Finance & Capital Management

Los Angeles -- Guess? reported Thursday that adjusted net earnings for the quarter ended May 4 plummeted 56.1% to $11.7 million, from $26.6 million in the year-ago period.

According to CEO Paul Marciano, the results were better than the company had expected.

"Despite the continued global economic challenges … these earnings reflect the ongoing success within the company to globally streamline and improve productivity,” he said.

Issaquah, Wash. -- Costco Corp. reported Thursday that net income for the quarter ended May 12 increased a higher-than-expected 19% on increased sales and member fees. The wholesale club operator earned $459 million in the third quarter, up from $386 million in the year-ago period.

Revenue rose 8% to $24.08 billion, just missing Wall Street’s forecast of $24.09 billion. Revenue from membership fees climbed to $531 million from $475 million, and same-store sales rose 5% overall and 6% in the U.S.

ISSAQUAH, Wash. — A $62 million tax benefit in the second quarter, alongside a portion of a special cash dividend Costco received in December 2012, helped bolster the company's net income for the first 36 weeks of fiscal 2013, ended May 12. 

New York -- MPI has reported a significant increase in leasing volume within its core retail portfolio during the first four months of 2013 vs. the same period last year.

As of May 1, MPI has executed 23 new lease deals, many with new to the market tenants, representing a total of 113,900 sq. ft. throughout its national retail portfolio.  

On a year-over-year basis, the company has seen the number of new leases grow by 28%.
 

Washington, D.C. -- Douglas Development said it has teamed with CBRE on a new boutique office and retail project in Washington, D.C.’s Penn Quarter neighborhood.

The 11-story office building will occupy approximately 93,000 sq. ft., and include 7,000 sq. ft. of ground-floor retail space. The building will offer two floors of below grade parking, outdoor terraces, and a terracotta façade.

New York -- Delia’s reported Thursday that its loss more than doubled year-over-year, as the multichannel retailer lost $9.2 million in the quarter ended May 4, compared with a loss of $4.3 million last year.

Revenue slid 15% to $35 million, and same-store sales fell 7.1%. Amid the disappointing results, the company has appointed Tracy Gardner as CEO, effective June 5, moving over from his current position as COO.

ATLANTA — Coregistics, a packaging supply chain services company, has acquired Cano Packaging, a Chicago-area company that specializes in primary contract packaging services for food and confectionary manufacturers.

Fort Myers, Fla. – Chico's reported a lower-than-expected profit of $51.1 million for the first quarter, excluding non-recurring acquisition and integration costs related to its Boston Proper acquisition, versus a profit of $54 million in year-ago period.

Sales rose 3% to $670.7 million, up 3% from $650.8 million last year. Chico’s, which operates its namesake stores, as well as the Soma Intimates and White House | Black Market chains, attributed much of this boost to the opening of 114 net new stores in the past year.