Sales & Marketing

New York -- Legendary Los Angeles retailer Fred Segal is going global. The company, which was acquired by media and licensing company Sandow in 2012, plans to open up to 10 luxury retail lifestyle centers in the United States and across the world during the next five to 10 years. And leading the expansion will be its newly hired CEO, retail veteran Paul Blum, who most recently served as CEO of Juicy Couture. Prior to that, he served as CEO of David Yurman and Kenneth Cole Productions.

Ahold CEO Dick Boer cited competitive pressures in New England as a contributing factor in the company’s flat U.S. sales in the first quarter, but it’s not stopping the company from targeting online expansion.  

Ahold's U.S. operations posted first-quarter net sales of $8 billion, down 0.3%. Excluding fuel sales, overall sales were flat relative to the same period last year. Identical sales growth excluding gas was 0.1%, which included the positive impact this year of the post-Easter week falling into the second quarter.

CUPERTINO, Calif. -- In its largest deal ever, Apple said on late Wednesday that it is buying Beats Electronics LLC for $3 billion. Beats is a key player in the premium headphone market and is also in the streamlining music business.  
 
Apple will pay $2.6 billion in cash and another $400 million in equity for Beats, whose founders rapper and producer Andre Young (aka Dr. Dre) music-industry  mogul Jimmy Iovine  will join the tech giant.

Fort Myers, Fla. – Higher costs reduced profits at Chico’s FAS Inc. during the first quarter of fiscal 2014 even as net sales grew. Chico’s reported net income of $39.88 million, a 22% year-over-year-drop from $51.12 million in the year-ago period.

Welch's has appointed Tom Dixon as chief marketing officer. Most recently, Dixon was VP and GM for the Schwan Food Company’s frozen pizza division.

“As a family-farmer owned business, Welch’s has been delivering the goodness of the grape to adults and children alike for generations,” said Dixon. “I’m excited to become part of this iconic brand with such a rich heritage and a portfolio of family favorites. I’m looking forward to continuing Welch’s tradition of bringing consumers nutritious and delicious products.”

New York – Specialty women’s apparel retailer Cache Inc. intends to offer and sell, subject to market and other conditions, $14 million of its common stock in a public offering. Cache intends to grant the underwriter a 30-day option to purchase up to an aggregate of 15% of the amount of common stock offered.

Cache expects to use the net proceeds from the offering for working capital and general corporate purposes. In connection with the offering, B. Riley & Co., LLC is acting as the sole underwriter.

For the second year in a row, Sears' brand of Kenmore appliances will fuel competitive juices in Las Vegas when 400 cooks gather later this year for the World Food Championships.

Bentonville, Ark. – Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has reportedly been given a May 30 deadline to settle a labor dispute in the Chinese city of Changde. According to the Wall Street Journal, Changde officials want Wal-Mart to reach an out-of-court settlement with workers at a store there which is scheduled to close.