Finance & Capital Management

The coming months will see the name “At Home” popping up on 71 Garden Ridge stores in 21 states as the home décor store undergoes a significant rebranding and remerchandising initiative.

New York -- Instacart, the same-day grocery delivery service, has raised $44 million in a funding round led by Andreessen Horowitz.

The San Francisco startup currently operates in San Francisco, San Jose, Los Angeles and seven other U.S. cities. With its new funding, it Instacart expects to expand into 17 cities by the end of 2014.

Dallas -- 7-Eleven has signed a master franchise Agreement with Seven Emirates Investment LLC to develop and operate 7-Eleven stores in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The expansion marks the company's first entry into the Middle East region.
   

New York -- In a long-awaited ruling  handed down Monday by the New York State Supreme Court, J.C. Penney have been found to have "tortiously" interfered with Macy’s 2006 contract with Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, when Penney entered into its own contract with Martha Stewart in 2011.

New York -- Starbucks Corp. is launching an innovative program in partnership with Arizona State University (ASU) whereby the coffee giant will help pay for the cost of an online degree for its part-time and full-time associates who work at least 20 hours a week. In a twist from the standard tuition reimbursement program, Starbucks employees who participate in the program will not be obligated to stay on with the company after graduation.

Dublin, Calif. – The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has charged four residents of Northern California with insider trading in Ross Stores stock options based on nonpublic information about monthly sales results leaked by one of the retailer’s employees. The SEC alleges that Saleem Khan was routinely tipped by his friend Roshanlal Chaganlal, who was a director in the finance department at Ross headquarters.

Pleasanton, Calif. – Safeway Inc. has entered into a memorandum of understanding to settle the consolidated class action pending in Delaware state court filed on behalf of alleged Safeway stockholders against Safeway in connection with Safeway's proposed merger with an affiliate of AB Acquisition LLC. The proposed settlement includes moving the expiration date of Safeway’s “poison pill” shareholder rights plan three months ahead to June 19, 2014.

Toronto - Sears Canada Inc. has entered into a binding agreement with Concord Pacific Group of Companies to pursue the development of the 12-acre Sears site located at the North Hill Shopping Center in Calgary, Alberta. Closing under the agreement is conditional upon satisfaction of conditions such as site investigations and obtaining the approval from the city of Calgary for the project, which are expected to take some time.  

Houston - Elaine D. Crowley, 55, was appointed to the Stage Stores Inc. board of directors. Her appointment brings the board’s membership to 10 directors.

San Diego - Retail Opportunity Investments Corp. has completed the acquisition of Fallbrook Shopping Center, located in West Hills, California. ROIC acquired the property for $210 million in cash funded by a borrowing under its unsecured credit facility.