Finance & Capital Management

Strong third-quarter sales at footwear retailer Finish Line and elevated expectations for the full-year were attributed to the company’s approach to integrated commerce.

Sales for the third quarter ended November 30 increased 22.9% to $364.5 million and same store sales advanced 7.1%. Profits increased to $2.3 million from a prior year loss of $107,000 at the operator 658 athletic footwear stores and 198 branded footwear departments at Macy’s.

Whirlpool is reaffirming its commitment to its U.S. manufacturing base by moving production of its commercial front-load washing machines from Monterrey, Mexico, to Clyde, Ohio.

Approximately 80-100 new jobs will be created in Clyde during the next three years to support this manufacturing relocation. The company expects the relocation to increase its operational efficiencies and align with its strategy of building products in the regions where they are primarily sold. Production of the font-load commercial washer platform is due to begin in the U.S. April 2014.

Phoenix — Jones Lang LaSalle is expanding its retail brokerage platform into Phoenix. Tyson Switzenberg will lead the firm’s new Phoenix practice. Senior Associate John Reva and Associate Trask Switzenberg will join him.

Brentwood, Tenn. – Tractor Supply Company has been added to the Nasdaq -100 Index, effective with the market open on Monday, Dec. 23, 2013. Shares of TSCO will also be included in the Nasdaq-100 Index Tracking Stock (Nasdaq: QQQ).

"We are proud to be joining this elite group of public companies traded on the Nasdaq exchange," said Anthony Crudele, executive VP and CFO. "Being added to the Nasdaq-100 Index is a reflection of Tractor Supply Company's significant growth and its stock performance.”

Deerfield Park, Ill. – Walgreen Co. reported a healthy 68% surge in net earnings during the first quarter of fiscal 2014 to $695 million from $413 million in the same period a year earlier.

Net sales rose about 6%, to $18.3 billion from $17.3 billion, while same-store sales grew 5.4%.

The Jones Group has accepted a buyout offer of $15 per share in cash, or a total of approximately $1.2 billion, from private equity firm Sycamore Partners. Upon completion of the deal, Jones, whose brands include Nine West, Anne Klein and Easy Spirit, will become a privately held company.

Sears Holdings has elected law firm executive Cesar Alvarez to its board of directors.

Alvarez is co-chairman of the international law firm Greenburg Traurig, which he joined in 1973. Before his appointment as chairman, he served as executive chairman for more than three years and as its CEO for 13 years, starting in 1997.

Camp Hill, Pa. – Rite Aid reported a solid 15.5% increase in net income during the third quarter of fiscal 2013, to $71.5 million from $61.9 million in the year ago period.  Lower interest expense and lease termination and impairment charges helped drive Rite Aid’s net income growth.

In addition, revenues grew about 2% to $6.4 billion from $6.2 billion, primarily due to a 3.5% increase in pharmacy same store sales. Same-store sales rose 2.3%.