Corporate Governance

Walmart reportedly is relaxing its dress code and raising the temperature at its stores as part of an effort to improve working conditions. 

According to a Reuters report, Walmart made the announcement to a gathering of 3,000 workers brought to Arkansas this week before the company's annual shareholders' meeting due to be held on Friday.

St. Petersburg – HSN Inc. is partnering with the Card Services division of Alliance Data Systems Corp. (ADS) to provide private label credit card services for its Cornerstone business unit. Alliance Data will develop loyalty-driven card programs for five of Cornerstone's seven multichannel brands -- Ballard Designs, Frontgate, Garnet Hill, Grandin Road and Improvements – each incorporating a tailored approach for their unique customer base.

CVS/pharmacy is launching a Hispanic-focused rebranding of some of its stores in South Florida, an initiative that the retailer hopes to eventually roll out nationally.

The new and remodeled stores are called CVS/pharmacy y mas. Twelve CVS/pharmacy y mas stores are now open in South Florida, including 11 remodeled CVS stores and one brand new store. They all feature a fully bilingual staff, the addition of more than 1,500 Hispanic products, more competitive pricing on hundreds of products, and new services unique to a national retail pharmacy.

St. Louis - Build-A-Bear Workshop Inc. currently expects second quarter fiscal 2015 same-store sales to increase in the low-single-digit range. The retailer issued an outlook in conjunction with its presentation at the Stephens 2015 Spring Investment Conference being held June 3.

The company also expects to report its 10th consecutive quarter of improved operating performance in the second quarter of fiscal 2015. Build-A-Bear reported an operating loss of $3.9 million in the 2014 second quarter.
 

Ace Hardware Corp. has promoted a 25-year employee to the position of vice president of information technology. 

Oak Brook, Ill. – Ace Hardware Corp. has promoted senior director of IT business systems Rick Williams to the position of VP of information technology (IT). Reporting to Ace’s CFO, Williams, 49, will play an integral role in further driving strategic technology and systems management for Ace to shape business functions and deliver significant return on investments.

New York -- CVS/pharmacy is aiming to attract more Hispanic customers with its new "Y Mas" stores in South Florida, and the company hopes to expand its new brand nationally.

Twelve CVS/pharmacy y mas stores in South Florida, including 11 remodeled CVS stores and one brand new store, feature a fully bilingual staff, the addition of more than 1,500 trusted Hispanic products, more competitive pricing on hundreds of products, and new services unique to a national retail pharmacy.

Walmart is reportedly raising starting wages for more than 100,000 U.S. department managers and workers in its deli and other specialized departments.

According to the Associated Press, Walmart told the AP that department managers of complex and service-oriented jobs in areas like produce, electronics and auto care, will start at $13 per hour and top out at $24.70 per hour, beginning next month.

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