Gap Inc. GPS -0.31% said the leader of its Old Navy discount brand is departing to work at a privately held early-childhood education company. His decision to leave the casual-apparel retailer comes after Gap shook up management last year, including ousting its top designer, as part of a turn-around plan. After Tom Wyatt departs, effective Feb. 3, to become the chief executive of Knowledge Universe... 

SEOUL -(MarketWatch)- Samsung Group said Tuesday it will boost investment by 12% to a record KRW47.8 trillion (US$41.6 billion) this year. South Korea’s biggest conglomerate didn’t provide a breakdown of the investment plans by business division but said its facilities investment will total KRW31 trillion this year, up 11% from last year, while capital outlays for research and development... 

Shutterfly Inc. SFLY -6.48% said its financial chief was departing to “pursue a personal passion” with a medical technology company, saying its chief executive and top accounting executive would split his duties until it names a successor. Shares were down 3.8% at $23.15 in after-hours trading. Through the close, the stock has fallen 33% in the last year, worse than the market at large. Shutterfly... 

Whirlpool Corp. WHR +0.02% has filed petitions with the Commerce Department and International Trade Commission alleging Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (SSNHY, 005930.SE) and LG Electronics Inc. have undermined competition by dumping their residential clothes washers from South Korea and Mexico in the U.S. The petitions from the appliance maker, whose brands also include KitchenAid and Maytag, follow... 

Edgen Group Inc. filed plans for an estimated initial public offering of up to $100 million in Class A shares. The company distributes specialty products, such as highly engineered steel pipe and valves, to the energy sector. It plans to use the proceeds to repay debt and for other general corporate purposes. For the nine months ended Sept. 30, Edgen’s loss narrowed to $18.1 million as sales... 

TOKYO -(MarketWatch)- Toyota Motor Corp. said Monday that it has received orders for 60,000 Aqua hybrid cars ahead of the launch of the compact hybrid in Japan. The pre-launched orders received ahead of Monday’s release are five times the company’s monthly sales target for the new car of 12,000 vehicles. “It will take about four months” to receive the car once an order is placed,... 

SunPower Corp. SPWR +1.50% agreed to acquire a Total SA’s (TOT, F.TOT) solar energy unit for $165.4 million, in a deal that will expand the solar-panel company’s presence in large-scale projects. SunPower shares were up 26% in premarket trading at $7.38. However through Thursday’s close, the stock is off roughly 55% in the past year. Under the deal, expected to close early next year,... 

Auburn, AL December 12, 2011   – (OTCQB: VPWI)Viper Motorcycle Company, a wholly owned division of Viper Powersports, Inc. announced today that it has signed a Head of Agreement with AMV Motorcycles for exclusive distributorship for the United Kingdom and European Continent. Colbert Seagraves, Viper Motorcycle Company’s Vice President of Marketing and Racing Operations stated, “We plan to have... 

Medicis Pharmaceutical Corp. MRX -2.54% won a bankruptcy auction bid to acquire Graceway Pharmaceuticals LLC for $455 million, topping another company’s stalking horse bid. Graceway, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in September, is a specialty pharmaceutical company that makes products that treat various dermatological and women’s health conditions. Medicis Chairman and... 

Applied Materials Inc.’s AMAT -2.49% fiscal fourth-quarter profit eased 2.6% as soft demand in its solar and electronic display businesses dragged down sales. Looking ahead, the company, which makes tools used to make semiconductors, television screens and some solar panels, projected an adjusted first-quarter profit of 8 cents to 16 cents a share and a sequential sales decline between 5% and...