International Business

New York City -- China ranks as the most attractive emerging market for apparel retailers, according to global management consulting firm A.T. Kearney’s 2011 Global Retail Development Index for Apparel. The research analyzes retail markets worldwide, and ranks those countries that present the best opportunity for apparel retail expansion.

Target ended last year with sales of $67.4 billion and earnings per share of $4, but company chairman, president and CEO Gregg Steinhafel believes sales will hit $100 billion and earnings will double to $8 a share within six or seven years.

Laval, Quebec -- Alimentation Couche-Tard, parent of Circle K Stores, has signed an agreement to acquire up to 322 sites, plus an additional 65 reseller contracts, in Southern California, from ExxonMobil Corp. The purchase price was not disclosed.

“These stores are high volume, high impact locations,” Tim Tourek, Couche-Tard’s VP of operations for the west coast division, said in a statement. “They would significantly strengthen our overall footprint in this important market.”

SAN FRANCISCO— Williams-Sonoma announced that it will offer international shipping for its Pottery Barn, Pottery Barn Kids, West Elm and Williams-Sonoma brands. The company already offers international shipping for its PBteen brand through a partnership with FiftyOne Global E-commerce.

New York City -- Apparel giant VF Corp., whose brands include Wrangler, The North Face, and Nautica, said it has agreed to buy Timberland Co. for approximately $2 billion. The deal, expected to close in the third quarter, values Timberland at $43 a share, a 43% premium to Friday's closing price of $29.99 on the New York Stock Exchange.

GREENSBORO, N.C. and STRATHAM, N.H. — VF Corp., owner of the Wrangler, Lee, 7 For All Mankind, among other big name apparel brands, has added another apparel juggernaut to its ranks. The company announced that it has signed a definitive merger agreement with The Timberland Company. VF will pay Timberland shareholders $43 per share, representing a total enterprise value of approximately $2 billion net of cash acquired. The merger agreement was unanimously approved by both companies’ boards of directors.

San Francisco -- Williams-Sonoma said Monday that it will offer international shipping across its brands. The chain is partnering with FiftyOne Global Ecommerce, a leading provider of international e-commerce services and infrastructure to U.S. retailers.

Customers in more than 75 countries are now able to shop online for Pottery Barn and Pottery Barn Kids products, the company said. The same service for West Elm and Williams-Sonoma should launch by the end of the month.

ROANOKE, Va. — Advance Auto Parts announced that Jim Durkin will join Autopart International as president. 

“Jim is an experienced executive with a great track record of success in delivering results by building and developing strong teams that sustain their performance over time. We are very excited about the leadership skills he will bring as we continue our growth,” said Roger Patkin, CEO of AI.