Finance & Capital Management

COLUMBUS, Ohio — DSW is raising its full-year earnings guidance and accelerating new store openings following strong November and December sales results.

The company said it has raised its annual diluted earnings per share guidance to a range of $2.96 to $2.99 for fiscal 2011 from a range of $2.90 to $2.95, excluding any impact from the RVI merger and related items.  

SILVER SPRING, Md. — Discovery Communications announced that has named formed Liz Claiborne executive Andrew Warren to the position of senior EVP and CFO. Warren will join Discovery on March 26, and will be based at the company's global headquarters in Silver Spring, Md. Warren succeeds Brad Singer who previously announced that he is leaving Discovery at the end of March.

ELMWOOD PARK, N.J. — The Craft & Hobby Association (CHA) board of directors has announced Andrej Suskavcevic as new president and CEO of CHA. The appointment of Suskavcevic concludes an eight-month executive search during which Tony Lee, VP meetings and expositions, served as CHA's interim leader.

Philadelphia -- Urban Outfitters announced Tuesday that Glen T. Senk has resigned as CEO, effective Jan. 9. The company named chairman and co-founder Richard Hayne as his replacement.

Senk, 55, joined the company in 1994 as president of Anthropologie. He became a director in 2004 and CEO in 2007. Senk indicated that he plans to pursue another opportunity, but that he will remain with the company for a period of time to assist management with the transition. He has also resigned from the board of directors.

Mahwah, N.J. -- The Metropolitan Furnishings Association said it has selected TD Retail Card Services’ Renovate Card private label credit program for use by the organization’s 75 retail members in New Jersey.

New York City -- Shopping centers in the United States had their first net gain in occupied space in four years amid a rise in consumer confidence and job growth, according real estate research firm Reis Inc., Bloomberg reported.

Neighborhood and community shopping shoppers saw a net increase of 3.18 million sq. ft. in the fourth quarter, the most since 10.1 million sq. ft. in the last three months of 2007.

New York City -- Marcus & Millichap Real Estate Investment Services said Monday it has hired Joseph C. French Jr. to serve as a senior director of its National Retail Group. French was previously with Sperry Van Ness, where he specialized in retail property sales.

Marcus & Millichap also hired French’s team of investment specialists Thomas C. Dalzell, Schuyler Boylan and Amie Segel.
 

New York City -- Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market, the U.S. division of Tesco, plans to close 12 underperforming stores, according to the Orange County Register. The company, however, left open the door to re-opening the stores at a later date.

Plano, Texas -- J.C. Penney Co. announced Tuesday that Thomas J. Engibous will become chairman of its board of directors, effective Jan. 28.

Engibous was named to the board in 1999 and has served in presiding director and lead independent director roles since 2008. He will assume the chairman's role from Myron E. (Mike) Ullman, III, J.C. Penney’s former CEO, who will step down as executive chairman.

Engibous is the retired chairman of Texas Instruments Inc.

New York City -- Tiffany & Co. reported Tuesday that sales growth weakened in the United States and Europe during the holiday season, although other regions experienced significant gains.

The company cut its yearly earnings guidance.