Finance & Capital Management

Little Rock, Ark. -- Dillard’s said Wednesday it has made a strategic investment in e-commerce company Acumen Brands in a move toward enhancing the department store retailer’s website dillards.com, as well as Acumen’s 12 e-commerce sites.

Armonk, N.Y. -- IBM said Wednesday it has completed its acquisition of Emptoris Inc., expanding IBM’s cloud-based analytics offerings that provide supply chain intelligence, or smarter commerce.

“Developing the right procurement strategy and an adaptive supply chain are keys to achieving the business objectives of smarter commerce,” said Craig Hayman, general manager, IBM Industry Solutions. “Together, Emptoris and IBM's integrated solutions will transform how clients manage compliance and mitigate supply risk.”

Philadelphia -- The Pep Boys — Manny, Moe & Jack, has agreed to be taken private by private equity firm The Gores Group for about $791 million. The total transaction, including debt, is valued at about $1 billion.

Under the terms of the buyout, the Los Angeles-based Gores Group will pay Pep Boys shareholders $15 a share, 24% above the closing price on Friday.

FORT WORTH, Texas — RadioShack announced that preliminary net sales and operating revenues for the fourth quarter ended Dec. 31, 2011 increased approximately 6% to $1.39 billion compared with $1.31 billion for the fourth quarter last year. Comparable-store sales for company-operated stores increased approximately 2% during the 2011 fourth quarter.

The company said it expects diluted earnings per share for the 2011 fourth quarter to be in the range of 11 cents to 13 cents, compared with 51 cents per diluted share reported in the 2010 fourth quarter.

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. — The TJX Companies announced Tuesday that Scott Goldenberg has been promoted to CFO, retaining his EVP title, effective Jan. 29, the beginning of TJX’s fiscal year. Goldenberg will oversee corporate finance for TJX and continue to report to Jeffrey Naylor who had resumed the CFO position in 2009. Naylor will continue as senior EVP, chief administrative officer and also have responsibility for other corporate functions, including Information technology, legal, risk management, and investor relations.

CUPERTINO, Calif. — Apple Monday named a replacement for former retail head Ron Johnson, who left the company last year to become CEO of JCPenney. The company announced that John Browett will join the company as SVP retail, reporting to Apple CEO Tim Cook. Browett comes to Apple from European technology retailer Dixons Retail, where he has been CEO since 2007. Beginning in April, he will be responsible for Apple’s retail strategy and the continued expansion of Apple retail stores around the world, the company said in a press release.

YORK, Pa. — The Bon-Ton Stores announced Tuesday that its board of directors has elected president and CEO Bud Bergren to the additional role of chairman of the board. The board has also accepted Tim Grumbacher’s resignation as executive chairman of the board. Grumbacher remains a director of the company and was named strategic initiatives officer. Additionally, Brendan Hoffman, recently appointed as president and CEO of the company effective Feb. 7, was elected a director of the company. The actions of the board were taken on Jan.

Framingham, Mass. -- The TJX Cos. announced Tuesday that Scott Goldenberg has been promoted to CFO, retaining his executive VP title, effective immediately.

Goldenberg will oversee corporate finance for TJX and continue to report to Jeffrey Naylor, who had resumed the CFO position in 2009. Naylor will continue as senior executive VP, chief administrative officer and also have responsibility for other corporate functions, including information technology, legal, risk management and investor relations.

York, Pa. -- Following recent news that Bon-Ton Stores president and CEO Bud Bergren would be stepping down and succeed by former Lord & Taylor CEO Brendan Hoffman, the retailer said Tuesday that, effective Feb. 7, Bergen will become chairman of the board.

Hoffman will become a director of the company. Former executive chairman, who recently resigned that title, will remain on the board as strategic initiatives officer.

Clearwater, Fla. -- Boat retailer MarineMax reported Tuesday that it narrowed its loss in the fiscal first quarter to $4.2 million, from $4.7 million in the year-ago period. The company’s net loss was reduced by $1.4 million related to favorable resolution with a manufacturer whose brands the company no longer carries.

Revenue dipped to $91.8 million for the quarter, from $92.2 million. Same-store sales edged up 2%.