Colombia

Chicago -- Claire's Stores announced its recent entry into three new countries — Philippines, Costa Rica and Colombia — as well as new license agreements for Brazil, Scandinavia and the Balkans....

San Diego -- PriceSmart announced that for the month of April 2013 net sales increased 10.7% to $176.1 million, from $159.1 million in April a year earlier. For the eight months ended April 30, 2013, net sales increased 11.0% to $1,483.8 million. For...

Specialty retailer Express expects to have its first stores in Latin America open by year end. The operator of 600 U.S. stores catering to customers in their 20s and 30s has identified international expansion as a key growth driver. The company, through one of its subsidiaries, entered into a franchise agreement with Fastco Commercial S.A. to open more than 30 stores during the next five years in markets that include Panama, Peru, Costa Rica, Colombia, The Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua.

As the second part of a business collaboration, Wolverine Worldwide is purchasing a 49 percent stake in Forus' existing Colombian business, Forus SA Colombia, which currently has the rights to Wolverine's Hush Puppies and Cushe brands in Colombia. Forus SA Colombia currently owns and operates 23 retail locations and sells directly to Colombia's most important department stores and specialty footwear retailers.

Gap plans to expand in Latin America after its first namesake store in the region topped sales expectations. The Gap store in Santiago, Chile, which opened in October, was among the leading franchise performers out of 200 stores worldwide, said Stefan Laban, managing director of strategic alliances for Gap.

Alberto Chehebar, a partner and director of the Pepe Ganga retail chain in Colombia, has been appointed a director of American Apparel Inc., elevating the size of the board to seven and resolving the...