Strategy

CHICAGO — Fashion jewelry retailer Claire's Stores said that it expects to report a 13.4% spike in net sales to $493 million for the fourth quarter over the same period last year, thanks in part to an additional week of net sales and a comparable-store sales increase of 5.4%.

For the full year, Claire's expects to report net sales of $1.6 billion for fiscal 2012, an increase of 4.1%, compared with fiscal 2011.  

Consolidated same-store sales increased 1.8% for the fiscal year.

PORT WASHINGTON — Despite a plethora of constantly changing products, the consumer technology industry saw its sales decline 2% in 2012, according to The NPD Group. This is on top of the less than 1% drop in 2011. Since 2010, consumer technology sales have declined by $4 billion.

MCLEAN, Va. — Capital One Financial Corp.has reached an agreement to sell the portfolio of Best Buy private label and co-branded credit card accounts, with current loan balances of approximately $7 billion, to Citi. In addition, Capital One and Best Buy have agreed to end their contractual credit card relationship early.

CHICAGO — Muhtar Kent, CEO of The Coca-Cola Company, Mindy Grossman, CEO of HSN Inc., and actress and activist Geena Davis will headline an all-star bill at the Network of Executive Women Executive Leaders Forum, July 23 to 25 in Los Angeles. More than 250 senior-level executives from the retail and consumer products industry are expected to attend the invitation-only event.

ATLANTA — Ingrid Saunders Jones, SVP global community connections for the Coca-Cola Company and chair of the Coca-Cola Foundation will retire after 30 years with the company, effective June 1. 

A well-respected global leader, Jones joined The Coca-Cola Company in 1982 and has held roles of increasing responsibility around the Company’s corporate giving and community outreach. She has served as Chair of The Coca-Cola Foundation since 1991.

The second and third largest players in the office retail space could soon join forces. According to published reports,OfficeMax and Office Depot could announce a merger this week.

The rumors have gotten Wall Street buzzing as pre-market trading saw shares of Office Depot and OfficeMax up 28.5% and 20%, respectively.

NEW YORK -- Google is looking to extend its presence in the retail space, by opening freestanding stores in the United States.

According to a report by online site 9to5Google, the first flagship locations will open in time for the 2013 holiday shopping season.

“Google feels right now that many potential customers need to get hands-on experience with its products before they are willing to purchase," the website reported.

San Bernardino, Calif. -- Stater Bros. announced Monday that it has promoted Dan Meyer to EVP retail operations, charging him with oversight of retail operations for all 167 Stater Bros. supermarkets and the corporate training center.

A 42-year veteran of the company, Meyer most recently served as SVP retail operations.

Houston -- A report released Tuesday by research company NPD Group found that the convenience store sector experienced marked gains last year, as visits increased 4.6% in the fourth quarter and grew an average of 3.7% per month for 2012.

Traffic gains were spread among all type of c-stores, according to NPD’s Convenience Store Monitor, which tracks the consumer purchasing behavior of more than 51,000 convenience store shoppers in the U.S.  

McLean, Va. -- Capital One Financial Corp. said Tuesday that it will sell off its Best Buy portfolio of private-label and co-branded credit card accounts. Current loan balances total about $7 billion.

The pair is severing their ties earlier than expected – the break-even sale of the portfolio to Citi is expected to finalize in third quarter 2013.