Marketing

Shoppers are hungry for convenience and value and Target continues to deliver both.

Target’s second quarter sales increased 3.5% to $16.5 billion and the company’s profits grew 2.9% to $1.06, five cents better than analysts expected.

The company’s second quarter results were negatively affected by pre-opening expenses related to next year’s entry into Canada. Excluding those expenses, Target said its profits would have increased 4.6% to $1.12 compared to $1.07 last year. Including expenses related to Canada, Target increased its full year profit forecast to a range of $4.20 to $4.40 from an earlier guidance range of $4.10 to $4.30.

Minneapolis -- Supervalu announced that it is restructuring its executive leadership team to ensure alignment around the company’s goals and to better drive and execute the company’s business turnaround.

Dallas  -- J.C. Penney Co.  has unveiled details of its three newest brand shops.
 
The shop will debut September 1, in nearly 700 stores nationwide. , They feature dedicated in-store environments for Liz Claiborne, Izod, and  a new private-label line of fashion basics line called jcp.

For a video tour, click here.
 

Bentonville, Ark. -- Walmart will offer holders of its gift cards, credit cards and prepaid debit cards a discount on gasoline of up to 15 cents a gallon until Dec. 24, 2012.
 
The program will offer shoppers using a Walmart gift card a 10-cents-per-gallon discount. Those who use a Walmart MoneyCard or Walmart credit card will save 15 cents per gallon. The discounts will be available at more than 1,000 Murphy USA and Wal-Mart gas stations in 20 states.
   

Minneapolis -- Supervalu announced that it is restructuring its executive leadership team to ensure alignment around the company’s goals and to better drive and execute the company’s business turnaround.

Hong Kong -- Taubman Asia confirmed a joint venture agreement between Taubman TCBL and Beijing Wangfujing Department Store (Group) Co., Ltd (Wangfujing), one of China's largest department store chains.
 
The joint venture will own a controlling interest in and manage a shopping center to be located at Xi'an Saigao City Plaza, a large-scale mixed-use development in Xi'an, China, which is developed by Shaanxi Fuli Real Estate Development Co. Ltd. This is the first retail development by Taubman TCBL in China since the company was formed in late 2011.

Ron Johnson, CEO of J.C. Penney Co., gives a sneak preview of the company’s latest wave of brand shops, which will open in nearly 700 Penney stores nationwide on Sept 1. The new shops are dedicated to three brands: Liz Claiborne, IZOD and jcp – a new exclusive brand dedicated to high-quality fashion basics.

Click here for a video tour of the new shops.

Hampstead, Md. -- JoS A. Bank Clothiers reported that its earnings in the second quarter rose 12.7% to $23.2 million, from $20.6 million a year earlier, easily beating analysts projections. The retailer said it plans to open about 45 to 50 stores each in fiscal 2012 and 2013.

Total sales in the quarter rose 12.9% to $260.3 million. Sales in the company's direct marketing segment, which consists of the Internet and catalog call centers, rose 39.3%.Same-store store sales increased 6.1%.

SPARKS, Md. -- McCormick & Company has opened its first-ever retail destination, McCormick World of Flavors. The is located in Light Street Pavilion at Harborplace, which is siuated in the Inner Harbor area of Baltimore.