After-market auto-parts retail and service chain The Pep Boys (PBY) reported their fourth quarter and year-end financial results this past week.

For the fourth quarter, Pep Boys reported sales of $505.3 million, an increase of $27.9 million or 5.9%. For the year, the company's sales totaled $2.06 billion, up from $1.99 billion last year. This represents an annual increase of $75 million or 2.8%.

The company reported a net loss of $4.4 million for the quarter, or $0.08 per share. In the same period last year, the company reported net earnings of $8.4 million. For the year, The Pep Boys reported net earnings of $38.9 million, down $7.7 million from the prior year. On an earnings per share basis, the company reported quarterly earnings of $0.54 per share, down from $0.69 in the comparable period.

Pep Boys offers name-brand tires; automotive maintenance and repair; parts and expert advice for the Do-It-Yourselfer; commercial auto parts delivery; and fleet maintenance and repair. Pep Boys has more than 7,000 service bays in more than 730 locations in 35 states and Puerto Rico.

Trading for shares of Pep Boys (PBY) ended the week at $14.93.

Ruby Tuesday Reports Disappointing Earnings Results

Maryville, Tennessee-based restaurant chain Ruby Tuesday (RT) reported its earnings last week. The company reported disappointing results.

For its most recent quarter, the restaurant chain reported earnings of $4.5 million, or $0.07 per share. Earnings were down from the comparable quarter last year when the company reported earnings of $16 million or $0.25 per share.

The company's revenue increased slightly from the same period last year. Ruby Tuesday reported revenue of $324.8 million. Last year earnings were $319.1 million. Ruby Tuesday's revenue growth of 1.8% trails the industry average of 13.4%

"We believe the steps we have taken this quarter will enable us to positively impact our future sales and profits," the company's Chief Executive Officer, Sandy Beall, said in a statement. "While we were pleased with our earnings performance given our lower sales levels, we are clearly disappointed in our same-restaurant sales results for the third quarter."

Shares of Ruby Tuesday (RT) closed the week at $7.23 per share.

Bed Bath & Beyond Inc Reports Earnings Beyond Investors Expectations

Bed Bath & Beyond, Inc. (BBBY) reported its fourth quarter and fiscal year results this past week.

For the year, the company reported net earnings of $989.5 million, an increase of 32% over net earnings of $791.3 million from a year ago. On an earnings per share basis, Bed Bath & Beyond reported annual earnings of $4.06, up from $3.07 per share in the prior fiscal year.

For the fourth quarter, Bed Bath & Beyond reported net earnings of $351 million or $1.48 per share. This represents an increase of nearly 32% from the same period last year when earnings were $283.5 million or $1.12 per share. Net sales for the quarter also increased to $2.732 billion, up nearly 9.1% from the same period last year.

"We're pleased that we have been able to continue our strong performance in terms of earnings growth, cash flow generation and overall financial strength as we constantly challenge ourselves to improve in every aspect of our operation," stated Warren Eisenberg, Bed Bath & Beyond's Co-Chairman. "Our unique decentralized corporate culture continues to produce positive results, and we remain confident that our business will continue to grow successfully in the years ahead. Our entire organization is dedicated to providing our customers with the best possible shopping experience."

Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. operates retail stores under its brand name and subsidiaries operating under the names of Christmas Tree Shops, Harmon, Harmon Face Values and buy-buy BABY. Bed Bath & Beyond is also a partner in a joint venture which operates retail stores in Mexico under the name "Home & More."

Bed Bath & Beyond (BBBY) closed the week trading at $71.97 per share.

The Dow started the week at 13,212 and closed at 13,060. The NASDAQ started the week at 3,092 and finished at 3,080.The S&P 500 started the week at 1,408 and ended at 1,398.

Last week, Spain's borrowing costs reached their highest level since December. In response, Spain is preparing a plan outlining how it will comply with the European budget deficit rules.

Spain's 10-year securities rose to 5.844% last week, its highest level since December 13. By comparison, similar German bonds are 4 percentage points lower.

Spain's Economy Minister Luis de Guindos commented on the development sating, "In the coming days we will present the stability program, which covers next year's budget deficit target, which has to be 3.0%."

Spain's Prime Minister, Mariano Rajoy, hinted his country may seek a bailout. Spain is Europe's fourth largest economy but could barely cover its minimum target at auction – signaling extreme concern over the Iberian nation's debt load. Spain and Italy's bonds lead losses among higher-yielding sovereign debt for much of the week.

The 10-year Treasury note yield finished the week at 2.061% while the 30-year Treasury note yield finished the week at 3.22%.

With its latest release of the weekly Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS), Freddie Mac announced that mortgage rates have remained below 4.0%. Mortgage rates dipped slightly over the past week.

The 30-year FRM averaged 3.98% for the week, down from an average of 3.99% last week. Last year at this time, the average 30-year mortgage was 4.87%

The 15-year FRM averaged 3.21% over the past week, also down slightly from the prior week. Last week, the 15-year FRM mortgage averaged 3.23%. During the same period last year, the average FRM rate was 4.10%

"Average weekly mortgage rates were little changed this week amid mixed signals on the health of the economy," Frank Nothaft, Vice President and Chief Economist of Freddie Mac said. "The final estimate of 2011 fourth quarter growth remained unchanged at 3 percent," Nothaft stated. He noted that this represents "the strongest pace since the second quarter of 2010."

The money market fund finished this week at 0.50%. The 1-year CD finished at 0.70%.