Supply Chain & Merchandising

New York City -- Home Depot on Wednesday slightly raised its fiscal 2010 earnings guidance for the second time in two months as the market for home-improvement projects slowly begins to improve. The retailer plans to open 10 stores in 2011, and has budgeted $1.3 billion in capital expenditures. and about $2.5 billion on share repurchases.

The retailer now expects net income from continuing operations to be $1.97 per share, up from prior guidance of $1.94 per share. Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters, on average, also predict $1.94 per share.

Ankeny, Iowa -- Casey's General Stores reported on Wednesday that the costs of its recapitalization plan and its defense against hostile bids by competitor Canada’s Alimentation Couche-Tard take a bite out of its second-quarter net income.

Casey's said it earned $21.7 million for the quarter that ended Oct. 31, compared with $33.6 million in the same quarter last year. The results include roughly $19.4 million in expenses related to its recapitalization plan and the dispute with Couche-Tard.

Issaquah, Wash. -- Costco Wholesale Corp.'s profit climbed 18% in its first fiscal quarter, buoyed by sales from its consolidated Mexican operations and improved sales and traffic at its U.S. stores. Net income rose to $312 million for the period ended Nov. 21, up from $266 million a year earlier.

The results topped analysts' average forecasts.

Revenue rose 11% to $19.24 billion from $17.3 billion, also beating Wall Street's expectation.

Landover, Md. -- Two-and-a-half years after joining the company, Robin Michel is leaving as president of the Giant-Landover division of Ahold USA to pursue other opportunities, the company confirmed Monday.

Michel will depart at the end of the month, according to Ahold USA spokesperson Sara Neumann. She will be replaced on a temporary basis as operations chief by Don Sussman, executive VP supply chain at Ahold, while the company conducts a search for a successor.

Dublin, Ohio -- Pharmaceuticals distributor Cardinal Health said Tuesday it renewed a deal to provide drugs to Walgreens’ pharmacies through 2013.

Cardinal Health did not disclose terms of its agreement with the chain. The companies renewed their deal early, as their last contract was signed in early 2008 and was set to last for three years.