Consumer Affairs & Relations

As a prelude to the upcoming World Retail Congress in London (September 19- 21), five retail leaders who will be speaking at the event participated in the following Q&A:

What would you say is the biggest issue facing retailers today?
 

Dallas -- PeopleAnswers announced a software licensing agreement with Boston Market to use the PeopleAnswers HR solution to help identify and select all field employees in its 476 locations across the United States.

Mooresville, N.C.-based Lowe’s posted declines in net sales, comp-store sales and earnings in the second quarter ended Aug. 3.

“Our results fell short of our overall expectations,” said Robert Niblock, Lowe’s chairman, president and CEO. “However, I have confidence in our strategy and in our employees, and while we recognize the significant magnitude of change that we’ve asked the organization to absorb as we transform our business, we fully understand that we must improve our level of execution.”

Minneapolis -- Best Buy Co. has named Hubert Joly, the former chief executive of global hospitality company Carlson, as the chain's new CEO and president. Carlson, which operates such businesses as Radisson and T.G.I Friday's, announced Sunday that Joly resigned from that company.

Secaucus, N.J. -- The Children's Place Retail Stores reported Thursday a loss of $15.1 million, widened from a loss of $9.8 million in the same quarter last year.

Second quarter net sales increased 5% to $360.8 million, compared with $343.5 million in second quarter 2011. Same-store sales grew 3.4%.
 

New York -- According to multiple reports citing anonymous sources, Restoration Hardware chairman and co-CEO Gary Friedman has stepped down after an internal investigation into a relationship he had with a 26-year-old female employee.

Friedman was confronted with findings that he had had an intimate relationship with the employee, who has since left the company. To look into the matter, the board of directors formed a special investigative committee and brought in an outside law firm to conduct the inquiry.

San Francisco -- Gap Inc. reported Thursday that net income for the quarter ended July 28 surged 29% to $243 million, prompting the retailer to raise its guidance for full-year 2012.

Sales increased 6% to $3.58 billion, compared with $3.39 billion for the second quarter last year. Same-store sales rose 4%.

“Our continued focus on product and store execution are helping to drive positive momentum and we’re committed to sustaining solid performance for the remainder of the year,”said Glenn Murphy, chairman and CEO.

New York -- Bloomberg reported Thursday that Macy’s Inc. has filed suit against J.C. Penney Co. in New York state court over the rights to sell products branded by Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia Inc. in their respective department stores.

Macy’s sued Martha Stewart Living in January to stop it from executing a sales agreement with J.C. Penney, as Macy’s claimed an exclusive right to sell Martha Stewart products in certain categories.