May 9 (Reuters) – U.S. retail spending continued to grow
modestly in April as bad weather delayed spring shopping in much
of the country and frugal consumers gravitated toward discount
chains.

Twelve major U.S. retailers reported a 3.7 percent increase
in April sales at stores open at least a year, according to
Thomson Reuters same-store sales index. That was less than the
4.3 percent increase Wall Street expected.

By Phil Wahba and Ben Berkowitz

(Reuters) – Shares in Barnes & Noble Inc rose 18 percent on Thursday after a report that Microsoft Corp is considering an offer to acquire the tablet and e-book business of B&N’s Nook Media unit.

The technology website TechCrunch reported that Microsoft, which already owns a 17 percent stake in Nook Media, was proposing a $1 billion offer to buy all of Nook’s digital assets. A source familiar with the document cited by TechCrunch confirmed its authenticity.

May 9 (Reuters) – Costco Wholesale Corp and
Victoria’s Secret parent L Brands Inc reported
smaller-than-expected sales gains in April, when consumer mood
swooned on concerns about the job market recovery.

Costco reported a 4 percent gain in sales at stores open at
least a year, slightly less than expected because of sharply
lower gas prices compared with a year ago. Still, the warehouse
club operator said sales of food and consumer electronics were
good.

May 7 (Reuters) – J.C. Penney Co Inc on Tuesday
reported another quarter of steep sales declines, hit by the
lingering effects of its former chief executive’s failed
marketing strategy.

But Wall Street brushed off the news after the company,
which last month brought back ex-CEO Myron Ullman to turn around
its operations, reported cash levels that implied the department
store chain had gone through less money than feared. Vendors and
analysts expect sales to improve later this year.

May 3 (Reuters) – Barnes & Noble Inc aims to make
its “Nook” tablets more appealing to consumers by offering
buyers access to Google Inc’s apps store, hoping to generate
interest in a device that has made little headway against
Amazon.com Inc’s Kindle and Apple Inc’s iPad.

The top U.S. bookstore chain, trying to reverse a drop in
sales last holiday season of its Nook devices, which include
e-readers, announced it would add Google Play to its Nook HD and
Nook HD+ devices as of Friday.

By Phil Wahba

(Reuters) – Estée Lauder Cos Inc (EL.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) reported higher-than-expected quarterly profit on Thursday and raised its earnings forecast, boosted by its campaign to cut costs.

The company, which makes luxury skin care, makeup, fragrance and hair care products, also expects to outperform its rivals in the high-end beauty markets, where industry growth has slowed.

By Phil Wahba

(Reuters) – J.C. Penney Co Inc, recognizing it made mistakes in its attempt to re-invent itself last year, launched a social media campaign on Wednesday that asked shoppers who left in droves to come back.

Last year, sales plunged 25 percent after recently ousted Chief Executive Ron Johnson largely eliminated the use of coupons and sales in favor of regular, low prices. It was a disastrous move that alienated Penney shoppers who were accustomed to expecting coupons and deals.

By Phil Wahba

(Reuters) – CVS Caremark Corp (CVS.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) posted a higher than expected first-quarter profit on Wednesday, helped by more profitable generic drugs on the market and a severe cold and flu season that boosted sales at its drugstores.

Generic drugs generate lower revenue but higher profit than branded medicines, contributing to the sharp jump in profit even as the company’s overall revenue dipped slightly.

By Phil Wahba

(Reuters) – Avon Products Inc (AVP.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) on Tuesday reported a better-than-expected first-quarter profit in the latest sign the beauty products company’s business continues to improve, helped by higher sales in key markets Brazil and Russia and cost cuts.

Avon’s shares rose 6.1 percent to $23.60 in premarket trading.

Overall, revenue in the quarter fell 3.5 percent to $2.48 billion, but was flat when stripping away the impact of currency fluctuations.

By Phil Wahba

(Reuters) – J.C. Penney Co Inc (JCP.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) on Monday said it had lined up a five-year, $1.75 billion financing package from Goldman Sachs Group Inc (GS.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), the latest move by the struggling retailer to shore up its finances.

The senior secured term loan facility, backed by the department store chain’s real estate and other assets, may be used to fund working capital needs and for other corporate purposes, Penney said in a statement.