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HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. — Quiksilver, the manufacturer of outdoor sports apparel, has appointed Richard Shields as CFO, effective May 11. Shields will be responsible for all areas of the company’s finance and accounting on a global basis. Robert McKnight, Jr., chairman of the board, CEO and president of Quiksilver Inc., commented, “We’re really pleased to welcome Rich into the Quiksilver family. His extensive corporate financial experience and proven track record in international operations, retail and manufacturing make him an ideal fit for our growing global business. Rich is an accomplished executive who we expect will make an immediate contribution

Hoffman Estates, Ill. -- Sears Holdings announced the launch of a wholly owned subsidiary called MetaScale, that will provide data-management services. Sears sees the venture as a natural expansion of the resources it has spent to build the infrastructure it needs to manage data for its more than 4,000 Sears and Kmart stores nationwide. “We have this great capability," said Tom Aiello, a Sears Holdings VP public relations, in a report by Crain’s Chicago Business. "Why don't we go ahead and take this to other companies that can benefit, and get the revenue?" Sears is not the only retailer

Bentonville, Ark. -- Walmart announced that its Acres for America program is conserving an additional 300 acres of land to protect and restore wildlife habitats in the heart of U.S. cities, including Bridgeport, Chicago, Portland, San Diego, and Washington, D.C. "Walmart is proud to help protect and restore important natural habitats in communities that we serve," said Jennifer May-Brust, Walmart VP realty supplier management and compliance. "The Acres for America program exemplifies our commitment to sustainable development as it directly links our land use to land preservation. Our urban restoration projects often times involve volunteers, including our customers and

Betsey Johnson LLC has filed for bankruptcy protection. The filing will likely result in the dismissal of 350 employees and the closure of most of the brand’s 63 stores.

J.C. Penney Co. named another former Apple Inc. employee to its executive ranks to assist in the retailer's vast transformation under new Chief Executive Ron Johnson.

Sidney, Neb. -- Cabela’s Inc. reported Thursday that net income for the first quarter rose a record 62% to $28.8 million, from $17.8 million last year. Revenue increased 6.3% to $623.5 million, and same-store sales increased 4.2%. "This strong performance gives us confidence our growth strategy is working and working well," said Tommy Millner, Cabela's CEO.

New York -- VF Corp. said Friday that its first-quarter profit rose 9%, helped by last year’s acquisition of Timberland and global demand for its brands from North Face to Vans. Net income rose to $215.2 million, from $200.7 million a year earlier. Revenue was up 31% to $2.56 billion.

New York -- Hudson + Broad, a New York City-based visual merchandising firm, is suing J.C. Penney Co. for $40 million. H+B is seeking $20 million in compensatory damages and an additional $20 million in punitive damages.

Ditto has raised $3 million from August Capital and other individual investors to continue developing its 3-D technology. The e-commerce site uses 3-D to allow shoppers to virtually try on glasses before they decide to buy them. To do so, visitors must record a short video of themselves to create a 3-D image, which they call a Ditto. The image is a little spooky, but it does do a good job of deciphering whether a pair of Ray-Bans would look better on your face. The company plans to use the capital to develop its technology and add to its team.

Oak Brook, Ill. -- Ace Hardware ranked highest in customer satisfaction in the J.D. Power and Associates 2012 U.S. Home Improvement Retailer Store Satisfaction Study. Ace has taken the top spot ever since J.D. Powers began researching the home improvement category six years ago. The J.D. Power and Associates study is based on responses from more than 6,100 consumers who purchased home improvement products or services in the previous 12 months. Ace Hardware ranked highest among major retailers with an overall satisfaction index score of 781 on a 1,000-point scale. According to consumers, Ace performs particularly well in the