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[edit] Has anyone heard that Microsoft veteran James Barr, the former head of M...

Suggestion by Dseg10 on 2008-01-29 05:42:39

Has anyone heard that Microsoft veteran James Barr, the former head of MSN Shopping and Marketplaces, has signed on with Sears to head up their online division? I think that this is a great move, but their problems at the physical store seem a little more pressing. In any case, details covering their online initiatives should probably be added to this article. Also in response to the comment below...it is hard to sound completely neutral when the stock you are covering is performing so poorly. I think the tone of the author's article suggests that their are a number of issues with the business - all of which are absolutely true. Inquiring minds want to know - I like the article personally.

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[edit] The "neutral" article for SHLD seems somewhat biased. With he...

Suggestion by Schwabinvestor on 2008-01-11 23:02:07

The "neutral" article for SHLD seems somewhat biased. With headings such as "cost cutting may not be enough," "lack of exposure to emerging markets abroad," and "sensitivity to [the] domestic economy" sound pretty bearish to me.

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[edit] Sears Holdings is in a tough spot. Their flagship business and recent a...

Suggestion by Dseg10 on 2008-01-08 06:57:31

Sears Holdings is in a tough spot. Their flagship business and recent additions are aimed at buyers with disposable income while K-Mart is aimed at discount shoppers. Ultimately, something has to give. Management clearly has no clear strategy and seems unable to right the ship. And, believe me, while I am reluctant to launch a diatribe against hedge funds as a whole, I have to say that Eddie Lampert and his fund ESL have no clue as to how to manage this business. Hedge funds are increasingly active in the PE space and are getting their asses handed to them in a number of investments (Chrysler anyone). If hedge funds intend to exploit a very specific and manageable inefficiency, then great that makes investment sense. If however, a hedge fund--read ESL--acquires a beleaguered retailer with significant operational problems that cannot be turned around and punted quickly - investors stay away. Also, for anyone interested, Eddie Lampert was recently voted the worst CEO in the US by MarketWatch which, is remarkable given the fact that officially, he is not the CEO.

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[edit] Sears Holdings seems to be going through a multi-year identity crisis. ...

Suggestion by Smunsenka on 2007-12-04 01:46:42

Sears Holdings seems to be going through a multi-year identity crisis. I agree with the fact that part of the company’s market share has gone to Wal-Mart and Target with their aggressive discounting and marketing prowess. However, there’s been an effort to attract a broader and higher-income constituency to the Sears Domestic stores. This can be seen from their purchase of the more upscale Land’s End brand in 2002 and the recent disclosure of interest in purchasing the rest of Restoration Hardware in addition to the 13.9% that Sears already owns. Unfortunately, the purchase of Land’s End has not been enough to attract higher-income clientele to their stores, and it is unlikely that selling rustic-looking expensive furniture will do the trick either. The purchase of Restoration Hardware will be additive only if Sears actively promotes a new image of itself. Sears needs to decide which demographic they’re targeting, needs to focus more on in-store appeal, and revive marketing efforts. Otherwise, another purchase will be lost in the shuffle.

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