Labor & Employment

Dallas -- PeopleAnswers announced a software licensing agreement with Boston Market to use the PeopleAnswers HR solution to help identify and select all field employees in its 476 locations across the United States.

Dallas -- PeopleAnswers announced a software licensing agreement with Boston Market to use the PeopleAnswers HR solution to help identify and select all field employees in its 476 locations across the United States.

Brisbane, Calif. -- Women's apparel retailer Bebe stores Inc. said Emilia Fabricant, president, has resigned from the company for personal reasons.

Her duties have been taken over by chairman and CEO Manny Mashouf and Renee Bell, the company's head of merchandising. Fabricant joined the company in August 2010.

The company runs 246 stores under the Bebe and 2b Bebe names.
 

Mooresville, N.C. -- Lowe's Cos. Inc. on Monday reported lower-than-expected second quarter results, with its results hurt by a timing shift and a charge tied to job cuts. The chain also lowered its fiscal 2012 earnings and revenue outlooks.

Lowe’s earned $747 million for the period ended Aug. 3, down from $830 million in the year-ago period. Sales fell 2% to $14.25 billion. Same-store sales fell 0.4% and dipped 0.2% at U.S. locations.

The company noted that fiscal 2012 has one less week than last year.

Minneapolis -- Best Buy Co. has named Hubert Joly, the former chief executive of global hospitality company Carlson, as the chain's new CEO and president. Carlson, which operates such businesses as Radisson and T.G.I Friday's, announced Sunday that Joly resigned from that company.

It may be the right thing to do long-term, but Walmart’s plans to slow growth in China, Mexico and Brazil didn’t sit well with investors this week.

The revelation that Walmart would add between 21 and 23 million square feet of space versus the previously planned addition of 30 to 33 million square feet will result in Walmart International spending between $4.6 billion and $5 billion compared to a previously budgeted amount of $5 billion to $5.5 billion.

The Global Reporting Initiative bestowed its highest accolade on Kimberly-Clark’s 2011 sustainability report.

New York -- According to multiple reports citing anonymous sources, Restoration Hardware chairman and co-CEO Gary Friedman has stepped down after an internal investigation into a relationship he had with a 26-year-old female employee.

Friedman was confronted with findings that he had had an intimate relationship with the employee, who has since left the company. To look into the matter, the board of directors formed a special investigative committee and brought in an outside law firm to conduct the inquiry.

New York -- Body Central announced Friday that Thomas W. Stoltz has been promoted to COO and named interim CEO.

Stoltz has served as the company's executive VP and CFO since September 2011 and replaces B. Allen Weinstein, the company's former CEO who retired effective Aug. 16.

Stoltz will also continue to serve as Body Central's CFO.

San Francisco -- Gap Inc. reported Thursday that net income for the quarter ended July 28 surged 29% to $243 million, prompting the retailer to raise its guidance for full-year 2012.

Sales increased 6% to $3.58 billion, compared with $3.39 billion for the second quarter last year. Same-store sales rose 4%.

“Our continued focus on product and store execution are helping to drive positive momentum and we’re committed to sustaining solid performance for the remainder of the year,”said Glenn Murphy, chairman and CEO.