International Business

Traffic problems and increased discounts led specialty apparel retailer The Children’s Place Inc.

Seattle – In the aftermath of the Ferguson riots, Starbucks Corp. asked store employees and managers to be extra sensitive to customers who may be feeling emotional about racial issues. Now Starbucks is asking workers in stores to show financial sensitivity.

According to Fusion, Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz sent an internal email to employees and managers in stores asking them to recognize and respond to customers who are experiencing stress and anxiety resulting from the recent global stock market crash.

 Specialty apparel retailer The Children’s Place Inc. saw its net loss grow and net sales drop in a difficult second quarter of fiscal 2015.

Minneapolis – For the second quarter in a row, Best Buy Co. Inc. beat Wall Street expectations for profit and revenue with large-screen TVs and mobile phones providing a major boost to its results.

Best Buy reported net income of $164 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2016, up 12% from $146 million the same period the previous fiscal year.

Secaucus, N.J. – Specialty apparel retailer The Children’s Place Inc. saw its net loss grow and net sales drop in a difficult second quarter of fiscal 2015.

Net loss increased to $13.7 million, from $10.7 million in the same quarter a year earlier.

Higher selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses, as well as several non-recurring items including legal fees, impairment charges and restructuring costs, helped push The Children’s Place further into the red.

Chicago -- The nation’s finance chiefs have a lot on their minds these days, from uncertainty in the U.S. economy to cybersecurity to regulatory and compliance issues. Another big concern: Congressional dysfunction around tax reform.

New York - Nine West Holdings Inc. is taking ownership of its Canadian brand assets, including 45 store leases.

The company has acquired the business operations of Sherson Group Inc., which previously held the exclusive rights to the Nine West, Anne Klein and Easy Spirit brands in Canada.

Nine West intends to continue providing these brands to customers across Canada at Nine West mall-based locations and Shoe Studio outlet stores, as well as at department stores.

Charming Charlie has been on an upward trajectory for the past 10 years, and it shows no signs of stopping anytime soon. With 350 U.S. stores (plus four in Canada), the Houston-based, privately held jewelry and accessories retailer is busy expanding at home and, more recently, abroad. In June, it opened its first-ever location in New York City, a three-level, 16,000-sq.-ft.