International Business

Less than two weeks after announcing plans to reduce overall international capital expenditures, top Walmart executives were telling a different story in China this week.

At a press event in Beijing, Walmart CEO Mike Duke and Walmart China CEO Greg Foran said the company planned to opening as many as 110 new facilities during the next three years including stores in China’s smaller cities while also closing up to 9% of its 397 units and remodeling 165 stores.

Lumber Liquidators increased its net income in the third quarter of fiscal 2013 58.4% to $20.4 million, from $12.9 million in the year-ago period.

Net sales grew 24.5% to $254.3 million, from $204.3 million in the same period a year earlier. Same-store sales grew 17.4%, driven by a 9.8% increase in the number of customers invoiced and a 6.9% increase in the average sale.  

San Jose, Calif. – eBay is acquiring Shutl, a London-based same-day e-commerce delivery company with North American headquarters in San Francisco, for an undisclosed sum. Through the purchase, eBay hopes to establish its one-hour eBay Now delivery service in 25 cities in the U.S., and U.K., by the end of 2014.

Toronto – Sobey’s Inc. has signed a consent agreement with the Canadian Competition Bureau allowing it to proceed with the acquisition of substantially all of the assets of Canada Safeway.

As part of the consent agreement, Sobey’s will divest 23 stores in the provinces of Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba and Sasketchewan. The deal, announced in June, will cost Sobey’s owner Empire Co. Ltd. about $5.7 billion.

Houston – After rejecting a $2.3 billion buyout offer from Jos. A. Bank, Men’s Wearhouse reportedly is considering purchasing men’s shoemaker Allen Edmonds Corp., according to reports by the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and others. The high-end footwear is owned by private equity firm Goldner Hawn Johnson & Morrison, which bought it seven years ago.

It wasn’t clear how — or if — a deal for Allen Edmonds would impact on Jos. A. Bank’s offer.

Following third quarter results, Whirlpool is increasing its full-year diluted earnings per share guidance to $10.45 to $10.65 from the previous range of $10.05 to $10.55, and its full-year adjusted earnings per share to $9.90 to $10.10 from the previous range of $9.50 to $10.

The company reported net earnings of $196 million for the quarter, or $2.42 per diluted share, compared to net earnings of $74 million, or $0.94 per diluted share, reported during the same period last year.

Under Armour is continuing its drive toward domestic and international growth by bolstering its senior executive team. The brand has elevated chief operating officer Kip Fulks to president of product and Henry Stafford to president of North America.  

In their new positions, Fulks will further leverage his leadership experience in product, innovation, supply chain and IT, while Stafford will oversee North America wholesale, retail marketing, global retail and global e-commerce.

New York – Saks Inc. has settled lawsuits from investors related to its proposed buyout by Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC). According to Bloomberg, Saks has reached an agreement that reduces the termination fee it would pay HBC in the event the purchase does not happen and reduces the time Saks has to seek alternative offers