Transform SR Brands LLC

Sears Holdings will lose its spot in the S&P 500 after the close of trading on Sept. 4. It will be replaced by chemical maker LyondellBasell (LYB).

As one of America’s oldest retailers, Sears, Roebuck & Co. was one of the original members of the S&P 500 when the index was created in 1957 (69 of the index’s original components are still in the S&P 500 today, according to S&P’s Howard Silverblatt).

Mountain View, Calif. -- Best Buy tops a list of the most effective back-to-school advertisers, according to Ace Metrix, which provides television and video analytics. An ad promoting free kids’ haircuts at J.C. Penney also was a top perfomer.

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — Sears' Craftsman brand is using the upcoming Republican and Democratic National Conventions to show that two sides can come together.

The company has teamed up with Ty Pennington of "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" fame, Sears Heroes at Home, Rebuilding Together, NextGen Home built by Champion and Bank of America to build two halves of one home -- one in Tampa, Fla. during the RNC and the other in Charlotte, N.C. during the DNC.

MINNEAPOLIS — Supervalu on Monday announced Robert Bly will join the company as president of Shoppers, a 56-store division in the Baltimore/Washington, D.C., market.

Bly is expected to begin his new role on Aug. 22 and will report to Chuck Elias, SVP retail operations. Bly replaces Tim Lowe, who recently accepted a new leadership role in Supervalu's merchandising organization.

Minneapolis -- Supervalu announced that Robert Bly will join the company as president of Shoppers Food and Pharmacy, a 56-store chain in the Baltimore, and Washington, D.C., market.

Bly, 49, most recently served as VP of Kmart and Sears divisions for the Sears Holdings Co. He is expected to begin his new role on Aug. 22 and will report to Chuck Elias, senior VP retail operations.

Bly replaces Tim Lowe, who recently accepted a new leadership role in Supervalu's merchandising organization.
 

Things are looking up for Sears Holdings. The company only lost $132 million during its second quarter.

Hoffman Estates, Ill.-based Sears Holdings reported a second-quarter net loss of $132 million, compared with a loss of $146 million in the year-ago period.

Revenues totaled $9.5 billion for the quarter ended July 28, down 6% from $10.1 million in the second quarter of 2011. The company cited lower domestic comparable-store sales for the quarter and the effect of having fewer Kmart and Sears Full-line stores in operation. Sears Canada's comparable-store sales also decreased and included a decline of $55 million due to changes in foreign currency exchange rates.

Hoffman Estates, Ill. -- Sears Holding Corp. reported Thursday a loss of $132 million for the quarter ended July 28, narrowed from a loss of $146 million in the year-ago period. The retailer cited expense cutting and reduced inventory for the performance improvement.