Finance & Capital Management

Cheshunt, U.K. –- Sir Richard Broadbent, chairman of Tesco PLC, will step down in the wake of a 99% drop in net income for the first half of fiscal 2014. Tesco reported first half profits of $9.6 million, about $333 million less than previous estimates.  

Sidney, Neb. –- Cabela’s Inc. missed Wall Street estimates for earnings and revenue in the third quarter of fiscal 2014. Net income rose 8% to $53.8 million from $49.9 million, dampened by provisions for income taxes.   The retailer said it plans to open 13-15 stores per year for the next several years.  

Sparks, Nev. -- BH Properties, a Los Angeles-based firm that specializes in acquiring and repositioning challenged or distressed real estate properties, has purchased Los Altos Crossing, a retail center located at Sparks Boulevard and Los Altos Parkway in Sparks, Nev., for $6 million.  

New York -- Cohen Commercial Properties has completed an $8.65 million refinancing of Buttermilk Crossing, located in Crescent Springs, Ky. The 94%-occupied, 78,012-sq.-ft. shopping center is located immediately off of Interstate 71/75. Tenants include Staples, Outback Steakhouse, Petco and The UPS Store.   

Oak Brook, Ill. -- Retail Properties of America, Inc. announced that it was assigned a BBB-corporate credit rating from Standard and Poor’s Ratings Services with a stable outlook.    S&P indicated in its announcement that the rating reflects RPAI’s measured investment and operating strategy, and strengthening portfolio fundamentals.   

By Mike Johnson    Bentonville, Ark. -- Wal-Mart Stores continues to expand its health care offerings with the announcement that its Sam's Club division will launch a private health insurance exchange for its small business members. Sam’s Club is partnering with insurance giant Aetna on the initiative.   

Santa Clara, Calif. –- Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is reportedly developing a new centralized approach to how it prioritizes and executes IT projects.    According to the Wall Street Journal, Wal-Mart will now consolidate all IT projects into a single portfolio overseen by CIO Karenann Terrell.  

Toano, Va. –- Lumber Liquidators missed Wall Street estimates for both net income and sales for the third quarter of fiscal 2014.    Net income totaled $15.7 million, down 23% from $20.4 million in the year ago period, amid higher expenses. Net sales rose 5% to $266.1 million from $254.3 million. Same-store sales dropped 4.9%, although they improved each month in the quarter as more inventory became available.