Trading Partners

New York City -- BJ’s Wholesale Club is in the sights of private equity firm Leonard Green & Partners, which may pursue a hostile bid for the chain, according to The New York Post.

The Los Angeles-based buyout firm may make a bid if no auction occurs in coming weeks, the report said, citing an unidentified person close to the situation. BJ’s planned an auction to sell itself after an earlier bid from Leonard Green, according to the newspaper.

The recent global economic downturn has left its mark on the retail industry and marketplace. As global companies emerge from the recession, CXOs of various Fortune 1000 companies across the globe representing the consumer-packaged goods, retail, quick service restaurants and other sectors have passionately articulated a common set of needs:  to leverage their scale, to be truly global and to use their information as an asset. These needs have led to an increased interest in a global shared services model.

PITTSBURGH - American Eagle Outfitters announced its plans for American Eagle Outfitters and Aerie by American Eagle stores in Japan, in partnership with Sumikin Bussan Corporation. The first store is slated to open in Tokyo’s Harajuku shopping district in the first half of 2012.

AEO said it has signed an exclusive franchise agreement with Sumikin, a leading marketer, importer and exporter with extensive experience in the fashion industry, among other lines of business. 

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif.  - Raymour & Flanigan announced the arrival of the Kathy Ireland Home brand to its collection of furniture products. The line will be available in the first quarter of 2011.

MINNEAPOLIS — Supervalu is having difficulty divesting its New-England based Shaw’s chain for more than $1 billion, the Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday, and the Minnesota grocery conglomerate may be ready to take down its "for-sale" sign.

According to the report, Shaw’s has been on the block for several months with no takers. Many bids from private-equity firms actually came in below the asking price.

New York - Supervalu is having difficulty divesting its New-England-based Shaw’s chain for more than $1 billion, the Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday, and the Minnesota grocery conglomerate may be ready to take down its "for-sale" sign.

According to the report, Shaw’s has been on the block for several months with no takers. Many bids from private-equity firms actually came in below the asking price.

Atlanta - U.S. regulators have sued a former sales executive at Carter’s Inc., claiming that he caused the company to misstate earnings by hiding the cost of discounts given to a retailer. 

According to a Monday report by the Securities and Exchange Commission, Joseph Elles induced Kohl’s Corp. to boost purchases from Carter’s from 2004 to March 2009 by granting unauthorized discounts that he didn’t disclose.

Of all the competitive threats facing Walmart, none looms larger in the minds of the retailer’s suppliers than the ongoing expansion and financial success of leading operators in the dollar store segment. That’s according to Walmart suppliers who participated in a survey conducted by Connecting Northwest Arkansas and identified such chains as Dollar General and Family Dollar as the greatest competitive threat to Walmart during the next five years.

Walmart removed all doubt about how it intends to enter Russia this week when it announced the closure of its office in Moscow. The office was opened two years ago to investigate opportunities in the country, but international division president and CEO Doug McMillon said it no longer made business sense to maintain the facility.

BOCA RATON, Fla. - Office Depot announced that it has entered into an agreement to sell its Office Depot Japan business to Kakuyasu. The transaction also includes an agreement for Kakuyasu to license Office Depot’s trade names, obtain sourcing services and continue to support Office Depot’s global customers in Japan. Kakuyasu is one of the fastest growing and leading multi-channel businesses in Japan with FY 2009 sales of $775 million.

Office Depot Japan was established in 1996 and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Office Depot Inc.