Strategy

New York — Walmart will next week start building its first smaller-format Express stores, according to building permits obtained by Bloomberg News.

The chain will begin construction March 16 on a 14,400-sq.-ft. store in Gentry, Ark., which is about 20 miles from the company’s Bentonville headquarters, according to the permits.

PARIS — The president of Procter & Gamble's global hair care business is taking on a new role at Sephora.

Effective March 31, Christopher de Lapuente will end his 28-year career at P&G to become the global president and CEO for beauty retailer Sephora, which is owned by luxury group LVMH. All regions worldwide will report to him. For European operations, de Lapuente succeeds Jacques Levy.

In addition to his responsibilities as global president and CEO for Sephora, de Lapuente also will be a member of LVMH's executive committee.

MINNEAPOLIS -- Target Clinic plans to open eight new locations in 2011. The in-store centers offer treatment for minor illnesses and injuries, skin treatments, vaccinations, tests and screenings, which are administered by health care professionals.

The new clinics will open in Target stores in the Twin Cities, Chicago and Ft. Lauderdale-Davie areas by the end of July.

PLEASANTON, Calif. — Safeway on Tuesday said that it expects to earn $1.60 to $1.80 per diluted share during the quarter, after the company's board approved a $1.1 billion dividend from Canada to the United States.

 The dividend, Safeway said during its 2011 investor conference, will be used to pay off $600 million of U.S. debt, and the company will use the remainder of the dividend for share repurchases.

 York, Penn. -- Bon-Ton Stores Inc. said Wednesday its fiscal fourth-quarter profit climbed 6%.

The department store chain said its net income rose to $85 million for the period ended Jan. 29, up from $80.3 million a year earlier.

Revenue edged up 1% to $1.03 billion from $1.02 billion.

Revenue at stores open at least a year rose 0.8%.

Bon-Ton Stores' annual net income was $21.5 million. In the prior year, it lost $4.1 million. 

Menomonee Falls, Wis. -- Kohl’s Department Stores on Wednesday is celebrating  the grand opening of nine new stores across seven states: Illinois, New York, South Dakota, Texas, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin.  The chain plans to open a total of approximately 40 stores in 2011.

In addition,  Kohl’s continues to invest in its existing store base, remodeling approximately 100 stores in 2011, an 18% increase from 2010.

TORONTO -- Best Buy is partnering with Points International, which operates loyalty reward program management platform, www.points.com, to enable Reward Zone members the ability to exchange points between their Best Buy Reward Zone and their other participating loyalty program accounts as well as trade with other users via the Points.com loyalty marketplace.

New York City -- Best Buy is studying a variety of devices for its in-store employees to use, including the Galaxy Tab from Samsung, the original iPad and Motorola Mobility’s Xoom, The Wall Street Journal reported.

“While we plan in the future to supply each store a limited number of handheld devices to use as sales tools when assisting the consumer, we have not many any final decision at this time,” a Best Buy representative said, according to the report.