Sobeys

In its seventh year, the annual Top Redevelopers survey took a little turn. Chain Store Age’s coverage of the prior year’s redevelopment highlights has been expanded to include an additional six-month period in order to make the results as current as possible. So, instead of covering redevelopment projects that occurred during calendar year 2010, this year’s results include the first six months of 2011, as well.


Pleasanton, Calif. -- Safeway reported a 6% rise in fiscal third-quarter profit amid stronger revenue from gasoline sales and cost control efforts. Net income rose to $130.2 million for the period ended Sept. 10, up from $122.8 million, or 33 cents per share, a year ago.

Revenue rose 7% to $10.06 billion, from $9.4 billion. Same-store sales, excluding fuel, rose 1.5%
 

PLEASANTON, Calif. — Safeway reported net income of $130.2 million (38 cents per diluted share) for the third quarter of 2011 compared with $122.8 million (33 cents per diluted share) for the third quarter of 2010.

Total sales were $10.1 billion in the third quarter of 2011 compared with $9.4 billion in the third quarter of 2010, due primarily to higher fuel sales, a 1.5% increase in identical-store sales (excluding fuel) and a higher Canadian exchange rate.

Promotions during September saw mixed outcome with some retailers increasing the number of pages and inserts, while the rest decreased the volume of promotions. The contrasting promotional strategies among the retailers led to the overall change being minimal. 

Like August, the largest decrease was Lowes, which saw a 61% drop in number of number of pages per market and 54% decline in inserts per market. This was a result of Lowes not having promotions in the second and third week of both August and September.

San Ramon, Calif. -- Jacksonville, Fla.-based Regency Centers said that two new tenants have leased space at Diablo Plaza, located in San Ramon, Calif.

Beverages & more! leased 12,015 sq. ft. and is slated to open this fall. Another new addition, West Coast Gold Buyers, leased 1,300 sq. ft. and is now open.

The 63,265-sq.-ft. center includes national retailers such as Safeway, CVS/pharmacy, Verizon Wireless and McDonald’s.

Walmart continues to be the undisputed champ when it comes to the lowest prices, but recent “studies” indicate a range of opinions as to whether the champ is retaining the title in split decision bouts that go the distance as opposed to first round knock outs.

The variation in opinion depends on who you ask and where you look. The pricing gap between Target and Walmart narrowed last month to a scant 1.7% as Walmart took prices up slightly during August while Target did the opposite, according to a monthly survey by the retail research team at Credit Suisse.

PLEASANTON, Calif. — Safeway announced that Portland, Ore. has been named "America's Most Natural City." The city earned the title by garnering the most votes on Facebook.  As a result, Portland will receive a donation of $20,000 and 25 picnic tables constructed from the Guinness World Record holder for the World's Longest Picnic Table. 

PLEASANTON, Calif. — Safeway's annual fundraising initiative to benefit breast cancer research once again has commenced.