Large Chains

Cincinnati -- Phillips Edison and Co.'s Fund IV announced its acquisition of Marketplace Shopping Center, in Independence, Mo.

The property was purchased from Centro Properties Group and Ingrid Long and Drew Quinn of Grubb & Ellis represented the Seller on the transaction. The 241,682-sq.-ft shopping center is anchored by Price Chopper.

Amsterdam -- Royal Ahold NV reported Thursday that its third-quarter profit fell 4.4% to $315 million. The Dutch owner of the Stop & Shop and Giant supermarkets in the United States cited higher taxes for the performance decline.

Sales rose 11% to $9.12 billion.

U.S. same-store sales rose 1%. In the Netherlands, where Ahold operates the dominant Albert Heijn chain, same-store sales rose 4.5%.
 

Natick, Mass. -- BJ's Wholesale Club reported third-quarter earnings Wednesday that beat Wall Street expectations on improved revenue from gas and merchandise rose. The warehouse club operator raised its earnings guidance for the year.

BJ’s net income rose to $23 million for the three months ended Oct. 30, up from $17.4 million a year ago.

Revenue rose 5% to $2.63 billion from $2.51 billion last year, just shy of the $2.64 billion expected by analysts. Same-store sales rose 2.5%, or 1.5% excluding gas sales.

Modesto, Calif. -- Save Mart Supermarkets is set to launch a new value-focused concept, called Maxx Value Foods, which is designed to offer consumers lower prices, with a center aisle dedicated to high-value offerings.

The chain has converted a 34,000-sq.-ft. conventional store in Modesto, Calif., into the new format, which will debut on Wednesday.

The limited-selection store will retain the appearance of a conventional grocery store, but will use a selection of products as a key element to drive down prices, the company said.

Cincinnati -- A Monday report by the Cincinnati Business Courier said that Kroger Co. is planning to spend about $15 million to renovate four stores in the Cincinnati area in 2011.

The grocery retailer said it plans to renovate stores in Westwood, Madeira and Montgomery, Ohio, as well as a store in Cold Spring, Ky.

The Westwood and Montgomery locations are scheduled for renovation in the first half of 2011, while Kroger is still finalizing the renovation plans for the Madeira and Cold Spring stores.

Brussels, Belgium -- Delhaize Group announced on Monday that AllianceBernstein LP lifted its voting stake in the food retailer to 5.04%.

The New York asset manager, a member of France's AXA group, now holds 5.11 million Delhaize shares, compared with 3.73 million as of Oct. 5, Delhaize reported.