International Business

Bentonville, Ark. -- Walmart and the Walmart Foundation are committing $1 million to the Red Cross and Save the Children for emergency relief efforts in response to needs created by Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines. The donation includes funds given by the Walmart Foundation and Walmart's international operations.

Tiffany’s chief financial officer, Patrick F. McGuiness, has resigned his position effective Nov. 27. The company’s EVP and chief operating officer, James Fernandez, will assume the position of CFO on an interim basis.

Fernandez has been with Tiffany’s since 1983. The board of Tiffany’s has authorized a search for a new CFO.

Laval, Quebec City -- Canadian convenience store giant Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. announced t it has signed, through its wholly-owned subsidiary Circle K Stores Inc., an agreement with Albuquerque Convenience and Retail to acquire 23 stores in New Mexico. Albuquerque Convenience and Retail is subsidiary of Phillips 66 Company.

Walmart said sales of its Global eCommerce business unit grew by 40% during the third quarter as it increased investments, expanded assortments and included results from a Chinese acquisition.

By Stephen Springham, senior retail analyst at Planet Retail

Three quarters of results and a hat-trick of disappointments — Walmart U.S. again failed to achieve its guidance of flat comps in Q3, reporting a decline of 0.3%. This was not entirely unexpected as an already fragile consumer environment has not been helped by the government shutdown.

Walmart managed to achieve its third quarter profit target despite reporting weaker than expected U.S. sales which prompted the company to issue a tepid outlook for fourth quarter sales at Walmart U.S. stores and Sam’s Club units.

London -- Disney U.K. is teaming up with Harrods to open a Cinderella-inspired "Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique" at the world famous department store, marking the first time that a Disney Parks and Resorts concept has been recreated in the United Kingdom. The boutique will be the centerpiece of partnership between Disney and Harrods that also includes a dedicated Disney Store, which opened on Nov. 1. .

Chairman of Sheetz Convenience Restaurants, Stan Sheetz, has been inducted into the Convenience Store News Hall of Fame in recognition of his accomplishments in the convenience retail industry. The reception and dinner was recently held at the Hershey Country Club in Hershey, Pa.

Sheetz received honors for his contributions to U.S. and international business, and his transformation of the company founded by his father Bob Sheetz, from a convenience store into a chain of more than 460 "convenience restaurants."