Consumer Affairs & Relations

New York -- Target Corp. plans to lay off about 550 headquarters employees as the company winds down its Canadian operations, the Star Tribune reported Wednesday. The retailer is also eliminating 170 positions at its tech operations in India that supported the Canadian venture.

About 350 of the headquarters job are being eliminated Wednesday, with the remaining employees to be let go after Target’s stores in Canada are liquidated.

Whole Foods Market's value message is resonating with shoppers as America’s favorite natural grocer delivered same store sales growth of 4.5% and record first quarter profits.

Whole Foods said sales for its first quarter ended Jan. 18 increased 10% to $4.7 billion due to the addition of new selling space and the increased productivity of existing stores reflected in the 4.5% comp increase, which pushed sales per square foot to $990.

Pier 1 Imports Inc. has retracted its profit guidance for the fourth quarter and replaced its chief financial officer after what the company's CEO said was a miscalculated financial forecast.

CEO Alex W. Smith said the retailer’s same store sales growth in January was 5.7%, well below a forecast that "overestimated the recapture of lost sales from last year’s storms.”

Austin, Texas -- Whole Foods Market's value message is resonating with shoppers as the chain delivered same store sales growth of 4.5% and record first quarter profits as net income increased to $167 million from $158 million.

The retailer said sales for its first quarter ended Jan. 18 increased 10% to $4.67 billion due to the addition of new selling space and the increased productivity of existing stores reflected in the 4.5% comp increase, which pushed sales per square foot to $990.

Procter & Gamble Co. has added the former CEO and chairman of Home Depot Inc. to its board of directors.

Francis Blake, 65, joins the board efefctive immediately.

The move comes just a few days after his retirement as chairman of Home Depot. He stepped down from the CEO position in November.

Discontinuing tobacco sales a year ago may have been the right thing to do for CVS Health, but the company’s fourth quarter results offer other retailers contemplating a similar move a glimpse of the short term impact on sales.

Non-pharmacy front of store same store sales at CVS Health locations declined 7.2% during the fourth quarter but would have registered a slight increase were it not for an 800 basis point negative impact associated with lost sale of tobacco and related products.

Livermore, Calif. -- Simon announced today that Livermore Premium Outlets, the Bay Area's premier outlet shopping center, will be rebranded and named San Francisco Premium Outlets in conjunction with its major expansion.

The 512,000-sq.-ft. center opened in 2012 and is currently undergoing a significant expansion to add 185,000 sq. ft. to be populated by leading designer brands, opening on August 13, 2015.

Seattle – Rising selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses resulted in shrinking profits for Blue Nile Inc. during the fourth quarter and fiscal year 2014, despite healthy sales growth. In the fourth quarter, net income dropped 2% to $4.83 million from $4.93 million.

Net sales rose 8% to $157.47 million from $145.96 million. During the full fiscal year, net income fell 12% to $9.73 million, from $10.87 million. Net sales grew 5% to $473.51 million, from $450 million.