Strategy

Topeka, Kan. -- Collective Brands said Thursday that the U.S. Federal Trade Commission has granted early termination of the waiting periods under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act in connection with Collective’s impending $2 billion acquisition by Wolverine World Wide, Blum Capital Partners and Golden Gate Capital.

As announced on May 1, investment firms Blum Capital and Golden Gate will jointly acquire the operations of Payless ShoeSource and Collective Licensing International.

New York -- Kate Spade New York announced Thursday that it will buy its Japanese JV partner Sanei International’s 51% share in Kate Spade Japan.

The move, said Kate Spade, is part of an aggressive international push that includes recent store openings in the United Kingdom, Dubai and Kuwait, as well as further expansion into Brazil with additional store openings in Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo planned for this summer.

San Francisco -- Gymboree Corp. reported Thursday net income of $4.2 million for the quarter ended April 28, compared with a loss of $10.4 million in the same period last year.

Sales rose 10.2% to $297.8 million, and same-store sales edged up 1%.

The retailer said it is on track to open 105 stores in fiscal 2012, which include 80 Crazy 8 locations. Crazy 8 is Gymboree’s discount concept.

Surging profits and a 6.7% first quarter same-store sales increase prompted Dollar General to raise its full year profit forecast by three cents. Family Dollar is scheduled to report comparable results later this month as the small discount store remains on a roll.

Fort Worth, Texas -- A Thursday report by Reuters said that RadioShack will take a 49% stake in a joint venture with Cybermart to open small-format, RadioShack-branded stores in greater China.

Cybermart, an affiliate of Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., and RadioShack will open their first location in Shanghai in July. Additional locations are planned for mainland China, as well as Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau.

HOUSTON — The Men’s Wearhouse raised prices to preserve margins in the face of weak first quarter demand, but it wasn’t enough to prevent profits from falling short of estimates.

The company reported first quarter earnings per share of 52 cents, below guidance of 53 cents to 54 cents a share provided when the company reported fourth quarter results on March 7. Analysts’ expected the company to earn 55 cents a share.

Houston -- The Men’s Wearhouse reported Wednesday that net income for the first quarter dipped 2% to $26.9 million, dragged down by negative same-store sales at its K&G off-price unit. Its results missed expectations.

Revenue rose 1% to $586.6 million, missing Wall Street’s forecasted $593.7 million in revenue.

FULLERTON, Calif. — A store-level workforce reduction is planned for Albertsons' Southern California division.