Finance & Capital Management

New York -- Consumer confidence fell in January to a one-year low, according to the Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan consumer sentiment index released Friday.

The month’s preliminary index fell to 71.3, the lowest since December 2011, from 72.9 in December. Economists had forecast the index would rise to 75, Bloomberg News reported.

New York -- Family Dollar on Friday increased its annual dividend by 24%. The annual payout now totals $1.04 following a decision by the retailer’s 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.

Canton, Mass. -- Dunkin’ Donuts announced that in 2013 it plans to open 330 to 360 net new restaurants in the United States with growth coming from both new and existing markets, for an increase of 4.5% to 5%. The company also announced that it is expanding to Southern California as part of its long-term goal of having more than 15,000 Dunkin' Donuts restaurants in the United States alone.  
 

PHILADELPHIA — Five Below has proposed a secondary offering of 7,000,000 shares of its common stock, amid reports that sales are not as bad as originally feared.

RACINE, Wis. — SC Johnson is marking its 90th anniversary of donating to the local United Way.

For nearly a century, the family-owned company known for brands such as Glade, Pledge and Scrubbing Bubbles has donated more than $50 million in cumulative contributions to the local nonprofit organization.

Walmart U.S. president and CEO Bill Simon isn’t running for elected office, but he sure sounded like a politician earlier this week as he laid out a three-tiered plan the retail industry can implement to restore U.S. economic growth.

ARMONK, N.Y. and AKRON — Signet Jewelers teamed up with IBM to give its national U.S. store chains, Kay Jewelers and Jared the Galleria of Jewelry, a digital makeover.

The digital marketing redesign has transformed the multichannel experience for Kay and Jared customers, according to Signet, and resulted in consistent sales growth, including a year-over-year increase of 49% in online sales, as reported in the company's recently announced holiday sales for fiscal 2013.

The first indication that something big was brewing with Walmart on the domestic sourcing front came last week.

That’s when Walmart announced internally at that SVP of home, Michelle Gloeckler, would assume additional responsibilities for a new U.S. sourcing and manufacturing initiative. Reporting to Gloeckler is Greg Hall who was named vp of U.S. sourcing and manufacturing after previously serving as vp of marketing for Walmart.com.

JACKSON, Miss. — Cal-Maine Foods, the nation’s largest egg producer, has elevated two operations executives. Kevin Lastowski and Chris Myers have both been promoted to VP of operations.

New York -- Delhaize Group announced that it would close 33 under-performing Sweetbay stores in Florida by mid-February. The shutterings, which are part of a broader reorganization plan, amount to about one-third of the chain.

“While these decisions are difficult, especially given the impact on our associates, customers and communities, these actions will continue to enhance the performance of our overall store portfolio and further enable us to deliver profitable growth and accelerate shareholder value,” the company said in a statement.