Marketing

Columbia, S.C. -- Edens & Avant has announced the promotion of Carol Hall to VP portfolio management. In her new position, she will be responsible for creating value through the delivery of technology-enabled process and analytical tools to the investment management, property management and leasing teams.

DALLAS -- Zale Corp. announced that Jeannie Barsam has been named SVP merchandise planning and allocation, and Toyin Ogun has been named SVP human resources and customer service.

“Jeannie and Toyin add both critical experience and depth to our leadership team,” said Theo Killion, CEO. “These appointments exemplify the strategic investments we are making in organizational capability to drive our turnaround initiatives.”

Thanks to the Internet, a lot of what passes for news these days is a report based on a report based on a report with few if any filters in place to verify the accuracy of information. With that qualification in mind, Bloomberg this week reported that Walmart’s market share in China declined to 7.5% in the fourth quarter of 2010 compared to 8.2% in the second quarter. The news agency said its report was based on a report in the English language Shanghai Daily newspaper whose report was based on a report from a market research company identified as CTR.

Matthews, N.C. -- Family Dollar Stores on Thursday said its board rejected a takeover bid by an activist investor, saying it "substantially undervalues the company." In February, Nelson Peltz's Trian Fund offered $55 to $60 per share, or about $6.99 billion, for Family Dollar.

The chain said it also adopted a shareholder rights plan, commonly called a "poison pill," that would significantly dilute shares if a takeover attempt proceeds.

Walmart executives will take to the road next week to speak at two investor conferences where it would seem unlikely that little if any new information will be shared since the conferences are just two weeks removed from the release of Walmart’s fourth-quarter results.

Cincinnati -- Kroger Co. said Thursday that its fourth-quarter net income jumped 9.2% while sales rose 7.4%. It also announced that its board authorized a $1 billion stock repurchase plan.

Net income was $278.8 million, compared with $255.4 million in the year-ago period. Quarterly revenue rose to $19.9 billion, with same-store sales up 3.8%.

Kroger offered a cautious outlook for the current year, saying rising fuel costs are likely to take a bite out of household budgets.

The March issue of Fortune contains the magazine’s annual ranking of the most admired companies and this year’s list shows Walmart slipped two spots from the prior year and now occupies the 11 position.

Ankeny, Iowa -- Casey’s General Stores has signed a definitive purchase agreement to acquire five convenience stores from QuikTrip Corp. All of the stores are located in the Springfield, Mo., metropolitan area.

The stores will be immediately rebranded to Casey’s once the transaction is completed.