Mergers & Acquisitions

The companies on this list have to be masters of rapid innovation. Find out which toy companies stayed on the "hot" list in 2010 and which ones lost the popularity contest.

Overall, the economy still wasn't looking pretty in 2010, but it wasn't completely ugly either. Most of the consumer goods companies on CGT's Top 100 list made modest sales gains. A few leapfrogged the competition. Yet, many others were still fighting an uphill battle.

Tommy Hilfiger, Timberland and Liz Claiborne are just a few of the brands that found new homes in 2010 and 2011. Find out how brand shuffling is affecting the ranks in the apparel, footwear and accessories market.

The DIY consumer didn't lose steam when it came to spending in 2010. Overall, this category experienced little loss. And with 125 percent growth, Stanley Black & Decker proved the runaway hit.

CGT Editor Alliston Ackerman gives you a sneak peek into the trends and topics discussed in this month's issue.

The acquisition of DemandTec is expected to extend IBM's Smarter Commerce initiative by adding cloud-based price, promotion and other merchandising and marketing analytics. At the same time, the deal is in line with a trend across many industries wherein the lines between merchandising, marketing, commerce and supply chain are blurring.

Irene Rosenfeld will lead the global snacks company as Chairman and CEO. Meanwhile, a CEO and Chairman have been named for the North American grocery company.

The move, by Sara Lee and its Norwegian joint venture partner Kaffehuset Friele, is expected to strengthen the partners' out-of-home business in Norway and Denmark.