Finance & Capital Management

Brisbane, Calif. -- Bebe stores reported Friday a net loss of $2.6 million for the quarter ended Sept. 29, compared with net income of $2.4 million for the year-ago period.

Sales slipped 7.3% to $117.1 million from $126.3 million, and same-store sales dropped 8.7%.

During the quarter, the company opened five 2b stores and closed seven Bebe stores, and said it expects to open five Bebe stores and one 2b store in fiscal 2013 as well as close five Bebe stores and one 2b pop-up store.

Indianapolis -- Hhgregg reported Friday that net income for the quarter ended Sept. 30 dropped to $3.8 million from $6 million last year. Sales dipped 5% to $587.6 million and same-store sales dropped 8.8%.

According to CEO Dennis May, the electronics and appliances retailer is testing new merchandise and, in the third quarter, will roll out furniture and exercise equipment to all stores. He also said the current fiscal 2013 outlook calls for 20 new store openings from a previous range of 20-22.

Matthews, N.C. -- Harris Teeter Supermarkets reported Friday a profit of $22.8 million in its fourth quarter, compared with a loss of $8.9 million last year.

Sales edged up 3.7% to $1.14 billion, and same-store sales increased 3.01%.

The grocer has introduced a new format and banner – 201central – that it is using as a platform to sell a global variety of wine, beer, specialty foods and other selected merchandise.

Plans for fiscal 2013 include 12 new stores and nine major remodels.

Jacksonville, Fla. -- Body Central Corp. reported Friday that net income for the third quarter was $153,000, compared with $2.8 million in the year-ago period.

Sales inched up 1.2% to $67.9 million, boosted by 7 new stores that opened during the period.

Columbus, Ohio -- DSW Inc. announced Thursday the acquisition of 810 AC LLC, which owns the corporate headquarters of DSW, as well as its 700,000-sq.-ft. distribution center and trailer lot on its home office campus in Columbus, Ohio.

Purchase price was $72 million.

The company recently completed the $15 million installation of an automatic sortation facility in the distribution center to support its size replenishment program.

ISSAQUAH, Wash. — Costco's sales for October rose 9% to $7.67 billion from $7.01 billion during the similar period last year.

Total comps for the month increased 7%, consisting of a 7% increase in the United States, and a 9% increase internationally. Excluding the impact of fuel, U.S., international and total same-store sales increased by 5% each.

BURLINGTON, N.J. — Burlington Coat Factory Warehouse reported that net sales for the third quarter ended Oct. 27 were $967.8 million compared with $898.7 million for the comparative period ended Oct. 29, 2011, a 7.7% increase. Comparative-store sales increased 2.1% for the quarter.

A 2.4% same-store sales increase during October was toward the low end of Target’s expectations, but it wasn’t enough to prevent the company from achieving its guidance for the third quarter.

Target reported that its net retail sales for the four weeks ended Oct. 27 were nearly $5 billion, a 3% increase from $4.8 billion reported during October 2011. The 2.4% comp increase was on top of a prior year gain of 3.3%.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens has formally set up a new company, jointly owned with Alliance Boots, as part of their strategic partnership’s synergy program.

The new company, called Walgreens Boots Alliance Development, will be based in Bern, Switzerland.

No other details were released.

Atlanta -- RedPrairie and JDA Software, providers of enterprise software and services for the extended supply chain, have entered into a definitive merger agreement. The combined entity will offer a broad portfolio of solutions and services to manage global supply chains -- from raw materials, to finished products, into the hands of consumers -- through any channel.