Strategy

Houston -- Datacert, a global provider of enterprise legal management solutions, announced that Walmart has selected Datacert's Passport technology platform, to help strategically manage the chain’s domestic legal processes and systems. In addition, Walmart will implement Datacert's matter management and spend management systems, which are built on Passport.

DEERFIELD, Ill. - Shortly after announcing a record-setting first quarter last month, Walgreens reported that its December sales rose 7.5% to $6.8 billion.

The chain said that Duane Reade stores, which Walgreens acquired in April 2010, contributed 2.5 percentage points.

Meanwhile, Walgreens also raked in a 9.5% increase for its total front-end sales, thanks to a spike in customer traffic and basket size. Pharmacy sales for the chain, which accounted for 58.6% of total sales for the month, saw a 6% boost.

West Bridgewater, Mass. -- Shaw's Supermarkets has announced that it will close five unprofitable stores in Massachusetts and Rhode Island by the middle of next month.

The company said in a statement that it decided "only after careful evaluation" to close the stores. The Massachusetts stores are in New Bedford, Stoneham and Revere. The Rhode Island locations are in Johnston, and on Bald Hill Road in Warwick.

The stores will be closed by Feb. 17.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. - Sam's Club announced that it is offering its business, advantage and plus members tools to help them achieve their health goals including free monthly in-club health screenings and access to a new health management benefit, The Prevention Plan from U.S. Preventive Medicine.

Chicago -- Claire's Stores announced the appointment of Jay Friedman as president of the North American Division, reporting to Gene Kahn, CEO effective immediately.

Friedman joins Claire's from Jones Apparel Group where he was most recently president, and CEO, Jones Retail Corp., Nine West Group.

CHICAGO - Claire's Stores has announced the appointment of Jay Friedman as president of the North American division, reporting to Gene Kahn, CEO, effective immediately.

In his position, Friedman will lead both the Claire's and Icing businesses and will have direct oversight of buying, planning and allocation, supply chain, stores and overall operations of approximately 2,000 stores in the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.  

CINCINNATI - Macy's Inc. has announced a series of organizational expansions, totaling approximately 725 new positions over the next two years, to support the growth of macys.com and bloomingdales.com. 

New York City -- On the heels of Monday’s announcement that Borders Group is delaying payments to some of its vendors, the bookseller said Tuesday that two senior-level executives have departed.

Thomas Carney, general counsel, and D. Scott Laverty, chief information officer, both resigned from their posts Monday evening.

The news was disclosed in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing Monday. Borders told the Wall Street Journal that the departures were part of its previously disclosed efforts to improve liquidity.