Walmart

NEW YORK — At a press event in New York on Wednesday, Pacific World and Walmart officially took the wraps off a new eco-friendly beauty line for tweens, aptly named GeoGirl.

The line, which has a suggested retail price between $3.98 and $5.98, is launching exclusively at about 1,250 Walmart stores and on Walmart.com beginning in March. The 69-SKU collection includes makeup for face, lips, cheeks and eyes, as well as skin and body care. A GeoGirl website is slated to launch Feb. 24.

For the second consecutive year Walmart appears on an annual ranking of the Best Companies for Leadership compiled by the consulting firm Hay Group. In the 2010 version of the survey, Walmart ranked ninth, compared with the prior year when it was ranked fifth. The survey was first conducted in 2005.

Companies that ranked ahead of Walmart included, General Electric, Procter & Gamble, Intel, Siemens, Banco Santander, Coca-Cola, McDonald’s and Accenture. 

Sherwin-Williams’ loss of the paint business at Walmart didn’t affect its fourth quarter results too bad, but will represent a nearly $100 million headwind for the coming year. The company reported fourth-quarter net income of nearly $72.9 million, up 11.6% from $65.3 million on sales that advanced nearly 19% to $1.9 billion during the quarter ended Dec. 31, 2010. Sales in the consumer group, which includes such retailers as Walmart, increased 6.2% to $255 million in the quarter.

New York City -- Walmart Canada, a unit of Wal-Mart Stores, announced that it plans to open 40 additional supercenters in its upcoming fiscal year (which runs from Feb.1, 2011 to January 31, 2012). The company is investing approximately $500 million in the project, which also includes expanding, remodeling and relocating existing stores.

Although Walmart Canada did not disclose exact locations, it did reveal that it will enter two new new markets this year: the provinces of Quebec and Manitoba.

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. -- Kmart, LF USA and Latin World Entertainment Licensing announced the launch of a new lifestyle collection by renowned actress Sofia Vergara. Sold exclusively through Kmart, the collection will embody the "Modern Family" star's signature style of glamour and sexiness with an air of approachability, according to a press release.

The collection, which will include sportswear, dresses, handbags, jewelry, and footwear will be available at over 800 Kmart stores nationwide and Kmart.com beginning this fall.

Beijing -- China said Wednesday it is fining Wal-Mart and Carrefour stores up to $75,900 for overpricing, expressing concerns about price inflation ahead of the impending Lunar New Year holiday.

A statement posted Wednesday on the National Development and Reform Commission website listed about a dozen stores across the country that engaged in overpricing, noting high charges on items ranging from underwear to dumpling powder.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. -- Walmart announced that beginning Jan. 30 through Feb. 5, or while supplies last, customers can save up to $560 on a Samsung LED HDTV and Blu-ray disc player bundle. Customers can also enjoy up to $100 savings on additional select HDTVs and up to $40 savings on select home theater systems.

Other HDTV promotions include: