Development/Redevelopment

Following September sales that were above its guidance, Cato Corporation is increasing its third-quarter guidance.

The company reported sales of $79.7 million for the five weeks ended Oct. 4, a 9% increase over sales of $72.9 million for the five weeks ended Oct. 5, 2013. Same-store sales for the five-week period increased 5% from the prior year.

Sales for the 35 weeks ended Oct. 4 were $669.5 million, up 7% from the same period last year. The company's year-to-date same-store sales increased 4% from the prior year.

Issaquah, Wash. -- Costco Wholesale Corp. on Wednesday reported fiscal fourth-quarter net income of $697 million, exceeding Wall Street forecasts, amid strong back-to-school sales and higher membership fees. The retailer reported net income of $617 million in the year-ago period.

Total sales for the quarter, ended Aug. 31, rose 9.3% to $35.52 billion, also better than expected.

Same-store sales rose 7% (excluding fuel).

Toronto -- Slate Retail REIT announced that it has entered into a binding agreement to purchase two grocery-anchored shopping centers.

Oakland Commons, a 73,705-sq.-ft. property in Bloomington, Illinois, will be acquired for $8.2 million ($111 per square foot). The 100% occupied property is anchored by Jewel-Osco, a subsidiary of Albertsons LLC.

Dublin, California -- Ross Dress for Less will open a new store in the Ridgewood Court Shopping Center, in the capital city of Jackson, Mississippi, on Oct. 11. It is the retailer’s second location in the greater Jackson area.

This new opening is part of the retailer’s 2014 expansion program, totaling approximately 75 new locations during the year.  

Together, Ross Dress for Less and dd’s Discounts currently operate over 1,300 off-price apparel and home fashion stores in 33 states, the District of Columbia and Guam.

Despite sluggish comparable store sales in the second quarter, Container Store chairman and CEO Kip Tindell is pleased with the company’s overall earnings performance, driven in part by increased average ticket growth as well as new store growth.

Newport Beach, Calif. -- Mark Lucescu, president of Lucescu Realty, announced the sale of Ventura Village Shopping Center in Ventura, California, for $23.25 million. 

Lucescu exclusively represented the interests of the seller, Regency Centers, a publicly traded real estate investment trust, headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida. In addition to representing Regency Centers in the sale, Lucescu also procured the buyer, a private company.
 

Dublin, Calif. - Ross Dress for Less will open a new store in Kansas on Oct. 11. The store is located in Schulman Crossing in Garden City.  

This new opening is part of the retailer’s 2014 expansion program, totaling approximately 75 new locations during the year. 

Dallas -- Cypress Equities companies announced that Cypress Lake Pleasant, LP, a new affiliated partnership, has purchased the fee simple interest in the Lake Pleasant Crossing shopping center in Peoria, Arizona.

Cypress previously held a ground lease interest in the property, having developed the existing shopping center and Lowe’s Home Improvement Center on the site. With the purchase, Cypress is in the process of making several upgrades to the existing center as well as planning for the second phase of development.