Top Stories

• Walmart closes out ‘difficult' quarter
  
  HTT Staff, May 16, 2013
  Bentonville, Ark. - Walmart cited unseasonably cool weather and delayed tax refunds for its underperformance during the first quarter.
  
• Kohl's profit dips in Q1
  
  HTT Staff, May 16, 2013
  Menomenee Falls, Wis. - Although all lines of business at Kohl's experienced sales declines during the first quarter, home outperformed the store average, led by strength in electrics and luggage.
  
• Dillard's logs strong Q1 profit
  
  HTT Staff, May 16, 2013
  Little Rock, Ark. - Dillard's department stores produced record first quarter earnings thanks to better margins and cost controls. The home and furniture categories were the weakest performers during the quarter, the company reported.
  
• Cotton price 86 cents
  
  HTT Staff, May 16, 2013
  New York - Yesterday's end of day price on Cotton #2 futures for July contracts was 86 cents. The price on October contracts was also 86 cents.

   

  
  
• Alok Plans to Open Mill ... in the U.S.
  
  Warren Shoulberg, May 16, 2013
  DALLAS - More than a decade after the last major home textiles mill closed in the United States there are plans to open what would be the first new yarn spinning plant in this country in more than 20 years.
  
• Macy's posts strong Q1, home textiles a winner
  
  HTT Staff, May 15, 2013
  Cincinnati - Home textiles was again singled out as among Macy's strongest merchandise category performers, along with furniture, during the department store chain's first quarter.
  
• Gordmans names senior vp for planning & allocation
  
  HTT Staff, May 15, 2013
  Omaha, Neb. - Apparel and home décor retailer Gordmans has hired Geoffrey Ayoub senior vp of planning, allocation and analysis.
  
• HSNi announces promotions
  
  HTT Staff, May 15, 2013
  St. Petersburg, Fla. - Multi-channel retailer HSNi, parent of HSN and the Cornerstone brands, has promoted Judy Schmeling to chief operating officer/cfo. She had been executive vp and cfo since 2011.
  
• Umbra readies Shanghai flagship store
  
  HTT Staff, May 15, 2013
  Toronto - Seven years after Umbra unveiled its first flagship store here, the housewares brand is preparing for the June 11 opening of its new concept store in Shanghai.
  
• AmericasMart revs for July Markets
  
  HTT Staff, May 15, 2013
  Atlanta - Showroom hub The Atlanta AmericasMart is gearing up its July shows, the International Gift & Home Furnishings Market from the 10-17 and the International Area Rug Market from the 11-14.
  
• Cotton price 87 cents
  
  HTT Staff, May 15, 2013
  New York - Yesterday's end-of-day price on Cotton #2 futures for July contracts was 87 cents. The price on October contracts was 86 cents.
  
• Comps heat up as May kicks off
  
  HTT Staff, May 14, 2013
  New York - Warmer springtime weather breezed in as May got started, taking comps up 2.8% in the month's first week, according to the Johnson Redbook Retail Sales Index.
  
• Bon-Ton sees Q1 sales uptick
  
  HTT Staff, May 14, 2013
  York, Pa. - The Bon-Ton Stores' first quarter sales rose 1.0% to $646.9 million, with comps up 1.2%.
  
• Burlington Coat rings up over $1M in Q1 sales
  
  HTT Staff, May 14, 2013
  Burlington, N.J. - Burlington Coat Factory's first quarter sales climbed 8.4% to $1.065 million, with same-store sales up 3.4%.
  
• Protect-A-Bed sweepstakes asks Who Snores More?
  
  HTT Staff, May 14, 2013
  Chicago - Bedding encasements manufacturer Protect-A-Bed has launched a sweepstakes offering consumers the opportunity to nominate a male or female for the chance to win a SnoreBeGone sleep positioning system.
  
• Kravet to open Las Vegas Design Center showroom
  
  HTT Staff, May 14, 2013
  Las Vegas - Kravet, a distributor of fabrics, furniture, wall coverings, trimmings, carpets and accessories, is opening a showroom in the Las Vegas Design Center.
  
• Former home textiles exec joins Newport Board Group
  
  HTT Staff, May 14, 2013
  New York - Jack Toolan has become a partner in the Newport Board Group, a national professional services firm that helps middle market companies drive growth and improve performance.
  
• NRF: Import volume to slow down this summer

  
  HTT Staff, May 14, 2013
  Washington D.C. - While import volume at the nation's major retail container ports is expected to rise by 3.3% in May over a year ago, the National Retail Federation warned further growth could be stunted by summer's end by the sluggish economy.
  
• Cotton price 86 cents
  
  HTT Staff, May 14, 2013
  New York - Yesterday's end of day price on Cotton #2 futures for July contracts was 86 cents. The price on October contracts was 86 cents.

   

  
  
• NRF: Retail sales inched up in April; home stores' sales flat
  
  HTT Staff, May 13, 2013
  Washington D.C. - Improved employment data, better housing prices, and a record-breaking stock market served as catalysts for an April retail sales increase of 0.6%, seasonally adjusted from last month, excluding automobiles, gas stations and restaurants, and up 3.9% unadjusted year-over-year.