Financial/Banking

Walmart president and CEO Bill Simon prefaced his comments at the Goldman Sach Global Retailing Conference by saying he wouldn’t have much to say. That proved to not be the case as Simon said a lot about a wide range of subjects.
 

West Orange, N.J. — Paul V. Profeta and Associates, a real estate investment firm, has completed the sale of 12 Walgreens properties in nine states to Inland Real Estate Acquisitions. The purchase price was $60 million or more than $330 per square foot.

All of the properties are occupied under long-term 75-year triple-net leases with the Walgreens pharmacy chain. Walgreens has the right to cancel after 25 years.

Coppell, Texas – Alco Stores, Inc. is not accepting an acquisition proposal from Everbright Development Overseas, Ltd., Luis Chang and Mai Wong. The Alco board of directors has determined that the proposal, tendered on Sept. 6, is not a superior proposal to a roughly $47 million offer the retailer received from Argonne Capital Group LLC on July 25.

Philadelphia -- The Pep Boys – Manny, Moe & Jack reported net earnings of $5.4 million for the second quarter, down from $33 million in the year-ago quarter.

Sales for the quarter increased 0.4% to $527.6 million, from $525.7 million for the prior-year quarter. Same-store sales dipped 1.3%.

The company is looking for heavier consumer demand for tires to help turn around disappointing net earnings and same-store sales trends during the second quarter of fiscal 2013.  

Ankeny, Iowa -- Casey’s General Stores, Inc. reported impressive performance for its fiscal first quarter, with net income up 43% to $55.7 million, from $39 million.

Net revenue increased 10.5% to $2.1 billion, from $1.9 billion. The company credited strong sales in all categories, especially gasoline, with driving its performance.

Richfield, Minn. -- Hubert Joly, president and CEO of Best Buy Co., Inc., exercised and sold 350,467 stock options and sold 100,686 shares of company stock on Sept. 6. Joly sold the stock due to circumstances relating to his divorce that was concluded in June of this year.

“As reflected in the Form 4, Joly's holdings remain substantially in excess of his 140,000 share ownership target under the company's executive stock ownership guidelines following the reported transaction,” Best Buy said in a press release.

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — Kmart has launched a low-cost check-cashing service for Shop Your Way members at stores nationwide. 

Boston -- Restructuring and investment firm Gordon Brothers Group has acquired oil and gas appraisal company Appraisal Systems, and will use the acquisition to propel the launch of GB Energy Partners.
 
GB Energy Partners combines the energy expertise of Gordon Brothers Group, Emerald Technology Valuations and ASI into one comprehensive appraisal and disposition platform.