Finance & Capital Management

San Diego -- Warehouse club operator PriceSmart said Friday that net income for the quarter ended Nov. 30 edged down to $14 million, compared with $14.9 million in the year-ago period.

Net warehouse sales increased 24.1% to $468.3 million from $377.3 million, and total revenue rose to $478.7 million from $386.1 million.
 

Family Dollar reported quarterly results after the market closed Thursday and offered a reminder why Walmart suppliers who participated in last month’s Connecting Northwest Arkansas Supplier Survey ranked dollar stores as the greatest competitive threat to Walmart in the next five years.

Minneapolis -- Best Buy Co. reported Friday that December sales were less than the company anticipated, as fewer-than-expected shoppers filled the retailer’s stores over the holiday selling month.

Same-store sales fell 1.2% in December, an improvement from the 4% drop in the same period last year.  Total revenue was flat at $8.4 billion. Its online division shone, recording a 26% rise in revenue for the month.

Despite the lackluster showing in December, Best Buy reaffirmed its annual guidance.

Beachwood, Ohio -- DDR Corp. announced Friday new Five Below stores in consolidated small shop and downsized junior anchor locations at five Atlanta-area shopping centers.

DDR said the new locations represent the continuation of efforts to strategically reduce small-shop space as well as rightsize junior anchors and re-lease the residual space at attractive market rents. At the locations where Five Below will be occupying downsized space, DDR will realize rental increases of nearly 50%.

PHOENIX — PetSmart CEO Robert Moran has taken on the additional role of chairman of the board, the company announced Friday. Moran has been the company's president and CEO since 2009, and served as president and COO from 2001 to 2009. Phil Francis, previously executive chairman, will remain a member of the board.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens on Thursday reported an approximate 150 basis-point negative impact on prescriptions filled based on prescription transfers, and other trend analysis of prescriptions managed by Express Scripts, as the chain posted its first monthly earning statement following the discontinuation of Walgreens relationship with Express Scripts. That represents an increase from a 110 basis-point impact in November, but falls short of the 200 basis-point impact projected by Credit Suisse research analyst Ed Kelly earlier this week.

CHICAGO — Investment research firm Morningstar has named the outgoing CEO of Costco Wholesale as its 2011 CEO of the Year, the company said Wednesday.

Costco CEO Jim Sinegal, who retired on New Year's Day, received the recognition for what Morningstar called his "exemplary corporate stewardship, independent thinking" and creating "lasting value for shareholders."

New York City -- Many retailers reported solid sales gains for December, but the deep discounts and promotions that shoppers have come to expect cut into profits.  A range of retailers, including Target and The Children’s Place, reduced their, reducing their earnings outlooks. Overall, retail sales rose 3.4% at the 22 retailers tracked by the Thomson Reuters same-store sales index, compared with the 3.3% analyst forecast.