Sears, Roebuck & Co.

Springfield, Ill. -- Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn signed legislation Friday that grants hundreds of millions of dollars in tax breaks and incentives aimed at keeping Sears Holdings Corp., along with CME Group Inc., which operates the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, headquartered in Illinois.

Lawmakers approved the business tax breaks earlier this month, but Quinn had not yet signed the bill. Both companies had openly threatened to leave the state without some kind of significant aid package.

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — Reuters news service has reported that the shareholders of Sears Holding Corp. will end up with 80% of the common stock in Orchard Supply Hardware stores, following an attempt to spin off the California hardware chain into a separate unit.

New York City -- The board of Sears Holdings Corp has approved the spinoff of Sears’ Orchard Supply Hardware Stores Corp.

Sears announced its intention to spin off the 89-store hardware store chain in June, saying both companies could better focus on their goals as separate firms.

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — Sears Holdings announced that it will help make customers' "green" go further this Green Monday (Dec. 12) at Sears.com and Kmart.com.

Shoppers can take advantage of up to 70% off across popular categories available on Sears.com and Kmart.com on more than 500 deals that are as good as Cyber Monday prices, the company reported.

Chicago -- Illinois House leaders have agreed to pass tax breaks in order to keep Sears Holdings Corp. from abandoning its Hoffman Estates, Ill., headquarters in search of a new out-of-state home, according to Reuters.

The deal is also designed to keep Ill.-based securities and commodities trading company CME Group in-state as well.

The House had previously shot down the tax package. 

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — Sears announced that it is offering free delivery of fresh cut Christmas trees to customers when they order them via Sears.com. Through Dec. 15, customers can go to Sears.com to order their own Fraser fir from the North Carolina Blue Ridge Mountains and have it delivered for free directly to their home, apartment or office. 

Retailers have pulled out the stops this holiday season, especially when it comes to experimenting with cutting-edge digital technologies. But innovation shouldn’t be reserved for the holidays — it is something that should be infused into the shopping experience all year long.

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — Sears Holdings remains positive about its future despite reporting a wider loss for the third quarter and comps declines across its retail segments. The company reported a net loss of $421 million, or $3.95 per diluted share, for the third quarter of 2011, compared with a net loss of $218 million, or $1.98 loss per diluted share, in 2010. 

Hoffman Estates, Ill. -- Sears Holdings Corp. reported Thursday that its loss widened in the third quarter on softness in its Canada division and on weaker consumer electronics sales.

The operator of Sears and Kmart recorded a loss of $421 million in the quarter ended Oct. 29, compared with a loss of $218 million a year earlier.

Revenue slipped 1% to $9.57 billion from $9.68 billion, missing the $9.63 billion expected by Wall Street, and marking the fourth straight quarter of revenue declines.

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — Sears Holdings Thursday expressed support for S. 1832, the Marketplace Equity Act, introduced by U.S. Sens. Enzi, Alexander and Durbin. The legislation will level the sales tax collection playing field for local businesses by granting the states authority to enforce existing laws and require out-of-state, online-only retailers to collect and remit sales taxes on sales made to state residents.