Corporate Governance

Oak Brook, Ill. – McDonald’s Corporation reported small increases in consolidated net income and revenues for both the fourth quarter and full fiscal year 2013, compared to the same periods a year earlier. During the fourth quarter, McDonald’s net income rose fractionally to $1.397 billion from $1.396 billion and revenues grew 2% to $7.09 billion from $6.95 billion.

Washington, D.C. - Integrating store and online operations is a key focus for retailers as e-commerce capable solutions increasingly supplant traditional POS and mobile technologies. According to a new study conducted by the NRF, Demandware and the University of Arizona that polled more than 200 U.S. and European retail business technology executives, more than one-third (35.8%) of retailers surveyed are considering a single platform to manage interactions and transactions across all channels.

San Francisco -- Shoppers will continue to be cautious in their spending in 2014, and they expect to make more money, save more money and afford the things they need. According to a forecast from digital coupon and discount site AnyCodes.com, this is because of a combination of three factors: consumer confidence in the future is climbing, they are focused on investing in themselves and paying off debt, and they are much confident about their job prospects.

Canton. Mass. – Dunkin’ Donuts has signed a multi-unit store development agreement with existing franchise group, OKD Holdings, to develop 13 new restaurants throughout Oklahoma City. The first of the planned restaurants will open in 2015.

Together, this team led by second generation Dunkin' Donuts franchisee Misha Goli and his partners will manage and oversee the company's daily operations for each restaurant. Goli currently owns four restaurants throughout Oklahoma City.

New York – Hedge fund Litespeed Management has purchased about 8.1 million shares, or an 8.1% stake, in RadioShack. Litespeed, founded by Jamie Zimmerman in 2000, specializes in investing in troubled companies that have viable businesses.

Litespeed disclosed the purchase in an SEC filing. The filing does not specify purchase price, but analysts have estimated the company probably did not spend more than roughly $17 million on the investment.

Greensboro, N.C. - Tanger Factory Outlet Centers Inc. plans to develop Tanger Outlets Savannah, in partnership with Georgia development firm Ben Carter Enterprises. Phase One will deliver approximately 400,000 sq. ft. of gross leasable space to the market and the center is expected to house more than 90 upscale brand name and designer outlet stores, with additional outparcel development opportunities.  

Minneapolis – The Tile Shop is expanding its presence in the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area with a new store in Southlake, Texas. The new 18,615-sq.-ft. Southlake location is The Tile Shop’s third store in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex (including stores in Plano and Dallas), and the company’s fifth store in Texas (Dallas, Plano, Southlake, Austin, San Antonio).

Downers Grove, Ill. – The board of directors of FTD Companies, Inc. has appointed Michael Silverstein as a director of the company, effective Jan. 21, 2014. Silverstein will serve as a class I director with a term expiring at the company's 2014 annual meeting of stockholders.

Kirkland, Wash. – VisibleBrands has raised approximately $2.3 million through a Series B financing to support a regional expansion of its patented in-store digital couponing platform. In preparation for the company’s regional expansion, VisibleBrands promoted Tim Belvin to CEO, succeeding founding CEO Tim Morton.

Walmart’s health and wellness president John Agwunobi shared wide-ranging thoughts earlier this week regarding the state of health care in America and ways in which the evolving marketplace is impacting Walmart customers.