Finance & Capital Management

Mahwah, N.J. -- Ascena Retail Group has appointed Robb Giammatteo to serve as CFO. He joined Ascena in 2013, as senior VP of financial planning and analysis and investor relations.

Procter & Gamble Co. has added the former CEO and chairman of Home Depot Inc. to its board of directors.

Francis Blake, 65, joins the board efefctive immediately.

The move comes just a few days after his retirement as chairman of Home Depot. He stepped down from the CEO position in November.

New York -- Shipping operations will be suspended at U.S. West Coast ports over the coming long weekend, the Pacific Maritime Association announced Wednesday. The planned shut down comes amid  stalled labor talks between the companies and the union representing 20,000 dockworkers.

Savannah, Ga. – Specialty discount apparel retailer Citi Trends Inc. reported some encouraging trends in terms of sales for fiscal and full year 2014. Total sales for the fourth quarter increased 15% to $181.1 million, compared with $157.2 million in the same period a year earlier.

Same-store sales increased 13.9% in the fourth quarter. A number of winter storm-related closings in January 2014 and an earlier start to tax refund season the last two days of the month in January 2015 helped boost same-store sales for the quarter.

Fort Worth, Texas – Pier 1 Imports Inc. has named senior VP of planning Laura A. Coffey, 48, as interim CFO. The move comes as Pier 1 reduces its guidance for fiscal 2015 and Charles “Cary” Turner retires as senior executive VP and CFO.

Whole Foods Market's value message is resonating with shoppers as America’s favorite natural grocer delivered same store sales growth of 4.5% and record first quarter profits.

Whole Foods said sales for its first quarter ended Jan. 18 increased 10% to $4.7 billion due to the addition of new selling space and the increased productivity of existing stores reflected in the 4.5% comp increase, which pushed sales per square foot to $990.

Lafayette, Indiana -- Mid-America Real Estate Corporation’s Investment Sales team recently brokered the sale of Lafayette Pavilions Shopping Center located in Lafayette, Indiana. The 348,531-sq.-ft. regional shopping center was acquired by a real estate investment trust sponsored and managed by Phoenix-based Cole Capital for $54 million.

Lafayette Pavilions Shopping Center is located at the southwest corner of State Road 26 and Creasy Lane; it is anchored by Gordmans, Hobby Lobby, Gander Mountain, and TJ Maxx.
 

DDR Corp.'s board of directors has promoted David Oakes to the chief executive officer post.

Oakes, the company's president and chief financial officer, fills a seat left empty by Daniel Hurwitz, who stepped down as CEO in December.

"After a thorough and robust search process, the board is confident that David is the right person to lead DDR into the future," Terry Ahern, the company's chairman, said. "I also want to thank the team for the terrific job that they have done while the board conducted the search process."