negative quarterly same-store sales, Office Depot chairman and ceo Bruce Nelson is convinced 2004 will be the year the company reverses that trend. He offered a bright outlook for the...

Staples' Business Expo set to go.(Staples Inc., office equipment industry)
February 23, 2004... FRAMINGHAM, MASS. -- Staples is fine-tuning a pilot program called Business Expo that was introduced a year and a half ago to meet the increasingly complex needs of small businesses. The program, currently in seven Northeastern stores,...

ShopKo chief merchant steps down.(ShopKo Stores Inc.)((Easton, Kevin))(Brief Article)
February 23, 2004... GREENBAY, WIS. -- ShopKo Stores Inc. on Feb. 9 announced that evp and cmo Kevin Easton, who was promoted to his current post in January of last year, is leaving the company to pursue other interests. Easton came on board at ShopKo in 2002 as...

Starbucks shows the way in Europe.(Starbucks inc., coffee industry)(Editorial)
February 23, 2004... As I was sipping a tall, double-shot, no-foam latte, scouring the newswire one day last week, the headline "Starbucks to enter Paris" jumped off the screen and nearly knocked me on my derriere. Starbucks in Paris? Sacre Bleu! There's no...

No quotas. No problem.(From The Field)(free trade agreement of clothing industry)
February 23, 2004... With whimsical Fashion Week at a close, the industry now turns its attention to material matters at MAGIC. While planning fall assortments with the right mix of styles is key, backroom issues have come out front especially the elimination of...

Is retail ready for President Kerry?(Guest Column)
February 23, 2004... Although he hasn't yet been officially anointed as the Democratic Party's 2004 presidential candidate, John Kerry is already running ahead of President George W. Bush in some head-to-head national polls. While a Kerry presidency was...

Deep-discount heavyweights show no signs of slowing down.(Dollar Store Report Part I)(Brief Article)
February 23, 2004... Call it dollar-store mania. Bargain-hunting consumers and those with limited incomes have become fanatical about getting a good deal at a low price. While dollar stores aren't new top chain Dollar General opened its first store back in...

For market leader Dollar General, change is good.(Dollar Store Report Part I)
February 23, 2004... Steady as it goes could be an easy strategy for a retailer with a proven, lucrative format such as Dollar General. But the exact opposite was true this past year as the company went through dramatic changes intended to secure its longtime...

Family Dollar is second-largest, but not second fiddle.(Dollar Store Report Part I)(Family Dollar Stores Inc)
February 23, 2004... Ranking as the second-largest dollar store chain has advantages. Despite being the underdog in sales and store count, Family Dollar is still the favored stock of many analysts due to a strong growth outlook and best-in-class financial metrics...

Bluefly will soon launch a new virtual storefront on Amazon in its Apparel and Accessories section.(Brief Article)
February 23, 2004... NEW YORK -- Bluefly will soon launch a new virtual storefront on Amazon in its Apparel and Accessories section. The ceo of Bluefly, Ken Seiff, expects the partnership to be mutually beneficial, and looks forward to the added exposure it will...

ShopPro Entertainment has partnered with Lollytogs Ltd. for a new line of Megaman NT Warrior apparel.(New York)(Brief Article)
February 23, 2004... NEW YORK -- ShopPro Entertainment has partnered with Lollytogs Ltd. for a new line of Megaman NT Warrior apparel, based on the children's television series on the Kids'WB. Twenty-six new episodes will launch in spring 2004, timed with the...

Haggar.(Dallas)(Haggar Apparel Co)(Brief Article)
February 23, 2004... DALLAS -- Haggar is expanding on its successful comfort-fit waist pants, now offering them as part of a custom-fit suit program. Available in a broad array of fabrications, they are hitting the floors at JCPenney and Belk stores this month....

Brown Shoe Company Inc.(St. Louis)((Upbin, Hal J.))
February 23, 2004... ST. LOUIS -- Brown Shoe Company Inc. has elected Hal J. Upbin, chairman and ceo of Kellwood Company, to its board of directors.

NBA.(New York)(Brief Article)
February 23, 2004... NEW YORK -- Another line of dog apparel is hitting the market, but this time, instead of froufrou poodle wear, the NBA is coming up with items even a doberman could love. Man's best friend can now sport $35 jerseys and $55 jackets like his...

Sears looking for best fit: can Lands' End be the Kenmore of clothing?(Sears, Roebuck and Co.)
February 23, 2004... After selling its credit division last year, Sears is more dependent than ever on improving retail sales--especially in apparel. While Sears has long been a powerhouse in hardlines with brands including Kenmore and Craftsman, the Best Buys...

What's ringing the register$?(Illustration)
February 23, 2004... WHAT'S RINGING THE REGISTERS? Ribbon Belts: Women of all ages are stocking up on these preppy grosgrain numbers, back in vogue as the perfect accessory to update spring wardrobes. RETAILER PRICE CLAIRE'S: ...

Motorsports gear on track to expand: NASCAR leads the race.(In The News)(National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing)(VF Jeanswear L.L.P.)(Brief Article)
February 23, 2004... CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Gentlemen, women and children, start your engines. New motorsports products are racing to market. The leader of the pack, NASCAR, has been driving licensing revenues in an expanding array of categories, far beyond the...

In today's oversaturated market, how do you give your products cachet?(Material Matters)(Brief Article)
February 23, 2004... RETAILER Alan Questrom ceo JCPenney QUESTROM: "Differentiation is absolutely key. We ask ourselves, for instance, what can we do to stand out in juniors? Is it a brand, a particular color, a key item that we go deep...

Federated Department Stores.(Retailer News)(Brief Article)
February 23, 2004... Federated Department Stores has established a centralized organization to be responsible for strategy, merchandising and marketing of home-related categories in all 425-plus units under its Macy's banner, including Rich's-Macy's,...

Ikea.(Retailer News)(IKEA Holdings U.S. Inc.)(Brief Article)
February 23, 2004... In preparation for its opening at Minnesota's Mall of America, Ikea has developed new recruitment program. In addition to Web sites where they can submit resumes, Ikea also plans specially tailored Ikea Twin Cities recruitment activities,...

WestPoint Stevens.(Executive News)(WestPoint Stevens Home Fashions)((Maddalene, Scott) )(Brief Article)
February 23, 2004... WestPoint Stevens has named Scott Maddalene vp, bed merchandising. He was managing director, WestPoint Stevens Europe since 2000. Stevens will manage the company's department store, specialty store, warehouse club and institutional...

Toilet cleaners.(What's hot)(Homecare Products Inc.)(Brief Article)
February 23, 2004... It has been a couple of decades since the Tidy Bowl man brought our attention to toilet cleaning product that promised less time spent at an pleasant chore. Now, a new generation of toilet bowl cleaners is hitting the market. Under the Comet...

Stylish storage is in the house.(home goods & housewares)
February 23, 2004... Innovation and styling have become critical attributes for new storage products. Trends are toward products that provide solutions either in terms . of what they store or where. Indeed, even as plastic goods are becoming more specific in...

Lowell brightens office space.(home goods & housewares)(Lowell C. Kenyon Packing Co.)(Office Depot Inc.)(Brief Article)
February 23, 2004... When Christopher Lowell rolled out his new home/ small office furniture collection at Office Depot (see p.22), desks and credenzas might have garnered the most attention. Storage, though, is integral to the strategy behind the line's...

Coffee pods brew up new batch of interest.(home goods & housewares)(Applica Inc.)(Procter & Gamble Benelux S.A.)(Brief Article)
February 23, 2004... You can't escape the pods. Okay, so maybe these pods--single-serving coffee modules for specialized brewing machines--aren't as menacing as the "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" variety, but they're scaring up interest in the countdown to the...

Sony wonder.(Vendor News)(Sony Music Entertainment Inc)(Wal-Mart Stores Inc.)(Target)
February 23, 2004... Sony Wonder has repackaged its three-disc "Sesame Street Songs from the Street" CD to make it user-friendly for mass merchants. Sony released the CD last year but many retailers, including Wal-Mart and Target, didn't carry it because the...

Nielsen Media Research and Tivo Inc. have signed a deal.(Industry News)(Brief Article)
February 23, 2004... Nielsen Media Research and Tivo Inc. have signed a deal that will allow Nielsen to monitor how often Tivo users use their digital video recorders to skip through TV commercials. The research will be used to measure the threat Tivo and other...

The Motion Picture Association of America.(Industry News)
February 23, 2004... The Motion Picture Association of America reported that video piracy in Asian countries drained $718 million from movie studios in 2003, compared to $642 million in 2002. China was tabbed as the primary offender with estimated piracy costs of...

Buena Vista Home Entertainment.(Executive News)(Buena Vista Home Entertainment Inc.)((Hope, Jonathan))(Brief Article)
February 23, 2004... Buena Vista Home Entertainment promoted Jonathan Hope to the position of vp and general manager, Canada, and promoted Marjorie Gibson to vp of Sales, Canada.

Portable DVD.(what's hot)(Brief Article)
February 23, 2004... Portable DVD players represented only 1% of the 22 million players sold in 2003 but they're emerging as a fast-growing category in DVD hardware. The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) reports manufacturers shipped 600,000 portable...

Oscar contenders coming to DVD.(ce&entertainment)(Something's Gotta Give)(Thirteen)(Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World)
February 23, 2004... The Academy Awards have moved from their traditional late March time slot to Feb. 29 this year, and that's shortened the window for studios to release Oscar-nominated films around the awards presentation. But some films are making a quick...

Chinamation genre debuts in May.(ce&entertainment)(Playhut Inc.)
February 23, 2004... Playhut Entertainment will bring a new genre to DVD this spring when it rolls out the first "Chinamation" titles to U.S. retailers. The licensing arm of toy maker Playhut Inc., hopes the Chinese animation titles will appeal to the same fan...

Three new distribution centers scheduled to open in May are expected to improve the competitive position of the 700 independent office supply dealers who are part of the is.group buying cooperative.(Retailer News)(Intrix Systems Group Inc)(Brief Article)
February 23, 2004... Three new distribution centers scheduled to open in May are expected to improve the competitive position of the 700 independent office supply dealers who are part of the is.group buying cooperative. Approximately 40 manufacturers will supply...

Paperworld.(Industry News)(PaperWork AG)(Brief Article)
February 23, 2004... Although trade shows have experienced declining participation, organizers of the Paperworld office products trade show held earlier this month in Frankfurt, Germany, reported attendance increased 4% to 69,000. The growth appears to have come...

Cardinal Brands Inc.(Executive News)(Cardinal Brands)((Harms, Glenda))((Wright, Beth))((Fulgham, George) )(Brief Article)
February 23, 2004... Cardinal Brands inc. named Glenda Harms, Beth Wright and George Fulgham as national accounts managers for the commercial office products division. Harms is now responsible for managing Staples North American Delivery and United Stationers,...

Easy art.(what's hot)(Rose Art Industries Inc.)((Kinkade, Thomas))(Brief Article)
February 23, 2004... Thomas Kinkade is already well known as the most-collected living artist in America and by the phrase, "The Painter of Light," that was trademarked to describe the distinctive look of his works. Now Kinkade, whose original paintings cost many...

Small business making big impact on sales.(hardlines)(Esselte Corp)
February 23, 2004... Retailers of core office supplies are poised to benefit this year from a favorable outlook for economic growth and expectations that interest rates will remain low. The combination of those factors creates ideal conditions for existing...

Office Depot adds designer RTA.(hardlines)(Office Depot Inc.)(Brief Article)
February 23, 2004... The furniture category at Office Depot is taking on a new look following the recent addition of a proprietary line created by designer and television personality Christopher Lowell. Office Depot began testing the approximately 80-SKU line...

Staples scores with Super Bowl blitz.(hardlines)(Staple Dairy Products)(Brief Article)
February 23, 2004... Staples' big bet on the Super Bowl paid off for the New England-based company as its first-ever advertisement was well received by viewers. The retailer's 30-second spot drew a solid score of 6.68 in USA Today's 16th annual Ad Meter, which...

Whole Foods Market.(Retailer News)(Whole Foods Market Inc.)(Brief Article)
February 23, 2004... Whole Foods Market has entered Kentucky with a store in Louisville. Opened at the beginning of this month, the 41,000 square-foot store is located in Louisville's St. Matthews section.

Sam's Club.(Retailer News)(Brief Article)
February 23, 2004... Sam's Club is among the clubs that is experimenting with new organic offerings, and last month launched Marques de Paiva Gourmet Organic Coffee in three-pounds for under $10 each. The Marques de Paiva introduction marks the first time...

Hershey Foods.(Vendor News)(Hershey Foods Corp.)(Brief Article)
February 23, 2004... Hershey Foods has teamed with Dr. Barry Sears today to introduce the first-ever nutrition bars based on his Zone Diet. The products will carry a Dr. Sears Zone Approval seal and rollout in during the third quarter.

David Sunflower Seeds.(Vendor News)(David Sunflower Seeds)(Brief Article)
February 23, 2004... David Sunflower Seeds is introducing a travel cup to help consumers "spit responsibly." It is packaged with a 4.5-ounce bag of in-shell sunflower seeds, has a snap-on lid and is designed to fit into car cup holders.

Kroger.(Executive News)(Kroger Co.)((Pichler, Joseph))((Dillon, David))(Brief Article)
February 23, 2004... Kroger has announced that chairman Joseph Pichler will retire from Kroger on June 24. According to existing plans, the board will then elect David Dillon, Kroger ceo, to the additional position of chairman.

Packaged salads.(what's hot)(Ready Pac Produce Inc.)(Brief Article)
February 23, 2004... Packaged salads are on the rebound. According to the ACNielsen Strategic Planner, the process goes back at least to 2002, when they advanced by 12.3%. In 2003, the segment continued to grow, gaining 8.6%. The demand for convenience has...

Bakery still rising, despite carb concern.(food&consumables)(Fresh Foods Inc.)
February 23, 2004... Big changes are coming in the bread business, but Atkins or no, don't expect the business in this sort of loaf to grow lazy. Wellness is having a big impact on the category, but that's not the only issue that's putting a rise in bakery. ...

Kroger adds to Marketplace.(food&consumables)(Brief Article)
February 23, 2004... Kroger is building a new ground-up Marketplace store in an important test of the company's prospects in expanded general merchandise formats Launched two years ago under the Fry's banner, Marketplace stores are smaller than supercenters...

Low-carb lifestyle gets franchised.(food&consumables)(CarbStyles )(Brief Article)
February 23, 2004... Naturally, the low-carbohydrate lifestyle needed its own specialty store, so CarbStyles is being launched in California. The franchise operation expects to hit the ground running with as many as 50 units opening in the next year. The...

Frank's revolving door ushers out another ceo.(Frank's Nursery & Crafts, Bruce Dale)
February 9, 2004... TROY, MICH. -- The third ceo at Frank's Nursery & Crafts in as many years stepped down last month after a report of poor December sales--a troubling development for this lawn and garden retailer attempting a post-bankruptcy turnaround. ...

Loblaw's new combo stores cover both ends of market.(Loblaw Companies ltd.)
February 9, 2004... TORONTO -- Loblaw introduced a new supercenter prototype in Calgary last month after its general merchandise/supermarket stores debuted in eastern Canada in 2003. The first of a new generation of supercenters the company plans to introduce,...

Spiegel Inc. spiffs up namesake catalog.
February 9, 2004... DOWNERS GROVE, ILL. -- Think that 99 years old is a little late for a makeover? The management team at Spiegel Catalog doesn't--they just gave their classic direct-mail resource a complete overhaul. Reinvented as a magalog, the new format is...

Kenzer Corp names Schor as VP.(Market Watch)(Neil Schor)(Brief Article)
February 9, 2004... NEW YORK -- In conjunction with its recent emergence from Chapter 11, executive search firm Kenzer Corp has just promoted Neil Schor, a senior associate in their Atlanta Office, to vp of the Southeast and Southwest regions. Schor joined...

Dept. of Labor launches helpful Web site.(Market Watch)(Brief Article)
February 9, 2004... WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The two new online compliance assistance tools have been launched by the U.S. Department of Labor. The FirstStep Employment Law Advisor, available at http://www.dol.gov/elaws, helps employers determine which laws...

Best Buy to say 'aloha' with Hawaii unit.(Market Watch)(plans to open new stores in Canada and USA)(Brief Article)
February 9, 2004... RICHFIELD, MINN. -- Consumer electronics retailer Best Buy plans to open up to 73 new stores in the United States and Canada during its 2005 fiscal year. Plans include the retailer's first store in Hawaii as well as a new flagship superstore...

Overstock.com considers public offering.(Market Watch)(Brief Article)
February 9, 2004... SALT LAKE CITY -- Overstock.com announced Thursday that it may file a shelf registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission for a public offering of its common stock. The company anticipates that the shelf registration...

Dallas does discount--now at 99 cents; new market opens growth possibilities for hot dollar chain.("99 Cents Only" store)
February 9, 2004... GARLAND, TEXAS -- A flier lured Lucy Fitzgerald to the new 99 Cents Only store near Dallas around rush hour on a Wednesday evening. She and eight other bargain hunters spent the night in the chilly Texas weather to be the first nine customers...

Linens'n things honored with FIRE award in home.(caption)
February 9, 2004... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: DSN Retailing Today editor-in-chief Tim Craig (left) presented the FIRE award to Linens 'n Things evp, cmo Audrey Schlaepfer (in yellow) at Linens' headquarters in Clifton, N.J. The award is presented each...

B&N.COM posts reduced loss.(Financials)(Barnes & Noble.com)(Brief Article)
February 9, 2004... Barnes & Noble.com announced that it narrowed its fourth quarter loss and achieved an EBITDA profit of $0.3 million. The net loss for the quarter was $5.5 million, or 3 cents per share, compared with last year's loss of $15 million, or 9...

Clarification.(Correction Notice)
February 9, 2004... A pricing survey in a recent Market Basket report (Jan. 5, 2004, p. 4) contained inaccurate data. An item sold at Wal-Mart (Ultra Leak Guard diapers, $7.77) should have accounted for its jumbo-pack sizing, and therefore misrepresented it as...

Top gainers.(Financials)(top gainers in share prices)(Brief Article)
February 9, 2004... TOP GAINERS For 2 weeks ended 1/28/04 Tweeter Home Ent. [up arrow] 20.14% Ultimate Electronics [up arrow] 10.63 Circuit City [up arrow] 9.84 Big 5 Sporting Goods [up arrow] 8.22 Petco Animal Supplies ...

Top losers.(Financials)(companies with greatest % share value losses in the last two weeks)(Brief Article)
February 9, 2004... TOP LOSERS For 2 weeks ended 1/28/04 Galyan's Trading Co. [down arrow] (27.28%) Bon-Ton Stores [down arrow] (16.91) Gap Inc. [down arrow] (9.83) Fred's Inc. [down arrow] (9.00)...

Major indices.(Financials)
February 9, 2004... MAJOR INDICES Close Close Net % 1/14/04 1/28/04 Change Change S&P 500 (GSPC) 1130.52 1128.48 (2.04) (0.18%) Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) 10538.37 10468.37...