Finance & Capital Management

Chesapeake, Va. -- Dollar Tree's fiscal fourth-quarter earnings rose 20.4% to $162.5 million amid rising sales and widening margins.

Net sales for the quarter, which ended Jan. 30, increased 10.7% to $1.73 billion . Same-store sales were up 3.9%.

The company's top-performing categories in the quarter included food, party supplies, health and beauty care, and housewares and home products.

NEW YORK — The Conference Board's Consumer Confidence Index reached 70.4 in February, a three-year high from February 2008, thanks to growing optimism about the short-term future.

Wake Forest, N.C. -- Jacksonville, Fla.-based Regency Centers announced the opening of the anchor tenant, Harris Teeter, for Harris Crossing located in Wake Forest, N.C. Harris Teeter will operate a 53,282-sq.-ft. store.  

Together with partner WelCor Development, Regency closed on the purchase of 15 acres of undeveloped land in 2008 in order to build the 65,150-sq.-ft. neighborhood center which includes 12,150 sq. ft. of small shop space and three outparcels.

Little Rock, Ark. -- Dillard's said Tuesday that its net income grew 38% in the fourth quarter as its sales improved and the retailer controlled expenses and inventory.

Dillard's earnings rose to $109.6 million in the three months ended Jan. 29, compared with $79.5 million one year earlier.

Sales rose 5% to $1.93 billion from $1.83 billion, with merchandise sales up 6% to $1.91 billion. The rest of its revenue comes from its CDI Contractors construction business. Same-store sales rose 7%.

Mooresville, N.C. -- Lowe’s reported a 39% increase in fiscal fourth-quarter earnings to $285 million, up from $205 million a year earlier.

Sales grew 3% in the latest quarter to $10.5 billion. Same-store sales rose 1.1%.

For fiscal 2010, net income grew to $2 billion, from $1.8 billion in fiscal 2009. Sales grew to $48.8 billion from $47.2 billion.

The company expects to open 25 to 30 stores in 2011.

On Feb. 17, Borders Group announced that it had retained Melville, N.Y.-based DJM Realty, a Gordon Bros. Group Co., to manage the disposition project of the 200 stores that would be shuttered as a result of the bookseller’s just-reported Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing.

Chain Store Age talked with Andy Graiser, co-president of DJM Realty, about the assignment, and how a better Borders might emerge from the process.

Tell me about the Borders assignment, including your timeline and strategy for disposition.

NEW YORK — Saks returned to profitability in its fiscal fourth quarter as the chain sold more items at full-price and used fewer promotions.

The company reported net income of $25 million for the period ended Jan. 29, compared with a loss of $4.6 million a year earlier.

Revenue rose 7% to $866.3 million, topping Wall Street's estimate of $854.4 million. Same-store sales were up 8.4%, compared with the year-ago period.

Miami Beach, Fla. -- Joint venture affiliates of Terranova Corp. and Acadia Realty Trust announced they have closed on the acquisition of three Lincoln Road properties in Miami Beach, Fla.

The approximately $52 million deal adds just over 61,000 sq. ft. to their urban street-front retail portfolios.

Current tenants at the properties include Starbucks, Geox Shoes, and Zagat-rated restaurants Sushi Samba Dromo and Tacontento. Terranova will manage and lease the Lincoln Road properties.