Corporate Governance

Dollar General has extended the deadline for Family Dollar shareholders to approve a buyout deal while it continues to recommend a “no” vote on a competing proposal from Dollar Tree.

Whole Foods has a tendency to zig when other retailers zag and it is doing just that with a new line PBS Kids branded toys this holiday season.

No bright shiny plastic toys will be found on Whole Foods shelves. Instead, the natural grocer struck a deal with PBS Kids to offer a line of educational and sustainable wooden toys and plush products for kids ages six months to three years. Each item in the PBS Kids line is made with safe, non-toxic materials and inks, and all packaging is made from recycled materials, according to the companies.

Clickstop, a multi-brand online retailer, has promoted Sarah Watson to Director of Business Development, moving supplies, for the company’s largest online store, USCargoControl.com.

This promotion is in line with Clickstop’s focus on strength-based approach to employee learning implemented in 2014.  Watson's natural drive to achieve goals, anticipate obstacles, seek consensus and organize work to improve collaboration has propelled her into this new role, according to the company.

Seattle –- Starbucks Corp. topped off a generally successful fourth quarter of fiscal 2014 by swinging to net income of $587.9 million from net loss of $1.23 billion the fourth quarter of the prior fiscal year. The removal of a one-time arbitration charge of $2.8 billion helped bring Starbucks into the black.  

Atlanta –- United Parcel Service Inc. (UPS) is reportedly forecasting that six days in the upcoming holiday season will be busier for shipping packages than its busiest day in the 2013 holiday season. According to Bloomberg, UPS predicts it will deliver 585 million packages in December, an 11% year-over-year increase.  

New York –- Online retailer Gilt has added the Alipay EPass payment option to its checkout, making it easier for consumers in China to shop using its e-commerce platform. The partnership provides a more seamless experience for Chinese Gilt members, allowing them to pay through their existing Alipay accounts directly on the Gilt website.  

Salisbury, N.C. -- Meg Ham has been named president of Food Lion effective Nov. 1. She succeeds Beth Newlands Campbell, who is leaving the company for personal and professional reasons.     Ham will lead all Food Lion banner operations, including strategic direction, financial performance, product assortment, pricing, customer service and marketing. She will continue to report to Delhaize America CEO Kevin Holt.    

New York -– Non-recurring items, including charges relating to stock issuance and tax valuation, helped swing Elizabeth Arden Inc. to a net loss of $25.5 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2015, compared to net income of $1.59 million in the same period a year earlier. Declining North American fragrance sales helped reduce net sales 21% to $270.38 million from $343.6 million.  

Indianapolis –- Consumer electronics retailer Hhgregg Inc. swung from profit to loss in a generally difficult second quarter of fiscal 2014. Hhgregg reported a net loss of $10.38 million, compared to net income of $3.68 million in the same quarter the prior fiscal year. Net sales dropped 11% to $505.86 million from $568.31 million. Same-store sales declined 11.4%. Growing expenses and declining gross profit helped push the chain into the red.

Denver -- Quiznos continues to expand its international development with growth into seven countries in Asia and the Middle East. This is the latest addition to an international development strategy to open more than 1,000 restaurants in more than 40 countries by 2020 and will widen the company footprint abroad through the help of international master franchisees.