Trading Partners

Dallas -- Loyalty and marketing solution-provider Alliance Data Systems Corp. announced Wednesday that it has signed a multi-year renewal agreement to continue providing the turnkey, marketing-driven private label credit card program for Gardner-White Furniture.

Gardner-White is a regional retailer of home furnishings, electronics, mattresses and accessories in the metro Detroit area.

Dublin, Calif. -- Epicor Software Corp., announced it has entered into an agreement to acquire substantially all of the operating assets and intellectual property of New Zealand-based partner Cogita Holdings Limited. The transaction is anticipated to close by May 31, 2012.

New York -- Rite Aid has appointed president and CEO John Standley as chairman, the retail pharmacy chain said Friday.

Rite Aid announced that its board of directors had elected Standley to replace current chairman Mary Sammons, effective June 21. Sammons has served as chairman since June 2007 and plans to step down at the company's annual stockholder meeting.

Chesapeake, Va. -- Dollar Tree has approved a 2-for-1 stock split in the form of a 100% common stock dividend. The new shares will be distributed June 26 for shareholders of record as of the close of business on June 12.

With the stock split, the number of outstanding shares of the company's common stock will increase from approximately 116 million shares, pre-split, to approximately 232 million shares, post-split.

CHESAPEAKE, Va. — Dollar Tree has approved a 2-for-1 stock split in the form of a 100% common stock dividend. The new shares will be distributed June 26 for shareholders of record as of the close of business on June 12.

With the stock split, the number of outstanding shares of the company's common stock will increase from approximately 116 million shares, pre-split, to approximately 232 million shares, post-split.

Hingham, Mass. -- Talbots Inc. said is extending its talks with Sycamore Partners about an acquisition offer. It is the second time the chain has extended the talks.

Talbots has extended the period of time during which it will talk solely with the private equity firm about its $211 million takeover offer until Thursday.

The first time Talbots extended the exclusivity period was a week ago, when it announced that the talks would continue until Wednesday.

Toronto — Sears Canada has named Don Ross to its board of directors, effective immediately.  Ross is a partner at a prominent law firm in Toronto and is a member of the Law Society of Upper Canada, the New York State Bar Association, and the Canadian, American and International Bar Associations.

Sears Canada also announced today the resignation from the board of Deidra Merriwether, SVP and president retail services of Sears Holdings.

Las Vegas -- On Monday morning, RECon 2012, the International Council of Shopping Centers’ annual retail real estate convention in Las Vegas, kicks off with an expected 31,000+ attendees from around the globe.

Running through Wednesday, May 23, RECon will encompass three halls of the Las Vegas Convention Center – or over 1 million sq. ft. – with more than 1,000 companies exhibiting and highlights such as The Cities of the World Pavilion and a keynote presentation by Leslie H. Wexner, founder of Limited Brands.