Finance & Capital Management

WASHINGTON -- The National Retail Federation announced that it welcomed Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke's commitment to complete final swipe fee reform regulations in time for retailers to begin offering customers discounts and other benefits this summer as scheduled.

According to an Atlanta Journal-Constitution article, Home Depot executives received increases in compensation after the company's first annual sales gain in several years. 

CEO Frank Blake earned about $10.5 million last year, up by about $500,000, according to the article. Compensation packages of other top executives rose $100,000 or more.

STEVENSON, Md. — The law firm of Brower Piven on Tuesday announced that a class action lawsuit has commenced in the Delaware Chancery Court on behalf of all shareholders of Drugstore.com, alleging violations of state law by the company’s board of directors relating to the proposed acquisition by Walgreens.

The complaint alleged that Drugstore.com's board of directors breached their fiduciary duties by failing to maximize shareholder value, among other things.

Washington, D.C. -- A report released Wednesday by The Conference Board said that online advertised vacancies rose 208,800 in March to 4,454,500.

According to The Conference Board Help Wanted OnLine Data Series, the March rise follows a large January increase and a small change in February, and brings the gain in labor demand in the first quarter of 2011 to over 600,000.

Fort Worth, Texas -- Applebee’s Services said Wednesday it has chosen customer analytics firm Buxton to assist with the franchise system’s real estate expansion and company asset-management strategies for Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill &Bar restaurants.

Applebee’s, a DineEquity brand, will use Buxton’s Scout platform, to establish future expansion in potential franchise markets and assist in asset management decisions.

Bermuda -- Signet Jewelers Ltd., whose brands include Kay Jewelers and Jared The Galleria of Jewelry, reported Wednesday that net income for the quarter ended Jan. 29 decreased 9% to $105.4 million, from $115.5 million a year earlier.

Revenue for the period rose 6% to $1.27 billion from $1.2 billion, meeting Wall Street expectations. Same-store sales increased 8.1%.

Matthews, N.C. -- Family Dollar Stores reported Wednesday that net income for the quarter ended Feb. 26 rose 10% to $123.2 million, compared with $112.2 million a year earlier. Results were helped in part by improved traffic and higher transaction value.

Revenue increased 8% to $2.26 billion, from $2.09 billion. Same-store sales rose 5.1%.

Earlier in March, Family Dollar turned down an approximately $7 billion buyout offer from minority shareholder Nelson Peltz's Trian Fund.

Hampstead, Md. -- JoS. A. Bank Clothiers reported Wednesday that net income for fiscal year 2010 leaped 21% to a record $85.8 million, compared with $71.2 million in the year-ago period.

Net sales surged 11.4% to a record of $858.1 million in fiscal year 2010, compared with $770.3 million in fiscal year 2009.

Same-store sales increased 7%.
 

Bentonville, Ark. -- Wal-Mart Stores’ Scott Price, CEO for Asia, said Wednesday that the retailer makes $16 billion in annual sales in Japan, China and India.

In a report broadcast on Wal-Mart’s website and covered by Bloomberg, Price said that operations in Japan have $8 billion annual sales from 414 stores with 36,000 workers.

Annual revenue is $7.5 billion in China, generated by 329 stores, and sales in India are less than $1 billion a year, according to Price.

Chicago – Bar-and-restaurant concept Bar Louie said Tuesday it is undertaking a major national expansion initiative of more than 100 new locations in 20 markets nationwide and has appointed Jones Lang LaSalle as its exclusive real estate advisor.

Jones Lang LaSalle will work in tandem with Bar Louie’s real estate team and select brokers in various markets to leverage both tenant-favorable conditions, as well as the availability of vacant full-amenity restaurant space located within high-density urban and suburban markets.