Business briefs, Jan. 7, 2016

British couple buys LBK home

LONGBOAT KEY -- A British couple's purchase of a midcentury beachfront home on Longboat Key was one of seven million-dollar home sales in Manatee County closing out 2015 in late December.

According to Manatee County property records, Michael Rhys Watkin Stone and Rachel Mary Horne paid $2.85 million for a 1,528-square-foot house fronting Gulf of Mexico at 6405 Gulfside Road on Longboat Key. The seller was Christopher P. Calkin of Tampa. Calkin bought the home in 2013 for $2.3 million.

Built in 1953, the four-bedroom, two bathroom home is on .815 of an acre. It is next to a Town of Longboat Key public water access.

Barbara Ackerman, a real estate agent with the Longboat Key office of Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate, handled both sides of the transaction.

Other multimillion dollar sales during the same period ranged from $1.08 million for a home in the Harbour Isle subdivision in Bradenton to $1.99 million paid for a four-bedroom, four-bathroom home in The Lake Club in East Manatee.

Macy's to cut thousands of jobs after weak sales

NEW YORK -- Macy's is cutting thousands of jobs after disappointing holiday sales.

The Cincinnati-based department store chain says sales fell 5.2 percent in November and December at existing stores. Warm weather and lower spending by international tourists hurt sales.

The company also listed Wednesday which 40 stores it would close. It had announced it was closing stores in September. None of the stores slated for closing so far are in Florida.

Macy's said Wednesday that it now expects its profit for its fiscal fourth quarter and full year, which run through January, to fall short of its previous estimate.

It sees fourth-quarter earnings per share at $2.18 to $2.23, compared with the average analyst estimate of $2.56 per share.

The company's shares are up 1.4 percent in extended trading.

PGT, CareerSource Suncoast host jobs event

VENICE -- PGT hopes to fill 100 positions at a job fair Saturday at its North Venice location, 1070 Technology Drive.

PGT is the nation's leading manufacturer and supplier of residential impact-resistant windows and doors. PGT employs approximately 1,800 employees in Venice, making it the largest employer in Sarasota County, according to a release from CareerSource Suncoast.

Interviews will be jobs for manufacturing assembly, loading, leadership and internship opportunities from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday. Appointments are not necessary, but applicants are asked to arrive ready to interview. Prior to the event, applicants should complete the PGT online application at pgtindustries.com/about/careers.

-- Herald staff and wire reports

This story was originally published January 6, 2016 at 11:20 PM with the headline "Business briefs, Jan. 7, 2016 ."