Department Store

NEW YORK — Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia decided to end the publication of two print titles and exit live television programming following lower revenues in publishing and broadcasting, which caused total revenues to decrease 13.5% to $42.2 million in the second quarter ended June 30, from $47.9 million in the same quarter last year. 

New York – The proposed acquisition of Saks by Hudson’s Bay Company is spurring investigations by at least three law firms. Law firms Harwood Feffer LLP, Robbins Arroyo LLP and Kahn, Swick and Foti LLP are all investigating concerns such as whether the Saks board of directors is fulfilling its fiduciary duties, maximizing the value of the company, disclosing all material benefits and costs, and obtaining full and fair consideration for shareholders.

LOS ALTOS, Calif. — Catalog Spree, a personal digital mall that lets consumers browse and shop their favorite catalogs, has launched exclusive lookbooks for Fab, "The World's Design Store." The digital mall will publish Fab lookbooks daily, which consumers can view on iPad and iPhone.

OAK BROOK, Ill. — J.C. Penney is donating a 5,500-square-foot center in the North Riverside Park Mall in North Riverside, Illinois to assist efforts of the Cook County Regional Organized Crime Task Force in combating retail organized crime. The center will house law enforcement offices for various police departments, government agencies and retailers for the purpose of hands-on training and collaboration.

New York -- Walmart had the top online retail site for back-to-school shoppers last week, according to sales data and analysis from Experian Marketing Services (EMS). Rounding out the top five: J.C. Penney, Macy’s, Office Max and Sears. 

Experian noted that brick and mortar stores are getting the majority of search traffic to date. The company also said that offers in subject lines were present on 37% of back- to-school email, and generated 57% of total email revenue in 2012. 

NEW YORK — Hudson’s Bay Company has reached a deal to buy Saks Inc. in a deal that is expected to bring the luxury department store company to Canada. The Canadian retail conglomerate, which which operates Lord & Taylor in the United States and Hudson Bay in Canada, will purchase Saks for a total of about $2.9 billion. Purchase price includes $16 per share of Saks as well as the assumption of Saks’ debt.

DALLAS — Zale Corporation has promoted Bridgett Zeterberg to the position of SVP, general counsel and secretary. Zeterberg joined Zale in September 2010 and became general counsel and secretary in February 2012.

She is responsible for all legal, compliance and contractual matters, as well as corporate and board governance. She will continue to report to Theo Killion, CEO.

Armonk, N.Y. -- Online consumer spending rose a healthy 15% in the second quarter of this year compared to the second quarter of last year. The IBM Online Retail Sales Index shows that mobile sales reached 19.4% of total online sales, up 28% from last year. Online shopping growth substantially outpaced the 4.6% year-over-year increase of in-store sales during the second quarter.