Content about Sears Holdings Corp.

April 1, 2013

Sears former CEO D’Ambrosio saw pay shrink almost 90% in 2012

An SEC filing revealed that Sears Holdings Corp. former CEO Louis D’Ambrosio, who stepped down in February citing family health issues, saw his total compensation package shrink nearly 90% from the prior year.

Hoffman Estates, Ill. -- An SEC filing on Thursday revealed that Sears Holdings Corp. former CEO Louis D’Ambrosio, who stepped down in February citing family health issues, saw his total compensation package shrink nearly 90% from the prior year.

According to the proxy statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Sears said D’Ambrosio's salary rose to $1 million in 2012 from $930,769 in 2011. However, the value of his perks, such as corporate housing and travel, shrank to $278,741 from $852,037 in 2011.

March 21, 2013

Eddie Lampert to remain CEO of Sears for annual salary of $1

Eddie Lampert, chairman of Sears Holding Corp., has signed a contract to remain as CEO of the retail company at a salary of $1 per year, the Associated Press reported.

New York -- Eddie Lampert, chairman of Sears Holding Corp., has signed a contract to remain as CEO of the retail company at a salary of $1 per year, the Associated Press reported. Sears announced in January that Lampert would take over as CEO after Louis J. D'Ambrosio stepped down due to family health issues.

Lampert’s new contract is effective Feb. 1, according to a regulatory filing yesterday. Lampert also has the opportunity for a bonus of up to $2 million in cash or stock and up to $4.5 million in stock per year.

February 28, 2013

Sears narrows Q4 loss

Sears Holding Corp. said its net loss for the quarter ended on Feb. 2 narrowed to $489 million from $2.4 billion a year earlier.

Hoffman Estates, Ill. -- Sears Holding Corp. said its net loss for the quarter ended on Feb. 2 narrowed to $489 million from $2.4 billion a year earlier. Total costs dropped 2.2% to $12.88 billion in the fourth quarter.

Revenue declined 1.8% to $12.26 billion, but beat analysts' average estimate of $11.77 billion.

Sears results came weeks after the company’s chairman and largest shareholder, Edward Lampert, took the reins as CEO in the wake of the departure of Louis D'Ambrosio, who resigned for a family-related health problem.

January 29, 2013

ECOtality and Sears expand relationship with EVCs in two added states

ECOtality said that it has expanded its current relationship with Sears Holdings Corp. by unveiling the Blink Direct Current Fast Charger stations at Sears stores in Tennessee and Arizona.

San Francisco -- ECOtality said Tuesday that it has expanded its current relationship with Sears Holdings Corp. by unveiling the Blink Direct Current Fast Charger stations at Sears stores in Tennessee and Arizona.

The stations enable Sears customers to charge an electric vehicle battery up to 80% capacity in less than 30 minutes.

January 8, 2013

Sears CEO stepping down; Lampert taking reins

In a surprise move, Sears Holdings Corp. announced that CEO Louis J. D'Ambrosio will step down as CEO, effective Feb. 2, for family health reasons.

New York -- In a surprise move, Sears Holdings Corp. announced that CEO Louis J. D'Ambrosio will step down as CEO, effective Feb. 2, for family health reasons. D'Ambrosio will be replaced by the company's chairman and its largest shareholder, Edward Lampert.

November 2, 2012

Sears Holdings taps OfficeMax exec to lead grocery, drug unit

Sears Holdings Corp. said it has named Ryan Vero senior VP and president, Grocery, Drug and Pharmacy.

Hoffman Estates, Ill. -- Sears Holdings Corp. said Friday it has named Ryan Vero senior VP and president, Grocery, Drug and Pharmacy.

Vero most recently served as the executive VP and chief merchandising/marketing officer for OfficeMax. He spend 17 years with the office supply retailer and was most recently responsible for merchandising, marketing, new channels, and e-commerce business, in addition to global sourcing, private brands, product development and pricing.

October 12, 2012

Sears Hometown and Outlet Stores spin-off to trade on Nasdaq

Sears Hometown and Outlet Stores Inc. is set to begin trading on the Nasdaq Capital Market after Sears Holdings Corp. completed a spin-off transaction of the home appliances, hardware, tools and garden equipment retailer.

New York -- Sears Hometown and Outlet Stores Inc. is set to begin trading on the Nasdaq Capital Market on Friday after Sears Holdings Corp. completed a spin-off transaction of the home appliances, hardware, tools and garden equipment retailer.

Sears Holdings received $446.5 million in proceeds in the transaction, including a $100 million dividend paid by Sears Hometown prior to the separation and about $347 million from a rights offering.

October 9, 2012

Sears expects $446.5 million from offering tied to Hometown, Outlet spinoff

Sears Holdings Corp., which in February announced it would spin off its Hometown and Outlet businesses as a separate publicly traded entity, said it expects to receive about $446.5 million in gross proceeds from an offering tied to the spinoffs.

Hoffman Estates, Ill. -- Sears Holdings Corp., which in February announced it would spin off its Hometown and Outlet businesses as a separate publicly traded entity, said Tuesday it expects to receive about $446.5 million in gross proceeds from an offering tied to the spinoffs.

The offering of rights to purchase shares of the spinoff debuted on the Nasdaq under the "SHOSR" ticker symbol in September. According to Sears, the rights offering expired on Monday; preliminary results show that more than 95% of the options were exercised.

October 3, 2012

Kmart, Sears offer ship-to-home for online layaway purchases

Sears Holdings Corp. said Wednesday that its namesake and Kmart stores will offer ship-to-home delivery for items purchased through online layaway.

Hoffman Estates, Ill. -- Sears Holdings Corp. said Wednesday that its namesake and Kmart stores will offer ship-to-home delivery for items purchased through online layaway.

The new service, which comes at a time when many major retailers are amping up shopper-centric programs for the holiday selling season, is also available on store kiosks, said Sears, enabling customers to bypass the layaway line and select, purchase and have items delivered directly to their homes.

Both retailers will launch the service on Nov. 7.

September 28, 2012

Sears improves efficiency on home-services fleet

Sears Holdings Corp. strengthened its environmental commitment with the rollout of 27 new Roush CleanTech Ford E-250 cargo vans fueled by propane autogas, to be deployed in the Sears Home Services fleet in Seattle for in-home service and repair visits.

Seattle -- Sears Holdings Corp. strengthened its environmental commitment with the rollout of 27 new Roush CleanTech Ford E-250 cargo vans fueled by propane autogas, to be deployed in the Sears Home Services fleet in Seattle for in-home service and repair visits.

September 7, 2012

Sears, Kmart jump on layaway bandwagon by waiving fees

Sears Holdings Corp. said that both its Sears and Kmart banners would waive layaway fees for the holidays, allowing shoppers to open interest-free pay-over-time programs at both stores and online with no customary initial fees.

Hoffman Estates, Ill. -- Sears Holdings Corp. said Friday that both its Sears and Kmart banners would waive layaway fees for the holidays, allowing shoppers to open interest-free pay-over-time programs at both stores and online with no customary initial fees. Kmart’s program will run through Nov. 17, but Sears Holdings had yet to set a timeframe for its namesake stores.

In the past, Kmart and Sears have charged $5 for an eight-week layaway contract and $10 for the 12-week program.

August 16, 2012

Sears narrows loss in Q2; sales continue falling

Sears Holding Corp. reported a loss of $132 million for the quarter ended July 28, narrowed from a loss of $146 million in the year-ago period.

Hoffman Estates, Ill. -- Sears Holding Corp. reported Thursday a loss of $132 million for the quarter ended July 28, narrowed from a loss of $146 million in the year-ago period. The retailer cited expense cutting and reduced inventory for the performance improvement.

August 14, 2012

Report: Sears considering sale of Lands End

The New York Post reported Tuesday that Sears Holdings Corp. may be mulling over a sale of its Lands End unit.

New York City -- The New York Post reported Tuesday that Sears Holdings Corp. may be mulling over a sale of its Lands End unit. The move would dovetail with the massive restructuring effort the company has launched.

According to the report, chairman Eddie Lampert has been meeting with investors to discuss the divestiture of Lands End.

August 13, 2012

Report: Sears to spin off Hometown, Outlet into separate public company

A report released Monday by the Associated Press said that Sears Holdings Corp. would be spinning off its Hometown and Outlet stores, along with some hardware stores, into a separate, publicly traded company.

Hoffman Estates, Ill. -- A report released Monday by the Associated Press said that Sears Holdings Corp. would be spinning off its Hometown and Outlet stores, along with some hardware stores, into a separate, publicly traded company.

Earlier this year, Sears had revealed it would split the companies but had not indicated the new organization would be a separate public entity.

There are approximately 1,238 Hometown, Outlet and hardware stores. Five Hometown stores have been closed, along with eight hardware stores and one Outlet unit.

August 6, 2012

Sears Holdings recognizes Damco as a top supplier

Damco announced it has been named a 2012 Partner in Transformation for Sears Holdings Corp. in recognition of its innovative contributions to Sears. Damco is a leading third-party logistics provider specializing in customised freight forwarding and supply chain solutions.

New York -- Damco announced it has been named a 2012 Partner in Transformation for Sears Holdings Corp. in recognition of its innovative contributions to Sears. Damco is a leading third-party logistics provider specializing in customised freight forwarding and supply chain solutions.

Sears grants the Partners in Transformation award to a select group of supplier companies who have been helping support the transformation of the company through innovation around customers, core retail excellence and financial and operational discipline.

July 23, 2012

Former Sears interim CEO Johnson named CEO of spun-off unit

Sears Holdings Corp. said that former interim CEO Bruce Johnson will serve as president and CEO of Sears Hometown and Outlet Stores once the unit is spun off from the retailer.

Hoffman Estates, Ill. -- Sears Holdings Corp. said that former interim CEO Bruce Johnson will serve as president and CEO of Sears Hometown and Outlet Stores once the unit is spun off from the retailer.

Johnson served as interim CEO of Sears Holdings from 2008 to early 2011.

Last February, Sears Holdings announced it would spin off its Sears Hometown and Outlet businesses in an effort to raise an expected $400 million to $500 million.

May 30, 2012

Sears launches online charity project

Sears Holdings Corp. said it has launched a new online charity project designed to parlay customer opinions into charitable contributions.

Hoffman Estates, Ill. -- Sears Holdings Corp. said Wednesday it has launched a new online charity project designed to parlay customer opinions into charitable contributions.

The project, called “Love/Hate: Share Your Thoughts, Send Some Love,” allows customers to review a product in order to vote for one of four charities. The participating charities competing for the grand prize of $100,000 include the American Cancer Society, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, World Vision and World Wildlife Fund.

May 17, 2012

Sears Holdings swings to profit in Q1, to spin off minority stake in Sears Canada

Sears Holdings Corp. reported that it generated a profit of $189 million for the quarter ended April 28, after losing $170 million in the same period last year.

Hoffman Estates, Ill. -- Sears Holdings Corp. reported Thursday that it generated a profit of $189 million for the quarter ended April 28, after losing $170 million in the same period last year. The improvement was due largely to a $233-million gain from selling off some of its stores.

May 1, 2012

Sears to combine Outlet and Hometown into one company

Sears Holdings Corp. revealed in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission that the previously announced spinoff of its Sears’s Outlet and Sears’s Hometown and Hardware stores will now combine the two chains into one separate company.

Hoffman Estates, Ill. -- Sears Holdings Corp. revealed in a Monday filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission that the previously announced spinoff of its Sears’s Outlet and Sears’s Hometown and Hardware stores will now combine the two chains into one separate company.

The move, part of Sears’ initiative to cut expense and regain profits, will result in the newly named Sears Hometown and Outlet Stores Inc. and a public offering that is expected to raise $400 to $500 million for Sears.

April 20, 2012

Sears Canada finalizes three-store sell-back to landlord

Sears Canada, Inc., an arm of Sears Holdings Corp., said it has completed the transaction with landlord The Cadillac Fairview Corp. to return three stores for $170 million.

Toronto -- Sears Canada, Inc., an arm of Sears Holdings Corp., said Friday it has completed the transaction with landlord The Cadillac Fairview Corp. to return three stores for $170 million.

The stores – located in Vancouver, Calgary and Ottawa – are slated to be exited by Sears as of Oct 31, 2012. The agreement between Sears and the landlord was first announced in March.

April 18, 2012

Sears completes sale of 11 properties to General Growth

Sears Holdings Corp. said that it completed the $270 million sale of 11 full-line Sears store locations to General Growth Properties.

Hoffman Estates, Ill. -- Sears Holdings Corp. said Tuesday that it completed the $270 million sale of 11 full-line Sears store locations to General Growth Properties.

Sears said the stores will continue to operate as Sears locations into 2013 or 2014, with final closing dates to be announced later this year. The stores are in Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah and Washington.

Sears announced in December it would close between 100 and 120 stores to raise cash after a disappointing holiday season.

April 5, 2012

Sears looks to expand signature brands outside stores

Sears Holdings Corp. has appointed Leveraged Marketing Corp. of America as its exclusive global licensing agent as it looks to capitalize on, and ways to sell, its signature Kenmore, Craftsman and DieHard brands outside its own stores.

Hoffman Estates, Ill. -- Sears Holdings Corp. has appointed Leveraged Marketing Corp. of America as its exclusive global licensing agent as it looks to capitalize on, and ways to sell, its signature Kenmore, Craftsman and DieHard brands outside its own stores.

Sears said it will work closely with Leveraged Marketing to identify, evaluate and manage licensing opportunities around the world.

March 29, 2012

Report: Sears to sell off Lands’ End

Multiple reports said that Sears Holdings Corp. is considering a sale of its Lands’ End mail-order catalog business, as part of its move to raise up to $2 billion.

Hoffman Estates, Ill. -- Multiple reports on Thursday said that Sears Holdings Corp. is considering a sale of its Lands’ End mail-order catalog business, as part of its move to raise up to $2 billion.

The New York Post reported that Sears is in talks with several private-equity firms about the potential sale.

Sears chief Eddie Lampert is said to be likely to hire Goldman Sachs to find a buyer for Lands’ End.

March 26, 2012

Report: Sears’ chief marketing office resigned in January

Sears Holdings Corp's chief marketing officer, Monica Woo, left the company earlier this year after only five months on the job, Reuters reported.

New York -- Sears Holdings Corp's chief marketing officer, Monica Woo, left the company earlier this year after only five months on the job, Reuters reported.

According to the report, Woo has joined financial services company Mozido as chief marketing and strategy officer.

Woo resigned from Sears on Jan. 20, the report said. Before joining Sears, she was the chief marketing and strategy officer of online grocer FreshDirect.

March 22, 2012

Sears names former Sony exec as appliance head

Sears Holdings Corp. said that Steve Haber will join the company as senior VP and president, Home Appliances.

Hoffman Estates, Ill. -- Sears Holdings Corp. said Thursday that Steve Haber will join the company as senior VP and president, Home Appliances.

Haber was previously executive VP at Sony Electronics, leading the Product to Consumer Marketing and the Home and Digital Reading business divisions.