Finance & Capital Management

Deerfield, Ill. -- Walgreens said Tuesday that sales for the month of March rose 7.6% to $6.28 billion, compared with $5.83 billion in the year-ago period.

Duane Reade stores, acquired in April 2010, contributed 2.8% to the total sales increase for the month.

Same-store sales rose 3% in March, not including Duane Reade stores. Results topped Wall Street expectations.

Walgreens opened 12 stores during March, including three relocations, acquired one store and closed two.

New York City -- Blockbuster's bankruptcy auction is set to stretch into a second day on Tuesday after preliminary talks between bidders and the chain's representatives dragged on late into Monday, a company spokesman said.

Blockbuster did not say how many bidders it attracted, but halls outside the auction room in Manhattan bankruptcy court were packed with attorneys and investment bankers refining their bids throughout Monday, Reuters reported.

Dallas -- The Retail Connection, L.P., Lincoln Property Company Commercial and the Fidelity Real Estate Group announced Friday that they have acquired Village on the Parkway, a 380,000-sq.-ft. lifestyle center located in the Addison area of the Dallas Fort Worth Metroplex.

The center was sold by J.E. Robert Co. after the default by its previous owner.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- HSN announced that Mitchell Hara has been appointed SVP corporate strategy/M&A, a newly created position, effective immediately.  He will report directly to Judy Schmeling, CFO of HSNi.

In his new position, Hara will assist with the overall corporate strategy, identifying and developing new strategic initiatives and leading the strategic planning process for the company.  He will also evaluate and oversee potential strategic partnerships and transactions. 

NEW YORK -- Several bidders, including Dish Network Corp. and billionaire investor Carl Icahn, are ready to battle for Blockbuster at a bankruptcy auction in New York on Monday, the Associated Press reported. The chain, which filed Chapter 11 in February, has received several bids other than the opening bid of $290 million from a group of debtholders made in February.

Dish and Icahn have each submitted a bid, The Wall Street Journal reported Friday.

WAYNE, N.J. – Toys“R”Us announced that it has named the former head of one of the world's largest toy companies to serve as president of its U.S. business. Neil Friedman, who most recently served as president Mattel Brands, will now oversee all merchandising, marketing, store operations, merchandise presentation, global sourcing and product development, as well as merchandise planning and allocation for Toys"R"Us' 866 stores and online business in the United States.

Target is scheduled to release monthly sales for March this Thursday, and the company has already indicated its same-store sales figures won’t be pretty due to the late arrival of Easter. The holiday isn’t until April 24 this year, so the bulk of sales related to Easter will occur in April whereas last year Easter fell on April 4, so a greater percentage of seasonal sales fell in March.

Suffern, N.Y. -- Ascena Retail Group said that Jay S. Levine has been appointed senior VP, chief accounting officer and corporate controller of Ascena Retail Group with responsibilities for SEC reporting, financial planning and analysis, internal controls and corporate taxes.

Ascena operates 2,478 stores under its, Dressbarn, Maurices and Justice banners.

Mahwah, N.J. -- TD Retail Card Services announced that it has been selected as a preferred provider of private label credit services for members of Furniture First, a home furnishings and mattress purchasing cooperative with more than 175 retail furniture dealers operating over 360 locations nationwide.

Under the agreement, the Mahwah, N.J-based business unit of TD Bank, N.A., will offer a full range of private label credit products and services, custom financing options and special benefits to participating members of the co-op.

San Jose, Calif. -- VeriFone Systems and Hypercom Corp. announced that they have reached an agreement to sell the U.S. payment systems business of Hypercom to Ingenico S.A.

The transaction is expected to close immediately prior to completion of VeriFone’s acquisition of Hypercom, which is expected to occur in the second half of 2011, subject to certain closing conditions.