International Business

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Walmart is offering the women who work in the factories that supply its products the chance for a better life with lessons in such critical life skills as communication, hygiene, reproductive health, occuputational health and safety and gender sensitivity. The Women in Factories program, a five-year initiative will benefit 60,000 women working in factories in India, Bangladesh, China and Central America.

Bentonville, Ark. -- Walmart and the Walmart Foundation announced $958.9 million in cash and in-kind contributions around the globe during the fiscal year ending January 31, 2012. The company's U.S. giving grew nearly 20%, largely due to increased donations of produce, meats, poultry and other nutritious food to local food banks from Walmart stores, Sam's Club locations and distribution centers.

Overall, Walmart and the Walmart Foundation's giving in the last fiscal year includes:

Bentonville, Ark. -- Walmart announced it has launched its Women in Factories program, a five-year initiative that will empower 60,000 women working in factories that supply products to Walmart and other retailers in India, Bangladesh, China and Central America.

Pittsburgh -- Dick's Sporting Goods has agreed to make a 20 million pound investment ($31.75 million) in U.K. sports retailer JJB Sports plc, which operates over 180 stores in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Dick's will purchase 18.75 million pounds ($29.76 million) in junior secured convertible notes and 1.25 million pounds ($1.98 million) in ordinary shares of JJB Sports. The transaction is subject to approval of the British company's shareholders.

Hoffman Estates, Ill. -- Sears Holdings Corp. has appointed Leveraged Marketing Corp. of America as its exclusive global licensing agent as it looks to capitalize on, and ways to sell, its signature Kenmore, Craftsman and DieHard brands outside its own stores.

Sears said it will work closely with Leveraged Marketing to identify, evaluate and manage licensing opportunities around the world.

Issaquah, Wash. -- Costco Wholesale Club said it plans to open up to an additional eight warehouses prior to the end of its fiscal year on September 2, 2012.

Costco currently operates 601 warehouses, including 434 in the United States and Puerto Rico, 82 in Canada, 32 in Mexico, 22 in the United Kingdom, 13 in Japan, eight in Taiwan, seven in Korea and three in Australia.
 

New York -- Lowe's is going on the offensive, and investing in a wide array of initiatives to win shoppers from rival The Home Depot.

“Everything we did [in the past] was store-centric. Today, we are all about the customer. So, it's about meeting the customer on their terms, no matter how they choose to interact with Lowe's: Whether it is in their room, at their jobsite, on the phone or on the web,” Robert Hull, CFO, Lowe’s, told Reuters.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — HSN has acquired lifestyle brand Chasing Fireflies. Terms of the transaction weren’t disclosed.

The purchase, which was made through the multichannel retailer’s Cornerstone Brands segment, will accelerate HSN’s move into content-driven lifestyle businesses.

AMSTERDAM — Staples has launched a new loyalty program for its customers in France.  According to the company Staples Fidélité makes it easy for all Staples online customers to save on essential office products. 

New York -- Swedish fast-fashion retailer Hennes & Mauritz (H&M) plans to call its new retail brand “& other stories” according to various media reports.