Financial/Banking

Leominster, Mass. -- Vintage Real Estate has purchased The Mall at Whitney Field, a 700,000-sq.-ft. regional shopping center in Leominster, Mass., about 35 miles west of Boston. Anchors include Macy’s, Sears, J.C. Penney, Market Basket, Toys “R” Us and Old Navy.

Concurrent with the acquisition, Burlington Coat Factor signed a 10-year lease for a 66,000-sq.-ft. space formerly occupied by Circuit City.

Fort Lauderdale, Fla. -- Marcus & Millichap Real Estate Investment Services has promoted Douglas K. Mandel to first VP investments. Mandel also serves as senior director of the firm’s National Office and Industrial Properties Group and director of the National Retail Group.

In 2012, Mandel was the firm’s top office and industrial agent nationwide.

Walmart U.S. chief merchandising and marketing officer Duncan Mac Naughton will have some explaining to do next week when he is scheduled to participate in the 33rd Annual William Blair Growth Stock Conference on Wednesday, June 12.

The Woodlands, Texas -- Conn's Inc.’s net income nearly doubled in its first-quarter, with strong sales of furniture and mattresses and some higher prices. The company lifted its fiscal 2014 adjusted earnings forecast.

Conn's earned a better-than-expected $22.2 million for the quarter ended April 30, up from $11.6 million a year ago.

Revenue jumped 25% to $251.1 million. Same-store sales rose 16.5%.

Greenwich, Conn. -- Urstadt Biddle Properties Inc. has acquired two retail properties on Putnam Avenue (US Route 1) in Greenwich, Conn., for $18 million.

West Putnam Plaza is a 9,300-sq.-ft. retail strip center shadow-anchored by a Stop & Shop supermarket. National tenants include Cosi and JP Morgan Chase Bank. A wine retailer, day spa and women’s fitness studio round out the tenant list.

The second property is Cos Cob Plaza, a 15,000-sq.-ft. retail and office center. Tenants include Jos. A. Bank.

Cincinnati -- Devin I. Murphy has joined Phillips Edison-ARC Shopping Center REIT Inc. (www.phillipsedison-arc.com) as CFO, treasurer and secretary.

“With over 25 years of experience in the real estate investment industry, including executive leadership positions with Morgan Stanley and Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., Devin brings significant experience to the company,” said Jeffrey Edison, co-chairman of the board and CEO.

DALLAS — Neiman Marcus reported net earnings of $71 million for the third quarter ended April 27, a 13% increase from $63 million in the prior year. 

The company’s total revenues for the quarter were $1.1 billion, a 4% increase from $1.06 billion in the prior year. Comparable revenues increased 4%. 

Boca Raton, Fla. -- Office Depot has reached an agreement to sell its 50% stake in Office Depot de Mexico S.A. de C.V. to its joint venture partner Grupo Gigante, S.A.B. de C.V. for roughly $690 million in cash.

Office Depot de Mexico, which was founded in 1994 as a joint partnership between Office Depot and Grupo Gigante, has more than 248 stores throughout Mexico and Central America and more than $1.1 billion in annual sales.