Finance & Capital Management

PLEASANTON, Calif. — Recent events, which have driven Wall Street analysts to speculate that Safeway is a buyout target, are not interrelated, Safeway chairman and CEO Steve Burd assured analysts Thursday morning during the grocer's first-quarter conference call.

HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. — Quiksilver, the manufacturer of outdoor sports apparel, has appointed Richard Shields as CFO, effective May 11. Shields will be responsible for all areas of the company’s finance and accounting on a global basis.

New York -- Hudson + Broad, a New York City-based visual merchandising firm, is suing J.C. Penney Co. for $40 million. H+B is seeking $20 million in compensatory damages and an additional $20 million in punitive damages.

Hoffman Estates, Ill. -- Sears Holdings announced the launch of a wholly owned subsidiary called MetaScale, that will provide data-management services.

Sears sees the venture as a natural expansion of the resources it has spent to build the infrastructure it needs to manage data for its more than 4,000 Sears and Kmart stores nationwide.

New York -- VF Corp. said Friday that its first-quarter profit rose 9%, helped by last year’s acquisition of Timberland and global demand for its brands from North Face to Vans.

Net income rose to $215.2 million, from $200.7 million a year earlier. Revenue was up 31% to $2.56 billion.
 

Sunbury, Pa. -- Weis Markets said it will invest $125 million in its 2012 growth program, a 25% increase compared with 2011.

“Our budget includes two new stores and 18 major remodels,” Weis Markets vice chairman Jonathan Weis said. “In addition, we expect to soon complete the purchase of three Genuardi's units near Philadelphia which we hope to reopen later this summer.”

Ontario, Calif. -- Westwood Financial Corp. has sold Pacific Plaza Shopping Center located at in Ontario, Calif., for $7.4 million.

“This transaction is the latest in our firm’s overall plan to rebalance our portfolio, as the funds generated here will be reinvested in grocery-anchored properties in the Southeast,” said Westwood financial executive VP Joe Dykstra.

New York -- GE Capital, Corporate Finance announced it is administrative agent for a $70 million asset-based credit facility for Le Château, a leading Canadian specialty retailer and apparel manufacturer. The loan will be used to refinance existing debt and support working capital needs.

Cary, N.C. -- The Pantry announced today that Mark R. Bierley, CFO, has resigned effective May 25, 2012. Bierley has accepted a position near his home in Michigan.

The convenience-store company will begin a search for a new CFO promptly. Berry L. Epley, VP and corporate controller, will assume Bierley’s responsibilities until a successor is named.
 

Seattle -- Starbucks Corp.’s net income surged a better-than-expected 18% in its fiscal second quarter, as its store traffic increased in most parts of the world. The coffee giant also raised its forecast for the year on the results and said it was accelerating its growth.

For the three months ended April 1, the company earned $309.9 million, compared with a profit of $261.6 million in the year-ago quarter. Revenue rose to $3.2 billion, up from $2.79 billion a year ago. Same-store sales increased 7%.