Strategy

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. -- Kmart, LF USA and Latin World Entertainment Licensing announced the launch of a new lifestyle collection by renowned actress Sofia Vergara. Sold exclusively through Kmart, the collection will embody the "Modern Family" star's signature style of glamour and sexiness with an air of approachability, according to a press release.

The collection, which will include sportswear, dresses, handbags, jewelry, and footwear will be available at over 800 Kmart stores nationwide and Kmart.com beginning this fall.

Atlanta-based Newell Rubbermaid used the term "growth trifecta" to describe its 2010 performance -- strong sales, strong margins and strong earnings.

The company reported fourth quarter net income of $75.7 million, up 24.9% from $60.6 million reported for the same period last year.

Sales for the quarter ended Dec. 31 were $1.46 billion, up 3.4% from $1.42 billion reported for the same period in 2009. 

For the full year, the company reported net income of $292.8, up % from $285.5 reported in 2009.

Sherwin-Williams’ loss of the paint business at Walmart didn’t affect its fourth quarter results too bad, but will represent a nearly $100 million headwind for the coming year. The company reported fourth-quarter net income of nearly $72.9 million, up 11.6% from $65.3 million on sales that advanced nearly 19% to $1.9 billion during the quarter ended Dec. 31, 2010. Sales in the consumer group, which includes such retailers as Walmart, increased 6.2% to $255 million in the quarter.

First it was Walmart U.S. president and CEO Bill Simon at the White House with First Lady Michelle Obama announcing a healthy food initiative that generated enormous amounts of favorable publicity for the company. Now we get word out of Europe that Walmart president and CEO Mike Duke and Walmart International president and CEO Doug McMillon not only attended the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, they hosted a breakfast meeting.

For the second consecutive year Walmart appears on an annual ranking of the Best Companies for Leadership compiled by the consulting firm Hay Group. In the 2010 version of the survey, Walmart ranked ninth, compared with the prior year when it was ranked fifth. The survey was first conducted in 2005.

Companies that ranked ahead of Walmart included, General Electric, Procter & Gamble, Intel, Siemens, Banco Santander, Coca-Cola, McDonald’s and Accenture. 

New York City -- The National Retail Federation’s 100th Annual Convention & Expo -- The BIG Show -- at the Jacob Javits Center in New York City featured more than 500 exhibiting companies and presentations from a stellar line-up of top-tier retailers, analysts and industry consultants. This exclusive report, the 2011 NRF BIG Show Wrap-Up, from Chain Store Age, details some of the show’s highlights.

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New York City -- Walmart Canada, a unit of Wal-Mart Stores, announced that it plans to open 40 additional supercenters in its upcoming fiscal year (which runs from Feb.1, 2011 to January 31, 2012). The company is investing approximately $500 million in the project, which also includes expanding, remodeling and relocating existing stores.

Although Walmart Canada did not disclose exact locations, it did reveal that it will enter two new new markets this year: the provinces of Quebec and Manitoba.

Topeka, Kan. -- Payless ShoeSource announced that Vincent DeSantis has been promoted to senior VP and chief marketing officer for Payless, reporting to LuAnn Via, CEO of Payless.

Brentwood, Tenn. -- Tractor Supply Co. reported that net sales for the fourth quarter increased 19.7% to $1.03 billion from $862.5 million in the prior year's fourth quarter. Same-store sales increased 13.1%, compared with a 0.7% increase in the prior-year period. 

Net income for the quarter was $50.2 million, or 67 cents per diluted share, compared with $37.3 million, or 51 cents per diluted share, in the prior year's fourth quarter.