The German Metro group has announced quarterly results that were better than expected. In the rest of Western Europe the parent company of Media Markt, Saturn, Metro and Makro takes a beating, but the better performances in home country Germany, especially at Media Saturn, makes up for that.

Dutch chain HEMA has made a net profit of 6.4 million euro in the financial year 2012,almost half of the 11.4 million euro the Dutch chain made in 2011. Sales rose by 0.3 percent to 1.153 billion euro.

According to the Wall Street Journal Procter & Gamble is currently negotiating with its suppliers to lengthen the payment period of invoices with a maximum of thirty days. At the same time the company is talking with some banks about a system of compensation.

The transfer of Ron Johnson from computer giant Apple to American chain of department stores JCPenney has not been a success: his reign there lasted just sixteen months. His company said he did not realise any great achievements, but critics think JCPenney has decided to part ways too soon.

American specialist in reorganisations Hilco is going to keep 132 stores of the British entertainment chain HMV open. The nine locations of the music chain Fopp will also remain open, but the other 82 locations of His Master’s Voice are closing.

Since a few days famous notebook producer Moleskine is publicly traded at the exchange in Milan. At that occasion it was announced that the Italian company will be opening ten new shops this year, which would more than double the current number.

In 2012 A.S. Watson saw its sales rise by 4% to 148.626 billion Hong Kong dollar (almost 15 billion euro). The parent company of Kruidvat, ICI Paris XL and Trekpleister achieved a company profit of 10.048 billion dollar or 1 billion euro, 8% more than last year.

Unless the deal should fall through at the very last moment, as of this summer French chain of luxury warehouses Le Printemps will be owned completely by a Qatari investment fund.

Registrations for the RetailDetail Congress, on 25 April 2013 in Schelle, are now open. This year's theme is “Switch or Die”, with keynote speakers such as Christian Van Thillo, Pieter Zwart, prof. Gino Van Ossel, Wouter Torfs and Peter Hinssen. There is also a special offer for the first hundred registrations.