Strategy

Canton, Mass. -- Dunkin' Donuts has signed agreements with four franchisees to develop 16 restaurants in Tampa, Orlando and Tallahassee over the next several years.

Dunkin' Donuts development throughout Florida is part of a steady and strategic growth strategy, which includes expanding in existing markets while entering new cities across the country.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. --  It turns out the announcement earlier today by Walmart that Duncan Mac Naughton would serve as head merchant of the company’s U.S. division was but one component of a more extensive shakeup at the company.

Philadelphia -- Destination Maternity, free of the restructuring charges that put a dent into profits last year, said its first-quarter net income more than quadrupled, easily topping Wall Street expectations. The chain reported earnings of $5.2 million from October to December, compared with $1.3 million for the same period in the prior year.

Revenue increased 1.2% to $135.4 million.

Bentonville, Ark. -- Less than three months after joining Walmart’s merchandising organization as an executive VP, Duncan Mac Naughton on Friday was elevated to the role of chief merchandising officer for the U.S. stores division.

A monthly pricing survey conducted by Credit Suisse in December shows that while Walmart remains the lowest price on a basket of 60 products across two major markets the gap continues to narrow and is now at the lowest level in three years.

This is seen as an encouraging sign by those in the financial community who interpret the data as evidence of a rational pricing environment, even though from a shoppers perspective there exists less of a clear distinction between Walmart every day low prices and those of its competitors.

Hoffman Estates, Ill. -- Sears Holdings announced today retail veteran Chris Capuano will join the company as senior VP and president -- Home Fashions. She will be responsible for the oversight, leadership and growth of the in-store and online merchandising of home fashions in both the Sears and Kmart formats.

Capuano most recently served as  executive VP GMM – Home and Footwear at Kohl's.

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. -- Sears Holdings announced that retail veteran Chris Capuano will join the company as SVP and president home fashions. She will be responsible for the oversight, leadership and growth of the in-store and online merchandising of home fashions in both the Sears and Kmart formats.

New York City -- The Home Depot  has closed its last store in Beijing, highlighting the difficulties that some western companies face when trying to transplant foreign business models into China.

Home Depot, which has closed five stores on the mainland in the past two years, is struggling to find the right business format for one of the world’s most difficult home-improvement markets, local analysts said.