Finance & Capital Management

New York City -- Sunflower Farmers Market, which operates value-priced organic and natural food grocery stores, is opening its first store in California.

Sunflower currently operates 32 stores in six Southwestern states. The chain, which focuses on offering fresh local foods at affordable prices, was founded in 2002 by Mike Gilliland, who helped start the Wild Oats chain that was later bought by Whole Foods Market.

New York City -- Home Depot on Wednesday slightly raised its fiscal 2010 earnings guidance for the second time in two months as the market for home-improvement projects slowly begins to improve. The retailer plans to open 10 stores in 2011, and has budgeted $1.3 billion in capital expenditures. and about $2.5 billion on share repurchases.

The retailer now expects net income from continuing operations to be $1.97 per share, up from prior guidance of $1.94 per share. Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters, on average, also predict $1.94 per share.

Ankeny, Iowa -- Casey's General Stores reported on Wednesday that the costs of its recapitalization plan and its defense against hostile bids by competitor Canada’s Alimentation Couche-Tard take a bite out of its second-quarter net income.

Casey's said it earned $21.7 million for the quarter that ended Oct. 31, compared with $33.6 million in the same quarter last year. The results include roughly $19.4 million in expenses related to its recapitalization plan and the dispute with Couche-Tard.

Phoenix -- Vestar Development Co. and Rockwood Capital on Tuesday acquired Tempe Marketplace for $280 million by buying out an original partner. In conjunction with the closing, Tempe Marketplace received a new $200 million permanent financing package from GACC.

Vestar was the developer of Tempe Marketplace and had previously partnered with DLJ/Credit Suisse. Both Rockwood and Vestar made significant investments in the acquisition. Under terms of the deal, Vestar will be the managing partner.

Dallas -- Alliance Data Systems Corporation, provider of loyalty and marketing solutions derived from transaction-rich data, announced it has signed a multi-year renewal agreement with Arhaus Furniture -- a high-end retailer of quality, customizable home furnishings and accessories -- to continue providing turnkey private label credit-card services for Arhaus' retail locations.

Los Angeles -- Commercial real estate investment banking firm George Smith Partners, has completed a $17.2 million, two-phase, construction loan transaction in Oxnard, Calif., for Upside Investments.

New York City -- Two of Russia's largest grocery store chains, Pyaterochka and Kopeika, said on Monday that they would merge their operations in a move that would better position them to compete with Wal-Mart Stores, which is expected to enter the Russian market, according to the New York Times.