Labor & Employment

DALLAS — Kimberly-Clark Corporation’s net sales for the second quarter ended June 30 were flat at $5.27 billion compared to the year-ago period. 

Sales adjusted to exclude the impact of changes in foreign currency exchange rates and lost sales as a result of European strategic changes and pulp and tissue restructuring actions rose 3.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The competitive prospects of Spartan Stores and Nash Finch improved considerably on Monday when the two companies agreed to merge and create an enterprise with 177 stores, 22 distribution centers and annual sales of roughly $7.5 billion.

ATLANTA — Coca-Cola's board of directors has appointed Brent Hastie as the company's VP. Hastie was recently named VP of strategy and planning, which became effective just a few days ago.

STOCKHOLM — With the U.S. housing market continuing to improve, it's no surprise that Electrolux CEO Keith McLoughlin expects the company's North American division to maintain the strong sales and earnings growth achieved in the second quarter throughout the rest of the year.

Because of the rising appliance consumption in North America, the company anticipates that demand for appliances in the U.S. will increase by 5-7% in 2013.

Product safety data sheets don’t get a lot of love in the retail industry, but major changes are underway that will make this formerly mundane document the cornerstone of numerous best practices.

Minneapolis – Supervalu Inc. reported a higher net loss and lower net income during the first quarter of fiscal 2014, compared to the first quarter of the prior fiscal year. Net loss totaled $105 million, up from $18 million year earlier, although one-time after-tax charges of $139 million pushed Supervalu into the red. Net sales were $5.16 billion, a 1.5% drop from $5.24 billion a year earlier.

Walter Loeb has been a part of the retail industry longer than many of the retail executives running Walmart have been alive. And he, like many retail analysts who follow the company, have marveled at its accomplishments over the years.

However, that wasn’t the case earlier this week when Loeb let Walmart have it over what he regarded as deplorable store standards.

ATLANTA — Coca-Cola’s has appointed Santander UK plc CEO Ana Botín to the company’s board of directors.

Santander UK plc is one of Britain’s leading personal financial services companies and a subsidiary of the Santander Group, the largest bank in the Eurozone.

FREMONT, Calif. — Men's Wearhouse has signed a definitive agreement to acquire JA Holding, the parent company of American clothing brand Joseph Abboud, for approximately $97.5 million in cash, subject to certain adjustments. 

JA Holding is currently majority-owned by funds affiliated with J.W. Childs Associates, L.P. The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2013.

MINNEAPOLIS — Supervalu reported net sales of $5.2 billion for the first quarter of fiscal 2014, down 1.5%, and net earnings of $85 million, or $0.34 per diluted share. 

The decrease in net sales primarily reflects a decline in identical store sales of negative 3% percent for retail food and negative 1.9% for Save-A-Lot. Identical store sales for corporately operated stores within the Save-A-Lot network were negative 1.2%.