Department Store

Dillard’s CEO William T. Dillard II voiced disappointment in the retailer’s gross margin performance despite what he called a profitable fourth quarter. Although comparable sales grew 2%, the retailer said lower-than-anticipated sales necessitated heavy markdowns.

Paramus, N.J. — Vornado Realty Trust has announced an agreement to sell the 1.1 million-sq.-ft. Broadway Mall in Hicksville, Long Island, N.Y., for $94 million to an unknown buyer. The company purchased the mall in 2005 for $152.5 million.

In April 2012, the company announced its intention to reduce exposure to the enclosed mall business and to sell some of its other categories of retail shopping centers. This sale, Vornado’s last shopping center on Long Island, represents a continuation of that policy.

Dublin, Calif. -- Ross Dress for Less will open its first store in Oakland, Calif. on March 8, bringing the total to more than 250 stores in California, the retailer’s largest state. The new location will be in Foothill Square in Oakland.  

Together, Ross Dress for Less and DD’s Discounts currently operate approximately 1,300 off-price apparel and home fashion stores in 33 states, the District of Columbia and Guam.

Seattle – Amazom.com is reportedly seeking to strike deals with about 10 major retailers, including Abercrombie & Fitch, Neiman Marcus, J. Crew, Ralph Lauren, and Lord & Taylor, to sell their goods via listings on its e-commerce site.

Los Angeles — Hong Kong is by far the world’s most expensive city for global retailers. Even so, prime rents in major global markets such as New York, Paris and London continue to break records, according to new research from global property advisor CBRE Group.

Seattle – Holiday markdowns and costs associated with growing its Nordstrom Rack outlet brand and planned entry into Canada had a negative impact on net earnings at Nordstrom Inc. during fourth quarter 2013. Fourth quarter net earnings slipped 6% compared to the same quarter the prior year, to $268 million from $284 million.

Net earnings for the full fiscal year remained almost flat, slightly rising to $735 million from $734 million. Both earnings figures fell short of Wall Street expectations.

New York -- G Asset Management, LLC ("GAM"), a private investment management firm, has made a proposal to acquire 51% of Barnes & Noble Inc., valuing the company at $22 per share, or about $1.3 billion. This is a 10% increase on the $20 per share offer G Asset made for 51% of Barnes & Noble in November 2013.