Apparel

Urban Outfitters reported substantial gains in net sales for the fourth quarter and fiscal year 2014, driven primarily by the company’s Anthropologie and Free People brands.

Total company sales in the quarter increased 6% to $906 million from $856.8 million in the year-ago period — less than Wall Street expected.

Winnipeg, Manitoba -- Silver Jeans Co. will open a store at Woodfield Mall on April 11, in Schaumburg, Ill.

"We put a lot of work into making sure the store environment represents our brand," says Michael Silver, CEO, Silver Jeans Co. "Consumers will be able to experience our brand values by visiting one of our lofts. We've created an environment that has a comfortable modern feeling but also lets our guests know that we're a historic brand with a rich 92-year history."

Toronto -- Michael Culhane, CFO of Hudson’s Bay Company, has resigned following a leave of absence from the company.  

Culhane went on personal leave on January 22, at which time COO and president Donald Watros was appointed acting CFO. He will continue in that role until a permanent replacement is named.

“This is the ideal time for me to leave HBC as the company is well positioned for the future,” said Culhane. “I wish all of HBC’s associates and business partners continued success.”

West Bloomfield, Mich. -- Mid-America Real Estate — Michigan has announced two new leases. DXL Men’s Apparel has taken a 10,514-sq.-ft. store on Miller Road in Flint, Mich. Mid-America represented DXL in the transaction

Jersey Mike’s has leased a 1,400-sq.-ft. location in the Canton Corners Shopping Center in Canton, Mich. Mid-America represented the landlord, Canton Corners Co., in the negotiations.

Burlington, Mass. — The investment sales team at KeyPoint Partners has completed the sale of eight properties throughout New England. Totaling about 440,000 sq. ft., the properties consist of shopping centers, mixed-use and single-tenant buildings in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Connecticut. The aggregate price of the properties was in excess of $30 million. The properties include:

• Shaw’s Plaza, a 121,660-sq.-ft. shopping center in Providence, R.I.

Indianapolis — Simon Property Group has received zoning approval from the Montgomery County Council in Maryland by unanimous vote for the development of Clarksburg Premium Outlets at Cabin Branch.

Simon Property Group, New England Development and Streetscape Partners make up the development team for the project, which will add 1,500 jobs and more than $150 million in private investment to the local economy. The development team is planning to open Clarksburg Premium Outlets by late 2015.

By David Weinberger, CBX

New York -- Retail and consumer (R&C) total transaction value in the United States for 2013 surpassed $100 billion for the first time since 2008, according to PwC’s US retail and consumer deals insights 2013 Year in Review and 2014 Outlook report. Deals in the food and beverage sector and private equity (PE) investment in the apparel, footwear and accessories sector continued to drive activity in the R&C industry.

Brisbane, Calif. – Bebe Stores Inc. is reportedly considering selling the business. According to Reuters, an anonymous source with inside knowledge said Bebe has hired Guggenheim Securities to help evaluate a possible sale.

New York – The Jones Group Inc. reported mixed results for the fourth quarter and fiscal year 2013, with net loss and net sales falling in both periods compared to the same periods a year earlier. Net loss fell to $47.1 million from $80.1 million during the fourth quarter, and to $19.7 million from $55 million during the full year.

However, net sales declined 8.5% to $876.5 million from $958.3 million during the quarter, and fractionally to $3.72 billion from $3.75 billion during the full year.