International Business

NAPERVILLE, Ill. — Not that anyone needed it, but weak second-quarter sales at OfficeMax provided additional evidence this week that the nation’s business climate remains exceedingly challenging.

Naperville, Ill. -- OfficeMax reported Tuesday that it swung to a loss of $3.02 million in the quarter ended June 25, compared with net income of $11.8 million in the year-ago period.

Total sales dipped 0.3% to $1.648 billion from $1.653 billion, but beat Wall Street expectations of $1.63 billion. In the retail segment, sales decreased 0.7% to $767.3 million from $772.7 million. Same-store sales dipped 0.5%, but results were helped somewhat by stronger same-store sales in Mexico.

SAN FRANCISCO —  Levi's announced that it has appointed Beto Guajardo as its new global VP strategy. In this role, Guajardo will be responsible for leading the development and execution of the brand's growth strategy and global business development.

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — Sears Holdings announced that Edgar Huber has joined the company as CEO and president of Lands' End.  Huber is responsible for driving growth and profit opportunities for Lands' End, as well as continuing to drive the culture that provides customers with the quality, value and service that the brand has long been known for.  He was most recently EVP global business development for Liz Claiborne Inc.

By Craig Rowley, [email protected]

ROME — Gap Inc. announced that it will open its first Gap flagship store in Rome on Via del Corso, the city’s premier shopping district. The company said it expects to open the store on July 30.

London -- A Friday report by the United Kingdom’s The Independent newspaper said that San Francisco-based Williams-Sonoma is planning a U.K. launch in 2012.

The report said that the company has appointed a U.K. retail property agent and plans to open its first store in the first half of next year.

Plans call for a London debut and the report said the retailer is seeking 5,000-sq.-ft. to 8,000-sq.-ft. spaces.
 

Los Angeles -- Westfield Group shopping center owner said in a statement that it has agreed in principle to joint-venture with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey the new retail precinct at the site of the New York World Trade Center.

Westfield, upon completion of the deal, would manage and lease out the retail space expected to open in early 2015.