Corporate Governance

New York -- Real estate investment trust W.P. Carey has acquired a Hennes & Mauritz logistics center in Poznan, Poland.

W.P. Carey, through one of its affiliates, purchased the 896,911-sq.-ft. facility for $85 million.

The center, which supplies all of H&M’s Eastern European stores as well as serves as its primary European e-commerce logistics hub, will be leased back to H&M.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Big Lots EVP and CMO John C. Martin has announced his plans to retire. He will remain with the company until his successor is appointed, and has committed to provide guidance to his successor and the company through May 2014.  

Big Lots has retained SpencerStuart to conduct a search of external potential candidates.

Furniture chains of North America have united — in the digital space, that is — in the form of a re-launch of Furniture.com.

Described as a “unique online shopping experience powered by the merchandising and service capabilities of top brick-and-mortar furniture chains,” the partnership includes RoomsToGo, Schottenstein Stores and Leon’s Furniture of Canada.

The retailers will provide sourcing, warehousing and delivery capabilities for the e-commerce site, planned to be re-launched later this year.

NEW YORK — Kellwood Company, a leading apparel manufacturer and marketer, has appointed Lynn Shanahan to the newly created role of CEO of Kellwood Brands. 

ATLANTA — Coca-Cola says slow economies in Europe, Asia and Latin America and cold weather conditions across multiple regions affected consumer spending as well as its overall nonalcoholic ready-to-drink beverage performance. 

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Meijer conducted a survey of its customers, which revealed that 90% of them plan to spend the same or more than they did last year and 40% will have completed their back-to-school shopping before the school year begins. 

Median spend will range between $101-$150 per student and $201-$250 in total. In addition, 15% of parents expect students to help pay for a portion of school expenses and nearly 30% will get help from grandparents.

Increased shipping volumes and moderating fuel prices helped J.B. Hunt Transport Services grow second quarter sales 10.1% to nearly $1.4 billion while profits disappointed slightly.

Profits for the period ended June 30 increased to $87.7 million, or 73 cents a share, compared to $80.5 million, or 67 cents a share, during the comparable period the prior year. Earnings per share were a penny less than analysts’ forecast and operating margins contracted to 10.7% from 10.9%.

DropShip Commerce, a provider of distributed supply chain management solutions to mid-market retailers, appointed of Scott Lemon as VP of technology.

Lemon will oversee the firm’s software as a service-based, on-demand platform to help retailers and manufacturers use the virtual supply chain to be more responsive to consumer demand in the age of e-commerce.

Hilton Head Island, S.C. -- Shelter Cove Towne Centre, an outdoor mall now under construction, has taken a bold step to engage the surrounding Hilton Head Island community — both residents and visitors. It has set up shop on a crowd-sourcing website called Popularise and asked Hilton Head residents to suggest tenants for the 290,000-sq.-ft. property.

Seattle – Twelve deaf consumers are suing Starbucks over what they claim was harassment at the hands of employees of a lower Manhattan Starbucks store on March 7, 2013.