Top Retailers

ISSAQUAH, Wash. — Wholesaler Costco on Tuesday said its board of directors has approved a $4 billion share buyback program. The company also raised its quarterly dividend by 17% to 24 cents, up from 20.5 cents.

The share buyback program expires in April 2015 and replaces a previous plan set to expire in July, which had $800 million remaining, the company said.

PLEASANTON, Calif. — Net income for Safeway dropped due to a tax charge and the retailer's decision to repatriate $1.1 billion from its wholly owned Canadian subsidiary, although the company noted revenue rose nearly 5%.

Net income for the first quarter ended March 26 dropped to $25.1 million, or 7 cents per diluted share, compared with $96 million, or 25 cents per diluted share, in first quarter 2010. Excluding the tax charge, Safeway said first-quarter net income was $105.3 million, or 29 cents per diluted share.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens has inked a deal to acquire 10 Carle RxExpress pharmacies from The Carle Foundation, an integrated network of healthcare services based in East Central Illinois.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Just a few months after launching its Doorstep Grocer program, Meijer is allowing its online shoppers to order items and have the merchandise shipped to a local store at no cost.

The new Order-to-Store program allows shoppers to designate which Meijer store they would like to use as their pickup location. Once the order is received by the store, the customer will receive email notification that his or her items are ready for pickup.

CAMP HILL, Pa. — Rite Aid’s same-store sales for April increased by 0.5%, compared with April 2010, the pharmacy retailer said Wednesday.

This included a 0.4% decrease in sales at the front end and a 1% increase in pharmacy sales, offset by 133 basis points due to new introductions of generic drugs. Prescription count at comparable stores increased by 0.7%.

CINCINNATI — Kroger has named Keith Dailey as the company's external corporate communications director.

According to the company, Dailey will oversee national media communications for Kroger, which operates 2,458 supermarkets and multidepartment stores in 31 states under two dozen local banner names.

Serving as the spokesman for such a large company should come easy to Dailey. As the communications director for former Ohio governor Ted Strickland, Dailey likely had his fair share of media issues to tackle.

MINNEAPOLIS — Supervalu recently promoted three executives in its retail market development division, according to a report published Wednesday at GlobeSt.com.

Joe McKeska and Mark Lavin were promoted to group VP real estate and market and development, in the East and West regions, respectively. And Sharon Lessard, who heads Supervalu’s store design team, has been promoted to chief design officer.

RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. — The New Life Agency has added a prescription progesterone supplement and RESOLVE: the National Fertility Association to the Fertility Pharmacy Care Card.