Supply Chain & Merchandising

Specialty retailer Express said its same store sales for the third quarter ended October 27, declined 5% and profits declined to $17.4 million, or 20 cents a share, compared to $32.7 million, or 37 cents a share.

Total sales for the period declined 4% to $468.5 million and gross margins contracted to 32.3% of sales from 36.2% of sales the prior year. Expenses increased to 25.1% of sales form 23.6% of sales.

Duluth, Ga. -- NCR Corp. announced a definitive agreement for NCR to acquire Retalix Ltd., a leading global provider of innovative retail software and services, for a cash purchase price of $30.00 per Retalix share, for a transaction value of approximately $650 million.

Branded food supplier ConAgra’s acquisition of private label rival Ralcorp promises to create an interesting new dynamic when it comes to trading partner relationships.

Earlier this week, the companies announced they had reached an agreement valued at $6.8 billion whereby ConAgra will acquire Ralcorp for $90 a share to create one of the nation’s largest food companies with annual sales of roughly $18 billion.

Issaquah, Wash. -- Costco Wholesale Corp. on Wednesday said it will pay a special dividend worth some $3.0 billion to investors, sending cash to its shareholders ahead of a likely increase in the dividend tax. The chain also posted monthly same-store sales that beat analysts' expectations.

“Our strong balance sheet and favorable access to the credit markets allow us to provide shareholders with this dividend,” Costco CFO Richard Galanti said in a statement.

Costco will pay a $7 a share special dividend before year end as it looks to return cash to shareholders in advance of what is expected to be a 2013 tax increase on dividend payments.

The total payout will amount to about $3 billion and is extraordinarily generous. Especially considering Costco’s net cash provided by operating activities for its fiscal year ended September 2, was only slightly more than $3 billion and cash, cash equivalents and short term investments totaled $4.854 billion.

Birmingham, Ala. -- Bayer Properties announced that, through a joint venture between it and institutional investors advised by J.P. Morgan Asset Management, has acquired The Avenue Webb Gin outdoor mixed-use shopping center from Atlanta-based Cousins Properties.

By Phillip M. Perry

Overcast with clearing skies — That’s the economic forecast from a major research firm as retailers enter a new year. Drizzly conditions will remain at least for the first half of 2013 as consumers hold tight to their pocketbooks. By the summer, though, light should break through the clouds as the resolutions of critical national uncertainties encourage corporate hiring, capital investment and consumer spending.

The strategic role that IT plays in retail is evident as retailers across the board continue to up their technology investments. And with retail innovation being driven largely by tech-related advances in customer analytics, mobile and social commerce, and cross-channel strategies, IT spending is expected to remain a top priority.

But with increased investment comes the risk of overspending, warned NPI, a spend-management consulting firm that works with large retailers to maximize IT and telecom spending.