Costco Wholesale Corp.

New York -- Discounters, which are expected to fare well this holiday season, showed mixed results in November. TJX Cos. reported Thursday that November same-store sales climbed 3%, missing Wall Street’s expected 3.6% rise but beating the retailer’s internal expectations.

Target Corp. saw same-store sales fall in November, hurt by weak sales during the first two weeks. Comps dipped 1%, while Wall Street expected a 2.1% gain. Revenue for the month was essentially flat.

Costco will pay a $7 a share special dividend before year end as it looks to return cash to shareholders in advance of what is expected to be a 2013 tax increase on dividend payments.

The total payout will amount to about $3 billion and is extraordinarily generous. Especially considering Costco’s net cash provided by operating activities for its fiscal year ended September 2, was only slightly more than $3 billion and cash, cash equivalents and short term investments totaled $4.854 billion.

Issaquah, Wash. -- Costco Wholesale Corp. on Wednesday said it will pay a special dividend worth some $3.0 billion to investors, sending cash to its shareholders ahead of a likely increase in the dividend tax. The chain also posted monthly same-store sales that beat analysts' expectations.

“Our strong balance sheet and favorable access to the credit markets allow us to provide shareholders with this dividend,” Costco CFO Richard Galanti said in a statement.

By Craig Johnson, [email protected]

Walmart will sell a bazillion electronics products this holiday season, no thanks to Consumer Reports which rates the company last as a CE destination.

Apple and Costco were ranked one and two as the best venues for CE items followed by a bizarre classification called "independents," considering the CE space is dominated by chains. The Army and Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) and Sam’s Club ranked highly. Walmart was last among the 14 physical retailers ranked with a score of 81, compared to Apple and Costco at 92.

New York -- The TJX Cos. turned in the strongest performance among the discounters in October, reporting a 7% comp sales increase on Thursday.

According to TJX CEO Carol Meyrowitz, the above-plan performance has prompted the retailer to raise its outlook for the third quarter and full year. “We believe the momentum we are seeing in all of our businesses … bode well for the holiday selling season,” she said.

TJX sales for the period advanced 11% to $2.1 billion.

ISSAQUAH, Wash. — Costco's sales for October rose 9% to $7.67 billion from $7.01 billion during the similar period last year.

Total comps for the month increased 7%, consisting of a 7% increase in the United States, and a 9% increase internationally. Excluding the impact of fuel, U.S., international and total same-store sales increased by 5% each.

Peoria, Ill. -- Cullinan Properties Group, developer of the East Peoria (Ill.) Downtown development, said Friday that Ross Dress for Less will open a 25,000-sq.-ft. junior-anchor store at the mixed-use project, joining previously announced Target, Costco, Ulta and Gordman’s.

Red Robin Gourmet Burger will open a 4,001-sq.-ft. restaurant and dental chain Heartland Dental Care will open in a 2,700-sq.-ft. space.