Today, Sears Holdings Corp. announced that its board of directors has approved plans to pursue a partial spin-off of its interest in Sears Canada. The parent company currently owns approximately 95% of the issued and outstanding common shares of Sears Canada and expects to distribute its common shares of Sears Canada on a pro rata basis to holders of Sears Holdings common stock such that following the spin-off, Holdings will retain approximately 51% of the issued and outstanding common Sears Canada shares.

In a first quarter presentation to the financial community and other stakeholders, J.C. Penney Co. reported an adjusted net loss of $55 million but detailed initiatives that it said would transform the business and change the company’s fortunes. The efforts include forging partnerships with Cynthia Rawley, Jonathan Adler, Michael Graves, Bodum and Terrance Conran, which it discussed along with the advance of its Martha Stewart program and the licensing of the Royal Velvet brand.

Tomorrow, Macy�s will share a Brazilian experience with visitors as the retailer unveils its Brasil: A Magical Journey campaign in select Macy�s stores across the country and on macys.com. The promotion will feature limited-edition capsule collections created by renowned Brazilian designers, Brazil-inspired fashion from other designers and existing Macy�s brands, a fundraising program to benefit the Amazon rainforest, in-store events, and an opportunity to win a trip to Brazil, courtesy of Delta Air Lines.

Best Buy founder and board chairman Richard Schulze has stepped down from his leadership role and will be replaced by director Hatim Tyabji, effective June 21. Tyabji, currently chairman of the Audit Committee, has served as a director since 1998.

Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc. has replaced its chairman of the board and its lead director of the board following stock sales the company described as, “inconsistent with the company’s internal trading policy.” As a result, the company has appointed Michael Mardy, a director and chair of the company's audit and finance committee, as interim chairman of the board.

In 2010, when Bed, Bath & Beyond was first testing Cost Plus World Market boutiques in three stores, observers wondered about the operational advantages of such cooperation between competing companies, but HomeWorld Business was among those that asked the question: Could this lead to an acquisition?

In the 13-week period ended April 
28, Macy's, Inc. posted net income of $181 million, or 43 cents per diluted share, versus $131 million, or 30 cents per diluted share, in the first quarter a year ago. Comparable store sales gained 4.4% in the quarter versus last year’s period.

Home made a strong contribution to April comparable store sales gains at The TJX Cos., Inc. Comparable store sales for the four-week period ended April 28 increased 6% over a 5% increase in the year prior.

HomeWorld Business and the National Hardware Show presented the annual Homewares Awards at last week's Hardware Show during a ceremony at the NRHA Village Stage. The Homewares Awards recognize the best of the best in homewares product design and innovation.

Regal Ware is exiting the retail segment of its cookware business and will no longer be distributing American Kitchen cookware or bakeware, HomeWorld Business® has learned. In response to an inquiry based on retailer reports of the decision, company president Jeff Reigle confirmed the move.

For the first quarter ended April 28, Kirkland's, Inc. posted a net sales increase of 3.6% to $97.8 million, but comparable store sales declined 1.2% in the period. Based on its sales results, Kirkland’s stated that it expects to report earnings for the first quarter of fiscal 2012 in the range of eight to 10 cents per diluted share versus its previous guidance range of 11 to 14 cents.

Today, the J. C. Penney Co. named Ken Hannah chief financial officer effective May 7. Hannah brings over 20 years of finance, operations and audit experience from a wide range of leading companies, the retailer stated, including General Electric, Boeing and The Home Depot.

The Sears Holdings Corp. annual shareholders meeting is scheduled for May 2, and the company released some first quarter financial results in advance, numbers that put a fair spin on continued dreary news about comparable store sales. The company continued to see sales at existing stores slide, and precipitously at once stellar Sears Canada.

Nespresso has launched its first-ever television advertising campaign in the United States, the company announced. It will support the creative concept, “The best café. Yours,” across digital media channels and through in-store materials, and will connect the European-style coffee experience to the values and aspirations of the American coffee connoisseur, according to the company.

Green Mountain Coffee Roasters has announced a K-Cup and Vue pack deal with the Eight O'Clock Coffee Co. Under the agreement, Eight O'Clock coffee and Tetley and Good Earth tea K-Cup and Vue packs for Keurig brewers will enter distribution in the United States.

For the fiscal quarter ending March 31, Office Depot, Inc. posted sales of $2.9 billion, down 3% compared to the 2011 period. The retailer reported net earnings, after preferred stock dividends, of $41 million, or 14 cents per diluted share, in the quarter compared to a loss of $15 million, or five cents per share, in the 2011 period.

This spring, culinary celebrity Sandra Lee is launching an exclusive collection of home products, dubbed Sandra by Sandra Lee, at Sears and Kmart stores nationwide. The collection, currently available in stores, includes cookware, utensils, gadgets, bakeware, small kitchen appliances, tabletop items and storage solutions.

Household, personal care and healthcare/home environment consumer product producer Helen of Troy Ltd., today reported a fiscal fourth quarter net sales increase of 24% to $294 million from the same period of last year. Net income was $29.3 million, or 92 cents per fully diluted share, compared to $24.4 million, or 77 cents per fully diluted share, in the prior year period, the company announced.

Today, J.C. Penney Co., announced the appointment of several new senior level executives, including Benjamin Fay, who has joined the company as EVP/real estate, store design and development. Fay will guide the development of the all new J.C. Penney stores of the future.

For the first quarter ended March 31, Amazon.com, Inc. announced that net sales increased 34% to $13.18 billion compared with $9.86 billion in the 2011 period. Net income decreased 35% to $130 million, or 28 cents per diluted share, versus net income of $201 million, or 44 cents per diluted share, in first quarter 2011.

The National Retail Federation today urged a United States Senate committee examining federal tax reform to support legislation that would require Internet retailers to collect sales tax the same as local merchants. Bills addressing the issue are before the U.S. Congress.

The Stop & Shop Supermarket Co. is launching two new health and wellness initiatives this month to address customer health concerns. As part of the effort, it announced that the first issue of Kid Healthy Ideas, a new free health and wellness quarterly magazine, is now available in all stores.

Gibson celebrated the launch of its Isaac Mizrahi-licensed tabletop lines at last week's New York Tabletop Market. An event held in its Forty One Madison showroom featured the designer himself.

Southern Living magazine and Ballard Designs announce the launch of a tabletop collection, available exclusively through Ballard Designs. This marks the first time that Ballard Designs has collaborated with a magazine brand to launch a product line.

HSN announced today that Anne Martin-Vachon has been appointed chief merchandising officer, effective May 14. She will oversee HSN's merchandising and planning teams and report directly to Mindy Grossman, HSN, Inc. CEO.

A new study by market research firm The Nielsen Co. suggests that suppliers and their retail partners might want to review their strategies for reaching Hispanic consumers. Nielsen noted not only that Latino population growth needs to be considered in some depth, but also that assumptions about Hispanic consumers that pervade the marketplace aren’t altogether on target.

The Green Products Expo held this week in New York at the Marriott Marquis hotel demonstrated that the environment is a topic that can turn into opportunity. If overshadowed by the economic woes of the past few years, consumers continue to weigh factors such as sustainability into their purchasing decisions and, so, often look with favor on green products.

Thermos L.L.C. has announced the launch of a new decorated line of Thermos Foogo Phases drinkware and accessories for children ages six months and older. Thermos Foogo drinkware includes a variety of patterns including Tripoli— a gray and green throwback design— and Poppy Patch— a strawberry and black floral print.

HSN and House Beautiful magazine today announced the debut of the "House Beautiful Marketplace," a decor destination offering thousands of home furnishing items including an array of furniture, lighting, rugs, wall art and accessories. The new multichannel merchandising effort launched across HSN's multiple platforms via HSN.com/HBMarketplace and HSN Mobile on April 13 and launches on TV today.

Bissell Homecare, Inc., today launched its second White Sock Contest, encouraging Americans to check the state of their carpet for a chance to win a $15,000 home makeover. Bissell introduced the White Sock Test in 2011 and will look to build on that effort in 2012.

Although today’s brides find it “fun” to register for their weddings, few believe it makes wedding planning easier, according to NPD Group’s Understanding Today’s Bride 2012 report. Still, the report noted, an overwhelming majority of those registering believe that it will be fun, at 81%.

SodaStream International, Ltd. today unveiled its first single-serve soda making system at Salone del Mobile in Milan, Italy. The new system, called SodaCaps, offers single-serve, disposable capsules that add a pre-measured amount of flavor to SodaStream carbonating bottles, resulting in a consistently flavored beverage each time.

A new study released today by MarketTools, Inc. revealed that shoppers are more cost-conscious than they were a year ago, and their search for value is changing the way they approach the shopping experience. While the study focuses on consumer grocery shopping habits, its results reflect shopper attitudes that could have significant impact on housewares shopping trends as well.

De’ Longhi S.p.A. announced today that it has reached an agreement with Procter & Gamble for the “perpetual licensing” of P&G’s Braun brand for use within the small kitchen appliance, ironing and selected household appliance categories. In addition to a perpetual right to use the Braun brand and connected patents in the announced categories, the transaction includes the acquisition of certain production assets, and the inventory related to those categories.

The Bombay Co. will launch an e-commerce website in September that will provide consumers with access to the brand’s full line of products for the first time since it shut down as a retail banner in 2007. Wil Hollands, president, Hermes-OTTO International USA, which owns and licenses the Bombay label, told HomeWorld Business that the e-commerce site would provide new sales avenues but also would have a critical role in supporting the overall brand strategy including boosting the business its retail partners conduct.

Just two weeks after reporting a GAAP loss and slumping comparable store sales, Best Buy Co. announced that Brian Dunn had resigned as CEO and director. The GAAP loss, according to the company, was incurred in a strategic shift that includes closing some big box stores, modifying others to the web-enhanced Connected Store format and adding Best Buy Mobile stand-alone locations.

Today, SodaStream International announced the preview of the AquaBar, a plumbed-in, plugged-in counter-top machine that caters to a full range of home water needs. AquaBar, by Italian designer Stefano Giovannoni, dispenses purified and filtered sparkling, hot, cold and ambient water.

Pier 1 posted substantial financial gains in the fourth quarter ended February 25, including a double-digit comp advance, and announced a new strategic growth plan. The company stated that income before income taxes reached $81.5 million for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2012 compared to income before taxes of $59.6 million for the period last year.

March sales for The TJX Cos. gained 14% to $2.3 billion over last year's month, the company announced. Comparable store sales advanced 10% in the period.

In a new brand move, Sears Holdings has announced that its Kenmore, Craftsman and DieHard labels are available for licensing on products to be sold outside of Sears and Kmart stores. The company has appointed Leveraged Marketing Corporation of America as its exclusive global licensing agent.

Marcela Valladolid, host of the Food Network's “Mexican Made Easy” and best-selling cookbook author, has announced a partnership with Prima Design to develop a serveware and food prep line. The new collection, Marcela for Prima Design, consists of over 100 items and will debut for the first time at the 2012 New York Tabletop Market at Prima’s Forty One Madison showroom.

Today, Williams-Sonoma, Inc. announced the launch of Agrarian, a new collection of products that it described as supporting healthy living and bringing the virtues of homegrown and homemade into customers’ everyday lives. Agrarian offers products, resources and inspiration for customers who want to go beyond cooking, the retailer said, by cultivating a healthy awareness of their food’s origins.

Walmart's announcement today of the 10 finalists for its Get on the Shelf contest included a number of housewares products, among them a unique tabletop/storage product and a lunchbag/refrigerator. More than 4,000 inventors, entrepreneurs and small businesses from across the United States submitted products into the contest, and the American public cast more than one million votes, which elected items for Walmart to carry.

J. C. Penney Co. today announced that it has begun to dramatically simplify its business model in line with the new approach to pricing, promotion, merchandising and the customer experience it has undertaken. The move follows on the company's plan, announced on January 26, to reduce annual expenses by $900 million by the end of 2013.

Macy's, Inc. today reported total sales of $2.36 billion for the five weeks ended March 31, an increase of 6.9% compared with total sales of $2.21 billion in the five weeks ended April 2, 2011. On a comparable store basis, Macy's sales gained 7.3% in March 2012 as compared to March 2011.

Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. posted net earnings of $351 million, or $1.48 per diluted share, in the fiscal fourth quarter ended February 25 versus $283.5 million, or $1.12 per diluted share, in the period a year ago. Net sales were $2.73 billion, an increase of approximately 9.1% from the 2011 fiscal fourth quarter, while comparable store sales increased by 6.8%.

Today, Target Corp. posted net retail sales for the five weeks ended March 31 of $6.43 billion, an increase of 7.9% from the five weeks ended April 2, 2011. Comparable store sales for the month increased 7.3%, the company announced.

Today, the Dallas Market Center announced that The Gourmet Market is undergoing an expansion and renovation in anticipation of the June Total Home & Gift Market, to be held June 20-26. Phase One of the project will update décor to enable more interaction between exhibitors and buyers, and include new resources.

The third phase of a multi-year strategic reorganization of the New York International Gift Fair will begin at the summer 2012 market, organizer GLM announced today. The initiative will include the repositioning of three product divisions— Baby & Child, Handmade Global Design and New York’s Newest— to new locations within the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, and the 2nd annual presentation of the Gourmet Housewares Show at NYIGF, as well as the introduction of Artisan Resource, a new complementary tradeshow that will run concurrently with NYIGF.

For the fourth consecutive year, the Housewares Charity Foundation has raised $2 million for charity. The 15th annual Housewares Charity Foundation Gala was held during the Housewares Show on Monday, March 12, at the Hilton Chicago and honored four industry leaders for their philanthropic endeavors.