Direct To Consumer (DTC)

New York City -- Women’s apparel retailer Cache Inc. said Thursday that it has partnered with e-commerce solution provider FiftyOne Global Ecommerce to facilitate international sales and shipments to more than 100 countries, beginning in fall 2012.

Canton, Mass. -- Casual Male Retail Group announced that its first DestinationXL store in the Middle East will open this spring in Symphony Mall, Kuwait City, Kuwait, under a franchise agreement between one of its subsidiaries and The Standard Arabian Business & Enterprises Company (SABECO).

Framingham, Mass. -- Staples Inc. beat Wall Street estimates as its fiscal fourth-quarter net income rose 3.2% to $283.6 million. Weakness in Europe and Australia was offset by the company’s strongest North American retail sales growth in more than a year.

Total company sales rose 0.7% to $6.46 billion, while analysts expected about $6.45 billion. Sales at Staples’ North American delivery segment and domestic retail segment, which together account for about 80% of the company's revenue, rose 2% to $5.16 billion.

New York City -- Royal Ahold NV has agreed to acquire bol.com, the Netherlands’ largest online retailer, for about $470 million in cash.

Woodland Hills, Calif. -- Kuwait-based trading and contracting company The Standard Arabian Business & Enterprises Co., which represents Casual Male, said Thursday it will use Great American Group GA Store Opening Services program for a retail location in Kuwait.

The Sabeco project represents the first time Great American Group's new Store Opening Services have been used outside the United States.

San Francisco -- Gap Inc. reported Thursday that net income for the fourth quarter plummeted 40% on higher costs and aggressive discounting during the holiday selling season.

Net income for the quarter ended Jan. 28 was $218 million, compared with $365 million a year earlier. Sales dipped to $4.28 billion in the quarter, from $4.36 billion, matching Wall Street estimates.

Hong Kong -- Asian-based apparel retailer Esprit reported Thursday a net profit of $71.6 million for the six months ended December, beating Wall Street estimates.

The retailer said it remains on track to close its directly managed stores in North America by end-March 2012 and will continue to look for a licensing partner.

Columbus, Ohio -- Limited Brands reported Wednesday that fourth quarter profit dropped 21% to $359.4 million, from $452.3 million in the year-ago period.

The parent to Victoria’s Secret, Bath & Body Works and Henri Bendel was negatively impacted by a large restructuring charge for an asset write-down and closures of some of its La Senza lingerie stores. Last quarter’s profit decrease breaks a streak of four consecutive quarters of year-over-year profit increases.

Despite the fact that the nation is still in the throes of winter, albeit a mild one, open-air centers continue to draw shoppers and generate leasing interest among retailers.

In the early days of upscale lifestyle centers, and before enhanced strip centers and specialty formats, the longevity of some open-air centers came under question as developers, retailers and consumers alike challenged the shopability of the format outside the sunbelt regions.

By Stephen Wyss

As retailers eye avenues for growth in 2012, mergers and acquisitions (M&A) will be a key area of interest and activity.