Lowe's

Mooresville, N.C. -- Lowe's Co. reported fourth quarter profits that topped Wall Street estimates, helped rebuilding efforts in the wake of Hurricane Sandy and general remodeling activity. The retailer also said it authorized a new $5 billion share buyback program that it expects to use in the next two year

Rebuilding Together has teamed up with Lowe's through its Community Partners program to provide free home repairs to four low-income homeowners and to support the Friendly House in the Central City neighborhood of Phoenix on Feb. 20 and 21.

In its six years of partnering with Rebuilding Together, Lowe's has donated $7 million and completed 958 projects across the country.

More than 100 Lowe's Heroes employee volunteers from area Lowe's stores will team with Rebuilding Together Valley of the Sun.

Oak Brook, Ill. -- Inland Diversified Real Estate Trust announced Monday the acquisition of a majority interest a portfolio of six grocery/home-improvement-anchored retail properties located in Las Vegas.

The properties were acquired in a joint venture between a subsidiary of Inland Diversified and affiliates of the seller Territory Inc.; the joint venture valued the portfolio at about $296 million.

Valspar will become the new paint supplier for Ace Hardware, according to Retailing Today sister publication Home Channel News.

Said to be in the final stages of inking the deal, Valspar would replace Ace Hardware’s signature brand Benjamin Moore.

Mooresville, N.C. -- Lowe’s Companies announced that that Marise Kumar has joined the company as senior VP strategy and modeling. She joins Lowe’s with more than 25 years of experience in brand management, general management and executive leadership, serving most recently as chief customer experience officer and chief marketing officer for Best Buy.

San Jose, Calif. -- Orchard Supply Hardware Stores Corp. said Wednesday it has named Samantha Osselaer as VP marketing, effective Nov. 5.

Osselaer was most recently senior director, creative and branding, for Overstock.com and has also served as a creative VP for both Smith & Hawken and Macy’s.

As one of her duties, Osselaer will lead the branding and marketing of the chain’s new neighborhood store format that is currently being rolled out.

San Jose, Calif. -- Orchard Supply Hardware Stores Corp. said Friday it will add two California stores to its rollout of a new neighborhood format, with the grand re-openings of a pair of stores in the company’s hometown of San Jose on Oct. 6.

Both stores have been operational for years, but the company said that the reformatting is so significant that they would be marked by grand re-opening celebrations.

San Jose, Calif. -- Orchard Supply Hardware Stores Corp. reported Tuesday a loss of $26.7 million for the quarter ended July 28, compared with net income of $3.9 million in the year-ago period. The results include write-offs and charges related to real estate sale-leaseback transactions.

Sales dipped to $194.1 million from $196.4 million, and same-store sales edged up 0.9%.