Finance & Capital Management

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Appliance manufacturer Electrolux has joined the effort to help with Sandy relief. The company has announced a $100,000 commitment to the American Red Cross Disaster Fund. In addition, the company will match employee contributions up to another $100,000.

Brisbane, Calif. -- Bebe stores reported Friday a net loss of $2.6 million for the quarter ended Sept. 29, compared with net income of $2.4 million for the year-ago period.

Sales slipped 7.3% to $117.1 million from $126.3 million, and same-store sales dropped 8.7%.

During the quarter, the company opened five 2b stores and closed seven Bebe stores, and said it expects to open five Bebe stores and one 2b store in fiscal 2013 as well as close five Bebe stores and one 2b pop-up store.

WASHINGTON — The National Retail Federation is continuing its fight against credit card swipe fees by asking a judge to reject a proposed class-action settlement of a federal antitrust lawsuit, saying it would not bring the fees charged by Visa and MasterCard under control and does not give retailers who oppose it an adequate mechanism to opt out.

Seattle -- Nordstrom said it plans to open a Nordstrom Rack in Birmingham, Ala. This will be the retailer's first location in the state.

The approximately 35,000-sq. ft. store is scheduled to open in spring 2013 at River Ridge Shopping Center. The center is owned and operated by DDR Corp.

Seattle -- Starbucks Coffee Co. reported a higher-than expected net income of $359 million for its fourth quarter, compared with $358.5 million in the year-ago period. The company also raised its earnings estimate for the next fiscal year.

Revenue rose 11% in the fourth quarter, to $3.36 billion. Same-store sales rose 6%, fueled by higher customer traffic.

Appliance and consumer electronics retailer HH Gregg, reported second quarter result on Friday that weren't as bad as expected.

Columbus, Ohio -- DSW Inc. announced Thursday the acquisition of 810 AC LLC, which owns the corporate headquarters of DSW, as well as its 700,000-sq.-ft. distribution center and trailer lot on its home office campus in Columbus, Ohio.

Purchase price was $72 million.

The company recently completed the $15 million installation of an automatic sortation facility in the distribution center to support its size replenishment program.

PAWTUCKET, R.I. — Hasbro has provided $100,000 in combined grant support through the Hasbro Children’s Fund to the American Red Cross, World Vision and Feeding America to support their relief efforts following Hurricane Sandy. Additionally, over 10,000 games have been donated to shelters along the east coast.