International Business

Dallas -- Loyalty solution-provider Alliance Data Systems Corp. said Thursday that its Canadian coalition loyalty business has signed a new agreement with Michaels of Canada, a subsidiary of Irving, Texas-based Michaels Stores, to issue Air Miles reward miles across multiple Canadian provinces.

New York -- Hudson’s Bay Co., owner of the Lord & Taylor and The Bay chains, plans to file for an initial public offering, according to The New York Times.

A listing, which is expected to be on the Toronto Stock Exchange, could come this fall, before the end of November, the report said, with as much as 20% of the company being sold to the public.
 

Pleasanton, Calif. -- Safeway Inc. announced on Wednesday that it plans to take its Blackhawk Network Holdings Inc. gift card and payment services unit public. Blackhawk sells gift cards at supermarkets and through other stores, including drug stores and convenience stores.

Safeway said it plans to file a registration statement for a potential initial public offering of a minority stake in Blackhawk and hopes to complete the IPO sometime in the first half of 2013, depending on market conditions.

MELVILLE, N.Y. — Hain Celestial announced that EVP and CFO Ira Lamel will retire from the company.

Lamel will remain with Hain Celestial until a successor is named and to ensure an orderly transition, according to the company, which has commenced a global search for Lamel's replacement. Lamel, 65, joined the company in 2001.

Salisbury, N.C. -- Grocery parent Delhaize said Friday it has named former Wendy’s and Arby’s CEO Roland Smith as president and CEO of Delhaize America and executive VP of Delhaize Group. Smith succeeds retiring CEO Ronald C. Hodge, effective Oct. 15.

Hodge will continue to serve the company in an advisory capacity.

Delhaize America operates supermarkets under the Food Lion, Hannaford and Sweetbay banners.
 

NEW YORK — The Jones Group has entered into an exclusive, world-wide license agreement with Altair, a division of  Marchon Eyewear for the creation, production, marketing and global distribution of ophthalmic eyewear and sunglasses under the Anne Klein brand. The Anne Klein ophthalmic eyewear and sunglass collections are currently produced and marketed under a world-wide license agreement with Luxottica Group S.p.A., which will expire on Dec. 31.  

ATLANTA — Newell Rubbermaid has appointed Doug Martin as CFO, succeeding Juan Figuereo.

Lynnwood, Wash. -- Zumiez Inc. reported Thursday that net income for the quarter ended July 28 slipped to $2.1 million, from $2.6 million in the year-ago period, largely due to costs associated with its acquisition of Blue Tomato.

Revenue surged 20.4% to $135.1 million from $112.2 million, which includes contributions from Blue Tomato. Same-store sales increased 9.5%.

The company said it is on track to open 50 new stores in fiscal 2012, including up to 10 stores in Canada.