Financial News

As expected, the facial anti-aging segment continues to experience overall growth as women continue their quest for the fountain of youth in a bottle.

Such brands as Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting and Garnier Nutritioniste Ultra-Lift enjoyed strong growth as beauty mavens sought to banish fine lines and wrinkles.

Among such brands as Olay, L’Oréal and Neutrogena, Bio-Oil held its ground and saw an 18% sales boost for the 12 weeks ended Jan. 23, according to SymphonyIRI Group.

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. — Among people who use dietary supplements, the most popular products in 2010 were fish oil, multivitamins, vitamin D, calcium and Co Q-10, according to a ConsumerLab.com survey.

Women were much more likely than men to have taken vitamin D, calcium or probiotics. Men were more likely than women to have taken Co Q-10, herbs and extracts, glucosamine/chondroitin, vitamin E, resveratrol, amino acids, and nutrition drinks and powders.

MINNEAPOLIS — February same-store sales at Target advanced 1.8%, thanks to the addition of fresh food and consumables that are part of an aggressive remodeling program causing more people to shop its stores.

The company said more than half of its February same-store sales gain were driven by an increase in transactions combined with a small increase in the average transaction size. The 1.8% gain comes on top of a 2.4% increase in February 2010.

CINCINNATI — Kroger on Thursday beat analysts’ quarterly consensus, posting 46 cents in earnings per share (adjusted for a goodwill impairment charge) that exceeded consensus by 2 cents EPS, with a higher-than-expected identical-store sales lift of 3.8% (excluding fuel).

Same-store sales were particularly strong across natural food, bakery and deli/meat, Kroger chairman and CEO David Dillon told analysts during a conference call. “We were particularly pleased by sales growth in our drug and merchandise departments,” Dillon said.

NEW YORK — Retail sales in February rose in most categories, despite winter storms and rising gas prices, according to MasterCard Advisors' SpendingPulse.

The increase maintained the positive performance that began in fall 2010, but February’s year-over-year growth rates were smaller in most categories than those recorded in the November 2010 through January 2011 period.

MEMPHIS — Fred's on Thursday posted a 2% increase in sales totaling $153.6 million for the four weeks ended Feb. 26. Comparable-store sales for the month rose 0.9% versus an increase of 2% in the same period last year.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens on Thursday posted sales growth of 8.7% to $18.5 billion for its second quarter ended Feb. 28.

Comparable-store sales were up 4%, with a 4% increase across front-end same-store sales. Prescriptions filled grew by 4.5%; quarterly same-store pharmacy sales were not provided.

CAMP HILL, Pa. — February sales at Rite Aid increased 1% over the prior-year period, while the chain's front-end and pharmacy same-store sales increased 1.1% and 0.9%, respectively.

Total drug store sales for the five-week period increased 0.1% to about $2.44 billion, Rite Aid reported.