Strategy

PLEASANTON, Calif. — Safeway is projecting that 2012 will be a good year for the retailer.

The company said ahead of an investor conference held Tuesday that it forecasts earnings per share will be in the range of $1.90 to $2.10 per diluted share. This compared with net income of $1.49 per diluted share in fiscal 2011, due to a tax charge 29 cents per diluted share. Excluding the charge, diluted earnings per share would have been $1.78 in fiscal 2011.

Yonkers, N.Y. -- After three consecutive months of improvement, the Consumer Reports Index for March slipped to 46.1, from 49.6 last month.

March's Consumer Reports Index measures overall consumer financial health and showed that the confidence of the American consumer is waning.

Further challenging consumer confidence, The Trouble Tracker Index increased slightly this month to 52.2 from 49.1 in February, and is now at its highest level since August 2011.

Oakbrook Terrace, Ill. -- Chicago-based Mid-America Real Estate Group announced the appointment of Cynthia J. Kratchman as a new principal at its Detroit-based division Mid-America Real Estate-Michigan Inc.

Kratchman joins the firm with more than 20 years of retail brokerage experience in Michigan, and will be primarily responsible for tenant representation, surplus disposition and high profile listings.

Previously, she was a broker with Landmark Commercial Real Estate Services.
 

Milwaukee -- MLG Capital said Tuesday that Craig Lashley has been promoted to principal of the firm.

Lashley is currently VP Investments. In his role, he concentrates on the acquisition of new properties and asset management of MLG's existing real estate investment portfolio, which includes 26 assets encompassing approximately 2.5 million sq. ft.
 

Ankeny, Iowa -- Casey's General Stores Inc. reported Monday that profit for the third quarter rose 30% to $16.7 million, from $12.9 million a year earlier. Casey's revenue rose from $1.37 billion to $1.58 billion.

Both figures missed Wall Street estimates.

PITTSBURGH — Forty new Dick’s Sporting Good stores are slated to open this year as the company remains undaunted by a weak fourth-quarter same-store sales performance at U.S. stores brought on by warmer than normal weather.

Omaha, Neb. -- Nash Finch Co. announced Monday that it will acquire Omaha, Neb., supermarket chain Bag ‘N Save, which will grow its retail grocery store portfolio by about 25%.

Primarily a food wholesaler, Nash Finch will absorb 11 stores in Omaha and one on York, Neb., through the acquisition. Terms have not been disclosed.

 

New York City -- In a conference call to investors on Tuesday, Foot Locker announced an updated strategic plan and financial initiatives intended to elevate the retailer’s performance for the 2012 to 2016 period.