Corporate Governance

LOS ANGELES — Guitar Center has announced the appointment of Michael Amkreutz to the position of executive VP, marketing, merchandising and E-Commerce, for the Guitar Center brand.  He joins the retailer from Systemax North American Technologies, where he most recently held the role of chief marketing officer.

Customers at the nation’s largest home improvement retailer appeared to shrug off any concerns about a data breach as Home Depot’s sales increased 5.4% to $20.5 billion. Comparable store sales increased 5.2%, but grew 5.8% at U.S. stores. The increased productivity at existing stores drove profit growth, with earnings increasing to $1.5 billion, or $1.15 per share, compared to $1.4 billion, or $95 cents a share, the prior year.

New York, N.Y. - Perceptions about private label are overwhelmingly favorable. Almost three-quarters of global respondents (71%) say store-brand quality has improved over time, according to a new study by Nielsen.
Price is a primary driver of purchase intent among 70% of global respondents, but quality is important, too. Two-thirds (67%) believe private labels offer extremely good value for money.

Atlanta – The Home Depot Inc. showed solid performance in the third quarter of fiscal 2014 despite reporting a major data breach in September, but still has not fully accounted for all the costs related to the breach. Home Depot reported net earnings of $1.5 billion, topping Wall Street projections and a 7% increase from $1.4 billion the same quarter in fiscal 2013.

The IKEA Group has made its largest investment ever in renewable energy by buying a 165-megawatt wind farm in Cameron County, Tex.

Framingham, Mass. – The TJX Companies Inc. met Wall Street expectations with net income of $594.96 million in the third quarter of fiscal 2014, down 4% from $622.65 million in the same quarter the prior year. Net sales rose 5% to $7.37 billion from $6.98 billion, short of Wall Street expectations.

New Delhi, India – The India unit of Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has reportedly fired a mid-level manager as part of a probe into alleged bribery violations. According to the Economic Times, Wal-Mart gave the manager a termination notice last week, two years after the company suspended its former India CEO and legal team due to possible violations of U.S. anti-bribery laws.

Bentonville, Ark. – Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has extended its contract to use wireless I.D. Systems Inc. VeriWise trailer tracking and management services for its fleet or cargo trailers. The contract extension, which runs through October 2017, has a maximum aggregate value of approximately $14 million.