Finance & Capital Management

Kirkland, Wash. – VisibleBrands has raised approximately $2.3 million through a Series B financing to support a regional expansion of its patented in-store digital couponing platform. In preparation for the company’s regional expansion, VisibleBrands promoted Tim Belvin to CEO, succeeding founding CEO Tim Morton.

New York – Hedge fund Litespeed Management has purchased about 8.1 million shares, or an 8.1% stake, in RadioShack. Litespeed, founded by Jamie Zimmerman in 2000, specializes in investing in troubled companies that have viable businesses.

Litespeed disclosed the purchase in an SEC filing. The filing does not specify purchase price, but analysts have estimated the company probably did not spend more than roughly $17 million on the investment.

Oak Brook, Ill. – McDonald’s Corporation reported small increases in consolidated net income and revenues for both the fourth quarter and full fiscal year 2013, compared to the same periods a year earlier. During the fourth quarter, McDonald’s net income rose fractionally to $1.397 billion from $1.396 billion and revenues grew 2% to $7.09 billion from $6.95 billion.

Washington, D.C. -- Wal-Mart Stores announced that it has created a $10 million fund to support manufacturing in the United States. In a joint announcement, Kent International, a New Jersey-based bicycle maker and one of the chain’s suppliers, said  that it will move its production from overseas to Clarendon, S.C.

Walmart U.S. President and CEO Bill Simon joined 280 of the nation's mayors in Washington, D.C., at the U.S. Conference of Mayors Meeting to announce a new fund for innovation in American manufacturing and a new supplier commitment to bring production of bikes and jobs to South Carolina.

ChannelNet, a leading digital customer acquisition, retention and conquest marketing company, has named Angela Johnson as VP of account management.

The company will be looking to Johnson to help it manage growth. Johnson has more than 20 years of client relationship management and is an expert in developing multichannel solutions for the automotive, high-tech and insurance industries.

Plano, Texas – J.C. Penney Co. released its 2013 Sustainability Report, outlining sustainability initiatives pursued during fiscal year 2012 ended Feb. 2013. Highlights of the report included:

• Stores and Operations: Through the company’s energy conservation efforts, J.C. Penney has received Energy Star certification in more than 500 locations and earned the Energy Star Sustained Excellence Award for five consecutive years.

Winston-Salem, N.C. — Krispy Kreme has announced a development agreement with existing franchisee Great Circle Family Foods to develop 20 new doughnut shops in Southern California. Over the next seven years. Great Circle currently operates 11 Krispy Kreme shops in Southern Calif., making the company Krispy Kreme’s third largest domestic franchisee.

Krispy Kreme can be found in over 800 locations in more than 20 countries around the world.