News

Hoffman Estates, Ill. -- Sears Hometown and Outlet Stores Inc.’s second-quarter net income dropped to $9.1 million, down from $21.1 million a year earlier, on expenses associated with its spinoff from Sears Holdings Corp. The company also announced that its board approved a $25 million buyback.

Revenue increased 2% to $656.9 million from $644.5 million. Same-store sales rose 1.4%, with an 8.2% increase for the chain’s outlet segment.

SAN FRANCISCO — Online retailer Piperlime continues to grow its Guest Editor program. The program's most recent addition is actress Jessica Alba, who will join current guest editors Rachel Zoe and Olivia Palermo to launch the fall 2013 season.

The partnership kicks off today, giving customers access to Alba's product picks, favorite trends and fall must-haves.

New York -- Yankee Candle has agreed to be acquired by global consumer products company Jarden Corp. for $1.75 billion in cash from its private equity owner Madison Dearborn Partners. Yankee Candle, based in South Deerfield, Mass., operates about 575 stores in the United States and Canada.

Madison Dearborn bought Yankee Candle in 2007 for $1.4 billion cash and the assumption of $300 million in debt.

Global consumer products company Jarden Corp. agreed to acquire Yankee Candle for $1.75 billion in cash from its private equity owner Madison Dearborn Partners.

Jarden offers more than 120 well known brands in three major categories – outdoor solutions, consumer solution and branded consumables – but Yankee Candle will instantly become one of, if not the most, recognizable brand in the lineup. Yankee Candle brand products are sold in roughly 35,000 retail locations in North America.

By Scott Welty, [email protected]

The retail industry is in the midst of a massive transformation driven by consumers’ adoption of digital technologies. By 2020, the retail landscape will have fundamentally changed how every retailer will go to market. No segment of retail will be more impacted than the brick-and-mortar store.

Here are seven trends that brick-and-mortar retailers should consider to build a winning strategy:

The creators of eMobile POS and device manufacturer Cherry have teamed up to create a mobile POS product for the iPhone and iPod Touch that will be sold at Costco.com, according to the firms.

Atlanta -- FineLine Technologies Inc. is initializing the rollout of FastTrak Analytics, a web-based solution that provides detailed visibility into variable ticketing supply lead times, with Urban Outfitters among the early adopters of the new analytical reporting tool.

Brinker International chairman Doug Brooks and First Horizon National Corp. CEO Bryan Jordan were elected to the AutoZone board of directors.

The addition of Brooks and Jordan give AutoZone a total of 11 board members. The company is due to report fourth quarter financial results on September 25.