Strategy

Singapore – F.J. Benjamin Holdings Inc., a developer and manager of retail brands including Gap, Banana Republic and Guess, in Asia, has deployed the traffic intelligence application from Tyco Retail Solutions. The company sought a clear understanding of how the differently branded stores’ locations compared with each other, as well as the ability to track shopper conversion rates within each store.  

Kirkland, Wash. – Digital coupon provider VisibleBrands has added former Procter & Gamble VP Jan Murley to its board of directors, while former Safeway Stores board member Rebecca Stirn was added to the company’s advisory council.

Murley was a 23-year marketing veteran with Procter and Gamble and was the VP of its skin care division. Stirn was on Safeway’s board of directors from 1999 to 2010. She has more than two decades of executive marketing experience with a variety of industries.

Hampstead, Md. - JoS. A. Bank Clothiers, Inc. has commenced a tender offer to purchase up to $300 million in value of shares of its common stock at a price of $65 per share. The closing price of the company's common stock on Feb. 18, 2014 was $54.20 per share.

Signet Jewelers is in the process of acquiring all issued and outstanding stock of Zale for $21 per share in cash consideration. The transaction brings together two leading jewelry retailers with six brands available across three countries with combined sales of $6.2 billion.

New York - Eminence Capital, LLC, which owns 4.9% of the common stock of Jos. A. Bank Clothiers, has sent a letter to the board of directors criticizing their announced acquisition of Eddie Bauer. According to the letter, signed by Eminence CEO Ricky Sandler, the nearly $900 million acquisition is a poor decision that has an excessive price which almost surely destroys shareholder value.

More Americans this year are expected to put their tax returns in the bank. According to the National Retail Federation (NRF)’s Tax Returns Survey conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics, 46% of those expecting a refund this year will put their money into savings, up from 44% last year and the highest percent in the survey’s history.

New York — Retail developer Edens has selected four finalists for its annual Retail Challenge, a nation-wide student competition for the most compelling new retail concept. The announcement of the winner kicks off this year’s smART: The Art of Retail conference.

Both the Edens Retail Challenge and smART aspire to incubate new ideas, share knowledge and identify the next generation of industry thought leaders.

Whirlpool has elected Geraldine "Gerri" Elliott, EVP and chief customer officer at Juniper Networks, to its board of directors.