Finance & Capital Management

Austin, Texas -- Whole Foods Market reported that its fiscal fourth-quarter profit rose 31% to $75.5 million on higher sales, beating analysts' expectations. But the company's outlook for next year's profit fell just short of what analysts forecast on average.

Revenue increased 12% to $2.35 billion.

Columbus, Ohio -- Express said Thursday that its CEO, Michael Weiss, will also take over the role of board chairman, because of the current chairman's involvement in a rival company.

Weiss succeeds Stefan Kaluzny in the chairman's job. Kaluzny joined Express' board when the private equity firm where he worked, Golden Gate Capital, bought Limited Brands in 2007. Kaluzny has since joined another private equity firm, Sycamore Partners, which recently brought a controlling stake in Mast Global Fashions, which is Limited Brands' apparel sourcing division.

Belmont, Calif. -- SunEdison, a leading worldwide solar energy services provider and Staples announced a production milestone of more than 30 million kilowatt-hours of energy produced through solar installations on Staples' properties.

New York City -- Sycamore Partners, a private equity firm based in New York, and Limited Brands announced that Sycamore has acquired a controlling 51% interest in Mast Global Fashions, the third-party apparel sourcing division of Limited Brands.

Limited Brands will retain a 49% stake in this standalone apparel production and sourcing company. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Limited Brands will retain 100% ownership of its separate sourcing operation for their intimate apparel and personal care/beauty businesses.

Woonsocket, R.I. -- CVS Caremark Corp.’s third-quarter profit rose 7.3%, to $868 million, driven by strong performances in its pharmacy businesses. Its performance topped Wall Street expectations.

Revenue for the three-month period ended September 30, 2011, rose 12% to $26.67 billion, from $23.71 billion.

Revenue in its pharmacy-services segment increased 26% $14.8 billion, boosted by a contract with Aetna Inc. and added business from the acquisition of Universal American Corp.'s Medicare prescription drug business.

New York City -- Costco Wholesale Corp. reported a 9% increase in same-store sales in October, helped by strong performances in the United States and abroad, just short of the 9.2% increase predicted by analysts.

Costco’s same-store U.S. sales rose 9% and were up 8% overseas. Taking out inflation in gas prices and a slightly negative impact from foreign currencies, the metric increased 6% in the United State and 9% internationally.

INDIANAPOLIS — Electronic retailer Hhgregg reported net income of $6 million for the second quarter ended Sept. 30, or 16 cents per diluted share, compared with net income of $3.9 million, or 10 cents per diluted share, for the comparable prior-year period. According to the company, the increase in net income for the second quarter was the result of an increase in net sales due to the net addition of 35 stores during the past 12 months and a comparable-store sales increase of 1.5%.

Seattle -- New York City, Washington, D.C., San Francisco and Seattle, top the list of the strongest retail real estate markets, according to Colliers International’s “Third Quarter 2011 North American Retail Highlights” report. The weakest markets include Phoenix, Detroit, Atlanta and Las Vegas, which continue to experience vacancy rates at or above 15%.

New York City -- Apple will spend $900 million on its stores in fiscal 2012, up from $614 million this year, according to Tech Observer, which cited a new research note from UBS analyst Maynard Um.

The report also said that that Apple plans to give shoppers the ability to complete their own in-store purchases via its iOS application for the iPhone. The new application will apply only to accessories and on-the-shelf items, and not more costly item like the iPhone, iPad, or Macs.

Conshohocken, Pa. -- Ikea announced on Wednesday plans to install solar energy panels at three additional U.S. locations, bringing the number of Ikea U.S. stores with a solar program to 23 – more than half of the home-furnishing retailer’s domestic presence.