Content about Financial economics

May 2, 2013
Tractor Supply Co. increases dividend

Tractor Supply Company, the largest retail farm and ranch store chain in the United States, has announced that its board increased the company's quarterly cash dividend 30% to $0.26 per share of the company's common stock, up from the previous $0.20 per share.

BRENTWOOD, Tenn. — Tractor Supply Company, the largest retail farm and ranch store chain in the United States, has announced that its board increased the company's quarterly cash dividend 30% to $0.26 per share.

April 26, 2013
Former Morgan Stanley exec joins CIT Group

CIT Group, a leading provider of financing and advisory services to small businesses and middle market companies, has named Todd Harrington Northeast regional sales manager of CIT Trade Finance.

NEW YORK — CIT Group, a leading provider of financing and advisory services to small businesses and middle market companies, has named Todd Harrington Northeast regional sales manager of CIT Trade Finance.
 
He will report to Marc Heller, Northeast regional manager and international manager of CIT Trade Finance.
 

April 18, 2013
Walmart still a ‘buy’ near all-time high

A Web site affiliated with noted television investment pundit Jim Cramer has reiterated its buy recommendation on shares of Walmart.

A Web site affiliated with noted television investment pundit Jim Cramer has reiterated its buy recommendation on shares of Walmart.

TheStreet.com rated Walmart A+ and said the company’s strengths can be seen in areas such as revenue growth, notable return on equity, solid stock price performance, growth in earnings per share and net income.

"We feel these strengths outweigh the fact that the company shows weak operating cash flow," according to the TheStreet.

March 21, 2013
Supervalu sale complete

Supervalu has completed the sale of its Albertsons, Acme, Jewel-Osco, Shaw’s and Star Market stores and related Osco and Sav-on in-store pharmacies to AB Acquisition LLC, an affiliate of a Cerberus Capital Management-led investor consortium, in a stock deal valued at $3.3 billion, including $100 million in cash and $3.2 billion in debt assumption.

MINNEAPOLIS — Supervalu has completed the sale of its Albertsons, Acme, Jewel-Osco, Shaw’s and Star Market stores and related Osco and Sav-on in-store pharmacies to AB Acquisition LLC, an affiliate of a Cerberus Capital Management-led investor consortium, in a stock deal valued at $3.3 billion, including $100 million in cash and $3.2 billion in debt assumption. 

March 14, 2013
Target sweetens portfolio with Chefs Catalog purchase

Target has agreed to buy Chefs Catalog from JH Partners, LLC, a private equity firm specializing in investing growth capital in consumer-focused companies.

SAN FRANCISCO — Target has agreed to buy Chefs Catalog from JH Partners, LLC, a private equity firm specializing in investing growth capital in consumer-focused companies. 

Chefs Catalog is a leading direct-to-consumer specialty retailer of top-rated cookware, bake ware, cutlery, kitchen tools and cooking utensils including such brands as All-Clad, Cuisinart and Kitchenaid.  JH Partners acquired Colorado Springs, Colorado-based Chefs Catalog from The Neiman Marcus Group, Inc. in 2004. 

March 1, 2013
First Data expands FourSquare specials program

First Data, a provider of electronic commerce and payment processing, announced that it is working with Foursquare to extend its already-successful Foursquare Specials for Credit Cards program to now accept Visa and MasterCard, and most debit cards.

ATLANTA — First Data, a provider of electronic commerce and payment processing, announced that it  is working with Foursquare to extend its already-successful Foursquare Specials for Credit Cards program to now accept Visa and MasterCard, and most debit cards. Foursquare has integrated the First DataSM OfferWiseSM solution that seamlessly allows users to sync their card, and then swipe at a participating merchant location to redeem offers and receive automatic savings.

February 4, 2013
Safeway gets new finance chief

Safeway on Monday announced the appointment of Peter Bocian as its new executive vice president and CFO. Bocian, 58, will oversee the company's financial functions including accounting, tax, audit, treasury, investor relations, planning and business development.

PLEASANTON, Calif. — Safeway on Monday announced the appointment of Peter Bocian as its new executive vice president and CFO. Bocian, 58, will oversee the company's financial functions including accounting, tax, audit, treasury, investor relations, planning and business development. He will report directly to Robert Edwards, Safeway's president, and will assume his new responsibilities on Feb. 19.

January 18, 2013
Family Dollar rewards shareholders following stock slide

Family Dollar’s annual dividend now exceeds a dollar following a 24% increase on Friday.

Family Dollar’s annual dividend now exceeds a dollar following a 24% increase on Friday.

The annual payout now totals $1.04 following a decision by the Family Dollar board to elevate the quarterly dividend to 26 cents a share from 21 cents a share. In addition, the board authorized the repurchase of an additional $300 million in stock under an existing program that had only $94 million in authorization remaining.

January 10, 2013
Triad Retail Media acquired by private equity

Rockbridge Growth Equity has acquired Triad Retail Media, a 300 person digital retail media agency founded by former Procter & Gamble executive Greg Murtagh.

Rockbridge Growth Equity has acquired Triad Retail Media, a 300 person digital retail media agency founded by former Procter & Gamble executive Greg Murtagh.

The acquisition is expected to be transparent to Triad’s retail clients such as Walmart, Sam’s Club, eBay, Toys "R" Us and CVS, but is expected to bring to Triad new capabilities as it benefits from Rockbridge’s ownership interest in other companies.

November 19, 2012
Chase has finger on the holiday pulse

The retail industry is awash with forecasts and projections during the holidays, but a near real-time indicator from Chase reveals how shoppers are actually behaving.

WILMINGTON, Del. — The retail industry is awash with forecasts and projections during the holidays, but a near real-time indicator from Chase reveals how shoppers are actually behaving.

November 13, 2012
Consumers becoming more optimistic about economy

Experian Marketing Services said that its Consumer Expectation Index shows an increasing optimism about the economy.

New York -- Experian Marketing Services said Monday that its Consumer Expectation Index shows an increasing optimism about the economy. According to the CEI, U.S. consumers’ forward-looking view of the economy is at its highest level since the onset of the recession. During the first half of 2012, the average CEI figure was 92.7, which is above the index’s average of the first six months for each year dating back to 2008. The 2012 figure measured eight points above those for the first half of 2008 and one point over those for the first half of 2011.

October 31, 2012
Office Depot approves rights agreement

Office Depot's board of directors have approved a rights agreement and declared a dividend distribution of one preferred stock purchase right for each outstanding share of company common stock.

BOCA RATON, Fla. — Office Depot's board of directors have approved a rights agreement and declared a dividend distribution of one preferred stock purchase right for each outstanding share of company common stock. Each right initially represents the right to purchase 1/5,000th of a share of company preferred stock at $11.50. Also, initially, these purchase rights will not be exercisable and will trade with the shares of the company’s common stock. The rights agreement will expire on Oct. 23, 2013.

October 30, 2012
Survey: More holiday shoppers looking to increase gift-giving this year

Consumers plan to buy more gifts this year, according to a recent survey commissioned by USAA and released Monday.

SAN ANTONIO — Consumers plan to buy more gifts this year, according to a recent survey commissioned by USAA and released Monday. The fourth annual USAA holiday spending survey indicated that consumer sentiment toward holiday budgeting has become more positive in 2012 when compared to 2011 (53% vs. 45%).

October 23, 2012
Survey: Most e-commerce companies expect better holiday sales

A survey released Tuesday by Chase Paymentech, a subsidiary of JPMorgan Chase & Co., found that online companies are expecting the 2012 holiday shopping season to be better than last year.

DALLAS — A survey released Tuesday by Chase Paymentech, a subsidiary of JPMorgan Chase & Co., found that online companies are expecting the 2012 holiday shopping season to be better than last year.

According to the Chase Paymentech eHoliday Shopping Monitor, 59% of e-commerce companies surveyed expect better sales volume this season than in 2011, while almost half (47%) expect it to be better than pre-recession levels in 2007.

October 18, 2012
Toys'R'Us extends layaway through December

Toys"R"Us has extended its free layaway program through Dec. 16. The program, announced in September, was originally slated to end on Oct. 31.

WAYNE, N.J. — Toys"R"Us has extended its free layaway program through Dec. 16. The program, announced in September, was originally slated to end on Oct. 31.

October 1, 2012
Publix declares common stock dividend to be awarded semi-annually

Publix on Monday announced its board of directors declared a semi-annual dividend on its common stock of 30 cents per share.

LAKELAND, Fla.— Publix on Monday announced its board of directors declared a semi-annual dividend on its common stock of 30 cents per share. The dividend will be payable and mailed Dec. 3, 2012, to stockholders of record as of the close of business Oct. 31, 2012.

September 6, 2012
Safeway outlines three future growth platforms: Wellness, loyalty and fuel

Safeway will package $150 million in real healthcare savings into an overall wellness strategy to be implemented over the course of 2013, the grocer's chairman and CEO Steve Burd told analysts Thursday morning at the Goldman Sachs 19th Annual Global Retailing Conference.

NEW YORK — Safeway will package $150 million in real healthcare savings into an overall wellness strategy to be implemented over the course of 2013, the grocer's chairman and CEO Steve Burd told analysts Thursday morning at the Goldman Sachs 19th Annual Global Retailing Conference.

August 22, 2012
RILA opposed to ‘flawed’ proposed swipe fee settlement

The Retail Industry Leaders Association criticized the proposed swipe fee settlement and urged class plaintiffs to reject the proposal.

ARLINGTON, Va. — The Retail Industry Leaders Association criticized the proposed swipe fee settlement and urged class plaintiffs to reject the proposal. Announced in July, the proposed settlement stems from lawsuits challenging the anticompetitive swipe fee practices of Visa and MasterCard.

August 16, 2012
Best Buy founder Schulze remains committed to takeover

Best Buy co-founder Richard Schulze said Thursday that he is staying the course on his plan to acquire the company and take it private, adding that he has heard from a lineup of private equity firms prepared to make "significant commitments."

MINNEAPOLIS — Best Buy co-founder Richard Schulze said Thursday that he is staying the course on his plan to acquire the company and take it private, adding that he has heard from a lineup of private equity firms prepared to make "significant commitments."

In a letter to the Best Buy board, Schulze indicated that he'd like to create a group and put forth a fully financed plan.

March 30, 2012
Michaels crafts an IPO

After much speculation, Michaels Stores Friday confirmed that it is has filed a registration statement on Form S-1 with the Securities and Exchange Commission relating to the proposed initial public offering of its common stock.

IRVING, Texas — After much speculation, Michaels Stores Friday confirmed that it is has filed a registration statement on Form S-1 with the Securities and Exchange Commission relating to the proposed initial public offering of its common stock. According to the filing, the company proposed to raise $500 million in the IPO. The number of shares to be sold and the price range for the proposed offering have not yet been determined.

March 21, 2012
Apple puts things in perspective for Target, other dividend payers

Target announced completion of a $10 billion share repurchase program this week and reminded investors of its commitment to more than double its annual dividend payment to $3 by 2017.

Target announced completion of a $10 billion share repurchase program this week and reminded investors of its commitment to more than double its annual dividend payment to $3 by 2017. Too bad Apple announced the same day it would begin paying its first ever quarterly dividend of $2.65 later this year.

December 8, 2011
Walmart looks to better 401(k) plan following lawsuit

Wal-Mart Stores said it would offer better financial education and investment options to its associates, following its agreement, along with Merill Lynch, to pay a total of $13.5 million to settle a long-running class-action lawsuit alleging the retailer and its retirement plan administrator breached their fiduciary duty toward nearly 2 million past and present Walmart workers in the company’s 401(k) plan, Forbes.com reported.

Wal-Mart Stores said it would offer better financial education and investment options to its associates, following its agreement, along with Merill Lynch, to pay a total of $13.5 million to settle a long-running class-action lawsuit alleging the retailer and its retirement plan administrator breached their fiduciary duty toward nearly 2 million past and present Walmart workers in the company’s 401(k) plan, Forbes.com reported.

September 12, 2011
Restoration Hardware files plans for IPO

Restoration Hardware Holdings filed plans to return to the public stock market. In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the company said it intends to offer up to $150 million in common shares to repay debt and for general corporate purposes.

CORTE MADERA, Calif. — Restoration Hardware Holdings filed plans to return to the public stock market. In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the company said it intends to offer up to $150 million in common shares to repay debt and for general corporate purposes.

August 3, 2011
Finance leadership changes at Dr Pepper Snapple Group

Dr Pepper Snapple Group has announced that Carolyn Ross, VP investor relations, will assume leadership of the company’s investor relations function, reporting directly to CFO Marty Ellen.

PLANO, Texas — Dr Pepper Snapple Group has announced that Carolyn Ross, VP investor relations, will assume leadership of the company’s investor relations function, reporting directly to CFO Marty Ellen.

July 18, 2011
Or maybe just $64

Shares of Target may hit $100 six or seven years from now, but looking ahead to next year Morgan Stanley analyst Mark Wiltamuth believes the stock should be trading at $64. He recently initiated coverage of the company with a “buy” rating and, like some other analysts, believes investors may be seeing a once-in-a-generation opportunity to purchase shares at valuation levels depressed by uncertainty around the company’s entry into Canada.

Shares of Target may hit $100 six or seven years from now, but looking ahead to next year Morgan Stanley analyst Mark Wiltamuth believes the stock should be trading at $64. He recently initiated coverage of the company with a “buy” rating and, like some other analysts, believes investors may be seeing a once-in-a-generation opportunity to purchase shares at valuation levels depressed by uncertainty around the company’s entry into Canada.