Finance & Capital Management

Los Angeles - The Canadian market offers an opportunity for U.S. retailers to expand and to gain experience operating in an international market. According to a new study from market research firm IbisWorld, the U.S. retail segment best suited for expansion into Canada is department stores, followed by men’s clothing stores.

Goodlettsville, Tenn. - Paula A. Price, senior lecturer at Harvard Business School and former CFO of Ahold USA, has been named to the Dollar General board of directors effective Aug. 26. The election of Price to Dollar General’s board will bring the total number of directors to eight.

In the alternative universe where Amazon resides, surging expenses that eat into the company’s profitability are viewed favorably. If Walmart were afforded the same treatment its stock would have surged after it was revealed increased labor, health care and e-commerce costs eroded second quarter profits.

Oak Brook, Ill. – Net income at Ace Hardware Corp. rose 57% to $66.5 million, from $24.2 million. Revenues climbed 13% to $1.33 billion, from $1.17 billion.

Amazon plans to open a fifth California fulfillment center in Redlands. Since opening its first fulfillment center in the state less than two years ago, Amazon has expanded its presence to nearly 5 million sq. ft. Amazon’s other California fulfillment centers are located in San Bernardino, Moreno Valley, Patterson and Tracy.

Westborough, Mass. -- BJ's Wholesale Club announced partnerships with 215 schools through the organization's Adopt-A-School program. At the beginning of each school year, every BJ's Wholesale Club and Distribution Center partners with a local school to help enhance existing curriculum.

Schools participating in BJ's Adopt-A-School Program receive a one-time, $500 donation, which goes toward discretionary programs, such as field trips and special events, reading programs or other educational needs. The schools also receive a complimentary BJ's Membership.

Kohl’s exceeded analysts’ profit expectations in the second quarter, but it wasn’t due to top line strength and now the company has a lot riding on the back-to-school season.

Seattle -- Just two weeks after announcing its $350-million acquisition of men’s personalized clothing service Trunk Club, Nordstrom Inc. reported second-quarter earnings and sales in line with Wall Street projections.

Profit for the quarter was flat at $183 million, and sales climbed 6.2% to $3.3 billion, from $3.1 billion last year. Same-store sales rose a respectable 3.3%.