Executive Summary

• Macy’s announced a joint venture with Fung Retailing Limited to explore retailing in China starting in late 2015
• Alibaba is paying US$4.6 billion for a 19.99% stake in Suning, a major Chinese electronics retailer with 1,600 stores in 289 cities
• Costco plans to open its first store in France, the first of up to 15 stores planned over the next 10 years
• Havaianas, the Brazilian footwear maker, is entering into a new strategic alliance with several Disney properties, and the two companies are collaborating on the design of cobranded flip-flops