Strategy

Mountain View, Calif. -- A Monday report by the Associated Press said that Google is acquiring cell phone maker Motorola Mobility Holdings for $12.5 billion in cash, a transaction that is Google’s biggest to date.

Google’s Android operating system runs smartphones that compete with iPhones, BlackBerrys and Windows-based mobile devices. Motorola Mobility was separated from the rest of Motorola in January, and has re-emerged as a maker of Android-based smartphones.

Bentonville, Ark. -- According to reports by Reuters and Bloomberg on Friday, Wal-Mart Stores is transferring management of its e-commerce business to store-level leadership in developed countries and said that two online executives are leaving the company.

According to the reports, e-commerce leaders in markets such as the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, will now report directly to the heads of stores in those countries instead of global e-commerce executive Eduardo Castro-Wright.

CHICAGO — The first CityTarget in downtown Chicago won’t open until next summer and already the store is assured of healthy lunch and dinner time traffic thanks to the addition of a Pret A Manger restaurant.

 For those who don’t speak French, Pret A Manger means “ready to eat,” and serves as a reference to the restaurant’s offering of such fresh and preservative free food as sandwiches, soups, salads and coffee. Regulars refer to the restaurant simply as Pret.

Seattle -- Cooking retailer Sur La Table said Monday it will open a flagship store in Hearst Tower, New York City, in late 2011.

The chain’s first NYC space opened in SoHo in 2005 and a second store in the Upper East Side opened in 2010.

The new store will include Sur La Table’s largest kitchen and cooking class program. Customers will be able to take cooking classes, as well as attend events with media partners and renowned chefs from around the world. Cooking classes are currently slated to start in early December.

MOORESVILLE, N.C. — Lowe’s reported sales of $14.5 billion in the second quarter ended July 29, up 1.3% from the same period a year ago.

Comparable-store sales increased 0.3% in the second quarter. The company posted earnings for the quarter of $830 million, down just slightly from $832 million in the same quarter last year.

Plano, Texas -- J.C. Penney Co. reported Friday that net income for the quarter ended July 30 was flat at $14 million, citing aggressive markdowns for a lackluster performance that fell below Wall Street expectations.

Revenue dipped to $3.91 billion from $3.94 billion in the year-ago period. Same-store sales increased 1.5%.

According to J.C. Penney, its focus on the middle-to-lower-income shoppers creates a challenge, as those consumers face economic uncertainty heading into the back-to-school and holiday shopping seasons.

SARASOTA, Fla. — Charlie Bowlus, CEO and founder of ECRM has died unexpectedly from complications following emergency surgery three weeks ago.

Seattle -- Nordstrom reported Thursday that net income for its second quarter rose 20% to $175 million, compared with $146 million in the year earlier period.

Revenue surged 12.4% to $2.72 billion, benefited by strong promotions and matching Wall Street estimates. Same-store sales rose a solid 7.3%. The department store retailer has raised its profit outlook for the full year.

Its outlet concept Nordstrom Rack saw net sales increase 23.4% to $92 million, and same-store sales rose 4.8%.