Business - Retail

Chevron is lowering its profile in the East, taking its red, white and blue signs down from more than 1,000 stores from Indiana to South Carolina. Here is a list of affected states and the District of Columbia. Full Story »

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Closeout retailer Big Lots Inc posted a better-than-expected quarterly profit, aided by lower freight costs, and raised its outlook for the holiday fourth quarter, sending its shares up more than 14 percent. Full Story »

BOLINGBROOK, Ill. - Beauty supplies retailer Ulta Salon Cosmetics & Fragrance Inc. said Thursday its profit rose 69 percent in the third quarter as sales rose by a double-digit percentage. Full Story »

Here are comparisons of how major stores in four key areas of retailing fared in November compared with a year earlier. Full Story »

NORTH VERSAILLES, Pa. - A 72-year-old Wal-Mart greeter near Pittsburgh was punched in the face outside his store and now is in the hospital. Full Story »

NEW YORK - Many teen retailers reported a decline in a key sales comparison in November, as strong sales after Thanksgiving were not enough to offset a weak start to the month. Full Story »

CHICAGO (Reuters) - U.S. retailers from Macy's to Costco posted much weaker-than-expected sales for November as shoppers focused only on big bargains at the start of the key holiday selling season. Full Story »

NEW YORK - Shares of shoe retailer Collective Brands Inc. rose on Thursday after adjusted third-quarter profit topped Wall Street expectations, and an analyst forecast earnings growth next year. Full Story »

NEW YORK - How sales at stores open at least a year changed at selected major clothing chains for November. Full Story »

CAMP HILL, Pa. - Rite Aid Corp. on Thursday said sales at drugstores open at least one year fell in November, as generic drug launches hurt results at its pharmacies and sales at the front end of stores decreased. Full Story »

PLEASANTON, Calif. - Low-price clothing retailer Ross Stores Inc. said Thursday that its sales at store open at least a year climbed in November as shoppers embraced the company's deeply discounted products. Full Story »

NEW YORK - Summary of how sales at selected major department stores' locations that have been open at least a year changed in November from the same month last year. Full Story »

PITTSBURGH - Teen apparel retailer American Eagle Outfitters Inc. said Thursday that sales at stores open at least a year fell 2 percent in November as it experienced "choppy" store traffic through the month. Full Story »

MINNEAPOLIS - Discount retailer Target Inc. said Thursday strong sales during the Thanksgiving weekend were not enough to offset weak sales during the earlier part of November, sending sales in stores open at least a year down 1.5 percent. Full Story »

NEW YORK - Summary of changes in sales at stores open at least a year in November for discount chains, with percentage increase or decrease over last year. Full Story »

NEW ALBANY, Ohio - Clothing retailer Abercrombie & Fitch Co. said Thursday that sales in its stores that have been open at least a year fell 17 percent in November, worse than analysts predicted. Full Story »

BOSTON - Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has agreed to pay $40 million to 87,500 Massachusetts employees who claimed the retailer denied them rest and meals breaks, manipulated time cards and refused to pay overtime, according to court documents filed Wednesday. Full Story »

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Shoe retailer Collective Brands Inc. said Wednesday its third-quarter profits fell 22 percent but its sales rose slightly thanks to factors including a plug from Oprah Winfrey. Full Story »