Strategy

NEWTOWN SQUARE, Pa. — Enterprise software application company, SAP, has named Geraldine McBride as president of its North America region. In this role, McBride is responsible for all of SAP's business operations in the United States and Canada. She will report to Robert Enslin, president of sales and part of the SAP Global Managing Board.

New York -- Shoe manufacturer Wolverine Worldwide Inc. announced Tuesday that it has partnered with equity firms Blum Capital Partners and Golden Gate Capital to acquire Payless ShoeSource parent Collective Brands Inc. for about $1.3 billion.

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — Ahead of its annual shareholders' meeting, Sears Holdings has provided first-quarter guidance calling for net income between $155 million and $195 million (between $1.46 and $1.84 per diluted share from continuing operations) versus a net loss from continuing operations of $165 million ($1.53 loss per diluted share from continuing operations), for the first quarter in 2011.  The above range includes approximately $235 million, after tax and minority interest, of gains from the sale of certain U.S. and Canadian stores.

Dublin, Calif. -- Epicor Software Corp. said Tuesday that Goodwill Industries of Southeastern Wisconsin has selected the Epicor suite of retail solutions to support its growing retail operations.

Hoffman Estates, Ill. -- Sears Holdings Corp. revealed in a Monday filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission that the previously announced spinoff of its Sears’s Outlet and Sears’s Hometown and Hardware stores will now combine the two chains into one separate company.

The move, part of Sears’ initiative to cut expense and regain profits, will result in the newly named Sears Hometown and Outlet Stores Inc. and a public offering that is expected to raise $400 to $500 million for Sears.

SAN FRANCISCO — Gap Inc. has selected long-time H&M veteran, Stefan Larsson, as the first global brand president for Old Navy. Larsson will join the company by October.

Boca Raton, Fla. -- Office Depot Inc. reported Tuesday that it swung to a profit of $41 million in the first quarter ended March 31, compared with a loss of $15 million in the same period last year.

Sales fell 3.4% to $2.87 billion, missing Wall Street’s expected $2.89 billion in revenue. Same-store sales at the office supply retailer’s North American stores decreased 6%, and total sales for the division dropped 8% to $1.2 billion, impacted by store closures and fewer selling days.

PHILADELPHIA — Pep Boys has released preliminary financial results for its first quarter ended April 28 and expects sales to be between $524 million and $526 million compared with $513.5 million for the same period last year. Net income for the quarter is expected to be between $0 million and $2 million, compared with $12.4 million for the same period last year.