Finance & Capital Management

Dallas -- Corner Bakery Café has signed a franchise agreement to open its first restaurants in New York’s Nassau County beginning in 2013. Earlier this year, Corner Bakery Cafe announced similar expansion plans in the Northeast, including Northern New Jersey, Connecticut and Rhode Island.
 
Four M Bakery, LLC, a group of veteran restaurant operators, which also owns 12 Buffalo Wild Wings through Four M Capital, LLC, has plans to open seven Corner Bakery Cafes in Nassau County.
 

New York -- Walmart’s U.S. employees will pay between 8% and 36% more in premiums for its medical coverage in 2013, Reuters reported.  

For its most popular plan, which covers individuals, the payment per bi-weekly paycheck is going up by $2, or 13%, the report said. Some other plans would have higher increases.

New York -- Dillard’s third quarter merchandise sales for the quarter ended Oct. 27 increased 4% to more than $1.4 billion, same-store sales increased 5% and operating profits increased 84% to nearly $73 million. Gross margins expanded 40 basis points to 37.1% and same-store inventory levels were down 1%.

Home Depot has opened its 100th location in Mexico, according to an article in El Financiero. The Atlanta-based retailer now operates 95 stores in 60 cities in Mexico, where it generates annual revenues of $1 billion, the newspaper said.

In the final quarter of 2012, Home Depot will open stores in the towns of Coahuila, Sonora, Veracruz, Michoacán and Nuevo León.

New York -- GA Keen Realty Advisors, LLC of New York, a division of Great American Group has begun marketing leases for 150 Bakers and Wild Pair shoe store locations across the country.

Minneapolis -- Best Buy has hired Sharon McCollam, formerly CFO of Williams- Sonoma Inc., as CFO, beginning Dec. 10.

McCollam, 50, had been COO and CFO at the home goods retailer before retiring. She also takes the title of chief administrative officer at Best Buy.

McCollam replaces James Muehlbauer, who said he was leaving in October. Muehlbauer will continue to advise the company until the end of the fiscal year in February.

Minneapolis -- Best Buy today announced that retired director, EVP, chief operating and CFO of Williams-Sonoma, Inc., Sharon McCollam, will join the company as its new chief administrative and CFO, effective Dec. 10, according to a Reuters report. McCollam, 50, left Williams-Sonoma earlier this year after serving as an executive officer for more than 12 years.

McCollam succeeds CFO James Muehlbauer, whose departure was announced last month. Muehlbauer will leave the company at the end of this fiscal year, allowing for a smooth transition.

Dallas -- Zale Corp. announced the addition of Genesis Financial Solutions to its U.S. alternative financing program. The new financing option, which became available in October, is offered in Zales, Zales Outlet and Gordon’s retail stores.