Finance & Capital Management

Deerfield Park, Ill. – Walgreens received a perfect score of 100% on the 2014 Corporate Equality Index (CEI). This marks the ninth year Walgreens earned 100% on the CEI, a national benchmarking survey and report on corporate policies and practices related to LGBT workplace equality, administered by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation.

Columbus, Ohio – Kroger reportedly recent spent $9 million on renovating a store in the Columbus, Ohio, area, and plans to spend another $9.4 million renovating three other stores in the area of its headquarters city. According to the Columbus Dispatch, this spending is part of a larger $330 million the retailer plans to spend on renovations by the end of the current fiscal year.

New York -- The Conference Board Leading Economic Index (LEI) for the U.S. increased 0.8% in November to 98.3 (2004 = 100), following a 0.1% increase in October, and a 1% increase in September.

Compton, Calif. – Numerous law firms have launched investigations into the board of directors of Arden Group, Inc. to determine possible breaches of fiduciary duty and other violations of state law in connection with the sale of the company to the investment firm TPG.

Bob Varakian and and Stephen Spitz were appointed to new roles at leading kitchenware and tabletop manufacturer Lifetime Brands.

The company said Bob Varakian will serve as group president over its cutlery/cutting boards and cookware/bakeware divisions effective January 6. He will report to Lifetime chairman and CEO Jeffrey Siegel. The company also named Stephen Spitz to the role of president for the cutlery/cutting boards division and he will report to Varakian.

New York – Amazon.com and Macy’s reportedly look financially strong even in the wake of expected post-holiday discounting, while Sears, Kmart and J.C. Penney are not expected to be so fortunate. According to new analysis from 24/7 Wall St., Amazon.com should hold onto substantial holiday profits as long as free shipping does not impact its margins.

Walnut Creek, Calif. — Transwestern has brokered leases on behalf of two retail tenants: 9Round Fitness & Kickboxing and Buon Vino Manufacturing.

9Round Fitness has taken a 1,300-sq.-ft. lease for five years in the Diablo Plaza in San Ramon, Calif.  Buon Vino signed a 1,635-sq.-ft. lease for three years at 1545 Locust St. in downtown Walnut Creek, Calif.

Consumer electronics retailer HH Gregg is looking for a new chief financial officer after Jeremy Aguilar resigned from the company to accept a similar role elsewhere.

Aguilar spent eight years with the Indianapolis-based operator of 228 stores. His resignation is effective as of January 31 at which time SVP of finance Andrew Giesler will assume CFO responsibilities on an interim basis.