Strategy

MOORESVILLE, N.C. – Lowe’s personnel changes are becoming hard to keep up with.

Austin, Texas -- Whole Foods Market’s first quarter net income surged 79% to $88.7 million, on an increase in customer visits and a rise in average transactions. The natural and organic foods grocer raised 2011 profit outlook on its strong results, which beat expectations.

New York City -- Blockbuster plans to put itself up for sale after a disagreement with its creditors, according to a Wall Street Journal report.

The report, which cited unnamed sources, said the chain could not agree with creditors on a plan to get cash to help it exit bankruptcy protection. According to the Journal, a bidder could offer more than $300 million for the chain plus assuming debt and leases.
 

Crain’s New York Business this week reported on an interesting situation involving Walmart and the hype surrounding the company entry into the city. According to author Greg David, “as the opponents of Walmart continue their campaign to prevent the company from opening stores in New York, it remains a mystery how they intend to do that. David notes that the City Council has no power to intervene in leases signed at existing retail locations, and the company seems more determined than ever to take on the Big Apple.

Walmart has sold AT&T iPhones in its store for several years now so it shouldn’t have come as a surprise that the company would be offering the iPhone 4 now that it is available on the Verizon network. The company announced availability of the product at 600 of its stores earlier this week, which is consistent with a broader strategy in the electronics and entertainment category to be a leader or at least a fast follower.

Walmart and Target are said to be among major corporations working with the Department of Energy on the development of a new breed of energy-efficient air conditioners. The DOE recently announced that as part of a voluntary program, it worked with members of the DOE Commercial Building Energy Alliances, including Walmart and Target, to develop new performance criteria for 10-ton capacity commercial air conditioners, also known as rooftop units that are 50% to 60% more efficient than existing equipment.

Mooresville, N.C. -- Lowe’s Cos. said Wednesday that it has made several key promotions and moves in its human resources, legal, merchandising, logistics and information technology areas.

Maureen K. Ausura was promoted to executive VP human resources, from senior VP in the same capacity.

Gaither M. Keener has been promoted to executive VP general counsel, secretary and chief compliance officer, from senior VP in the same capacity. 

Both will continue reporting to CEO Robert Niblock.