Labor & Employment

Nashville, Tenn. -- Kirkland's Inc. lost $416,000 for the period ended Oct. 27, compared with a profit of $1.2 million a year earlier. Analysts had predicted a bigger loss.

Revenue inched down to $96.7 million from $97.1 million. Same-store sales were down 4.7%.

Kirkland's also announced that president and CEO Robert Alderson is taking a temporary medical leave of absence, starting on Monday. SVP and CFO Mike Madden will serve as acting president and CEO until Alderson returns.

Memphis, Tenn. -- Fred's on Tuesday said third-quarter net income dropped 27% amid rising costs and declining same-store sales, as sales in its established stores dropped and its costs rose.

The company reported Tuesday that it earned $6.6 million in the three months through Oct. 27, compared with $9 million a year earlier.

Revenue rose 1% to $450.6 million. Same-store sales were down 2.5%.

General expenses rose 4% to $118.1 million, fueled in party by higher labor costs and new store opening costs.  

WATERBURY, Vt. — Green Mountain Coffee Roasters has named former P&G and Coca-Cola executive Brian Kelley as its new president and CEO, effective Dec. 3.

New York -- Federal labor officials said Monday they will decide quickly whether to support a request by Wal-Mart Stores Inc. to stop a union-backed group from pushing worker walk-outs at hundreds of stores on Black Friday, the Associated Press reported.

The chain on Thursday filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board to stop OUR Walmart, a group made up of current and former Wal-Mart workers, from holding protests at hundreds of stores.

NEW YORK — Avon Products has appointed Patricia Perez-Ayala as SVP, CMO and global brand and category president, effective Dec. 3. In her new role, Perez-Ayala will report to Sheri McCoy, Avon's CEO, and will join the company's executive committee.
 

Bentonville, Ark. -- Wal-Mart Stores Inc. on Thursday filed an unfair labor practice charge against the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, requesting that the National Labor Relations Board halt alleged unlawful attempts to disrupt Wal-Mart’s business.

Wal-Mart spokesman David Tovar told Reuters that the retailer cannot allow the UFCW to “continue to intentionally seek to create an environment that could directly and adversely impact our customers and associates. If they do, they will be held accountable,” he said.

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Mattel’s board of directors has named CEO Bryan G. Stockton, 59, as chairman of the board, effective Jan. 1, 2013. The current chairman, Robert A. Eckert, 58, informed the board of his decision to retire from his service as director and chairman of the board, effective Dec. 31. Stockton will continue to function as CEO, a position he’s held since Jan. 2012.

Walmart has taken heat for violating some unwritten retail rule about not opening on Thanksgiving, but on Thursday it extended a benefit that many employees will find appealing.

Walmart has long offered employees a 10% discount on general merchandise, which is pretty hefty considering prices are already low. That discount is in place all year and then in December employees could also save 10% on food.