Finance & Capital Management

New York -- Identified as a 2014 industry bellwether, this year’s New York National Conference and Deal Making is up 15% over last year, with some 7,000 people in attendance, according to the International Council of Shopping Centers.

The increase bodes well for next year, according to Michael P. Kercheval, president and CEO. When attendance is up, he said, the industry grows the following year. When it’s down, a decline has always followed.

Currently president and CEO of Walmart's Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) and Canada region, David Cheesewright has been promoted to president and CEO of Walmart International, the company's second largest operating segment.

Cheesewright will report to Doug McMillon, who was tapped to succeed Mike Duke as the company's president and CEO. Both assume their new roles Feb. 1, 2014. Cheesewright's successor will be named at a later date.

Lululemon has named former Toms president Laurent Potdevin as the company’s CEO and elected him to its board of directors. Potdevin succeeds Christine Day, who has served as the company’s CEO since 2008 and announced her intention to resign in June 2013.

Potdevin will become a director when he assumes his duties as CEO in January 2014. Day is expected to remain with Lululemon through the end of the company’s fiscal year to ensure a smooth transition.

Office Depot has chosen Boca Raton, Fla., for its global headquarters.

The company took several factors into account, including the cost to operate each headquarters location, lease obligations and sublease considerations, tax implications, government incentives, ability to add associates and incorporate functions in the current space, and people-related costs.

Lumber Liquidators has raised its full year 2013 outlook based on year-to-date results and current trends.

The company now expects net sales in the range of $994 million to $1 billion, up from a previous range of $985 million to $995 million, with the fourth quarter ranging from $252 million to $258 million.

Lumber Liquidators also expects to open a total of 29-30 new stores during 2013 and increase net store sales 15% to 16%, up from a previous range of 14% to 15%, with the fourth quarter ranging from 13% to 15%.

At Michaels, a higher gross profit, partially driven by improved merchandise margin, helped to increase its net income for the third quarter ended Nov. 2.

The company’s net income during the quarter soared 66%, rising to $58 million from $35 million in the prior-year quarter. Net sales grew 10%, to $1.1 billion from $1.01 billion. Meanwhile, same-store sales increased 7.9%, driven by a 3.9% increase in transactions and a 3.8% increase in the company's average ticket in addition to a 20 basis point positive impact from deferred custom framing revenue.

Burlington Stores credited performance at new stores for driving net sales during the third quarter.

The company’s net sales increased 10% to $1.06 billion, from $967.9 million. The increased was fueled primarily by a $53.2 million increase in sales related to new stores and stores previously opened that are not included in same-store sales, as well as a 3.9% increase in same-store sales.

The company also shrank its net loss to $7.4 million from $16.8 million during the quarter, compared to the prior-year quarter.

Fifth & Pacific plans to sell its Lucky Brand Jeans division to an affiliate of Leonard Green & Partners for $225 million so it can focus on its fast-growing Kate Spade brand.

"We believe that by focusing all of our resources on the huge opportunity at Kate Spade, we can deliver the strongest value creation opportunity for our shareholders,” said William L. McComb, CEO of Fifth & Pacific (formerly known as Liz Claiborne). “This is all about bringing Kate Spade to its full potential.”

Hingham, Mass. – Building #19, the New England closeout retailer, which recently shut its doors after declaring Chapter 11 bankruptcy, is planning to reopen at least a few stores as specialty closeout rug retailers under the banner of “The Rug Dept.”

Seattle – Amazon.com is reportedly using robots from Kiva Systems at three distribution centers. According to the Wall Street Journal, the robots bring merchandise from shelves to warehouse workers and can potentially reduce the cost of filling an order by 20% to 40%, for an annual savings of more than $900 million.

Amazon purchased Kiva for $775 million in March 2012 and according to a recent financial disclosure now has 1,400 Kiva robots in service helping fulfill orders. The retailer declined to comment on the project.