Content about Sears Holdings Corporation

Hoffman Estates, Ill. -- Sears Holdings announced that Jeff Balagna will join the company as executive VP and CIO. In his new role, Balagna who most recently served as CIO at Eli Lilly, will be responsible for all technology and infrastructure initiatives for the company in its support centers and in-store.
   

Hoffman Estates, Ill. -- Sears Hometown and Outlet Stores said Thursday it has elected James F. Gooch to its board of directors and as chair of the audit committee.

Gooch had served as president and CEO, as well as CFO, of RadioShack Corp.
 

Is it just me, or does it seem like the past two months or so have seen an unusually high level of turnover at the top? It's gotten so that you need a scorecard to keep up with all the comings and goings, as chief executives are forced out, jump ship, retire or move on.

This year's changing of the guard is bittersweet because it includes the retirement of two veteran retailers, Steve Burd of Safeway and Maxine Clark of Build-A-Bear Workshop.

Toronto -- Sears Canada Inc. reported Wednesday that profit for the fourth quarter dipped 3% to $38.8 million on weakened hardware and electronics sales.

Revenue fell 5% to$1.25 billion in the period, and same-store sales dropped 3.8%.

Parent Sears Holdings Corp., which cut its stake in Sears Canada from 90% to 51% last year, said in January that Sears Canada's fourth quarter adjusted earnings would fall by about half.

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.

Foothill Ranch, Calif. -- The Wet Seal has named John D. Goodman to serve as its new CEO, with his appointment effective Jan. 7. He replaces former CEO Susan McGalla, who was fired by the company in July 2012 amid sliding sales.

Toronto -- Sears Canada Inc. announced Friday that Douglas C. Campbell has been promoted to executive VP and COO, effective immediately.

Campbell will oversee retail operations, logistics, replenishment, information technology and international sourcing, and lead the company's undertaking to improve efficiency across the enterprise.

Campbell was most recently executive VP, home and hardlines, for the chain.

Toronto -- Sears Canada said Friday it has unveiled four refreshed store concepts in Ontario, and Quebec, each featuring additional brands and product displays.

The Kitchen Shop now features small appliances organized by type and major appliances are displayed in gallery settings. A number of departments, including mattresses and footwear, have deepened product offerings and enhanced the merchandising of the lines.

Hoffman Estates, Ill. -- Sears Holdings announced that both Sears and Kmart stores will be open on Thanksgiving Day. The company said its made the decision based in part on feedback from members of its Shop Your Way loyalty program, who sought more flexible Black Friday in-store shopping times and eagerness to shop doorbuster deals.

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.

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.

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.