Mergers & Acquisitions

Ankeny, Iowa -- Casey’s General Stores, Inc. reported impressive performance for its fiscal first quarter, with net income up 43% to $55.7 million, from $39 million.

Net revenue increased 10.5% to $2.1 billion, from $1.9 billion. The company credited strong sales in all categories, especially gasoline, with driving its performance.

Economic issues in Venezuela and fruit supply constraints affected Del Monte’s consumer business for the first quarter ended July 28. The company’s pet business, however, offset volume declines and helped net sales increase 0.3% to $823.9 million from $821.1 million for the prior-year quarter.

Cincinnati — Phillips Edison-ARC Shopping Center REIT Inc. www.phillipsedison-arc.com has announced the acquisition of two grocery-anchored shopping centers: Stockbridge Commons in Fort Mill, S.C., a suburb of Charlotte, and Dyer Crossing in Dyer Indiana, about 30 miles south of Chicago.

Anchored by a Harris Teeter grocery store, the 99,473-sq.-ft. Stockbridge Commons is currently 96% leased.

New York -- The planned merger between Saks Inc. and Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC) took another step forward with the expiration of the 40-day “go shop” period for Saks on Sept. 6. As previously disclosed, the merger agreement entered into on July 28, 2013 between Saks and HBC contained a 40-day “go-shop” period during which Saks was permitted to solicit alternative proposals from third parties.

Chicago — Jones Lang LaSalle recently appointed senior VP Larry Kilduff, a 25-year industry veteran, as head of the firm’s Midwest Retail platform, which is based in Chicago. Prior to JLL, Kilduff owned and operated two retail real estate development companies and worked with leading retailers including Wal-Mart, Target, Kmart, Sears, Bon-Ton, Kohl’s and J.C. Penney.

Richfield, Minn. -- Hubert Joly, president and CEO of Best Buy Co., Inc., exercised and sold 350,467 stock options and sold 100,686 shares of company stock on Sept. 6. Joly sold the stock due to circumstances relating to his divorce that was concluded in June of this year.

“As reflected in the Form 4, Joly's holdings remain substantially in excess of his 140,000 share ownership target under the company's executive stock ownership guidelines following the reported transaction,” Best Buy said in a press release.

Memphis, Tenn. — Perkins Restaurant & Bakery has announced a six-unit franchise development agreement in Iowa and Nebraska over the next six years. The franchisee, CyHawk Hospitality Inc., currently operates six Perkins Restaurants and Bakeries — five in Iowa and another in Independence, Mo.

The first of the six new units opened in July in Ankeny, Iowa. Another location in Norfolk, Neb., has broken ground with an anticipated opening later this month.

Los Angeles — PCG Woodland Hills Topanga LLC, an affiliate of Paragon Commercial Group, has acquired the Woodland Hills Shopping Center located in the Warner Center master planned community in the San Fernando Valley. Paragon Commercial Group acquires, develops and manages high quality, value add retail investments. The seller was Woodland Hills Retail.

The 112,649-sq.-ft. center was 100% leased at the time of the sale. Anchor tenants include Toys “R” Us, Office Depot and Off Broadway Shoes.