Corporate Governance

Lowe's offers to spruce up '10 bleakest cities'
Lowe’s has come up with a way to put spring in the step of residents who live in the U.S. cities hardest hit by winter: a makeover.

Lowe's has announced that the company will be deploying Lowe’s Heroes employee volunteers to visit the "10 Bleakest Cities of 2015" to complete makeover projects that have been neglected or delayed because of extreme winter conditions. Volunteers will complete projects such as painting, landscaping, creating outdoor rooms and adding curb appeal throughout the spring season.
Report: Toys 'R' Us shutting down in Times Square
Time may be running out for Toys "R" Us shoppers to ride the Ferris wheel at the retailer's flagship store in Time Square.

Toys "R" Us will not be renewing the lease of its Manhattan flagship, according to various reports. The lease for the massive 110,000-sq.-ft. retail space, at 1514 -1530 Broadway, between 44th and 45th Streets, is set to expire at the end of January.

Dollar General elevates counsel to EVP

Just two years after starting the job, the general counsel at Dollar General has been promoted to executive vice president.
Babies 'R' Us has a new head merchant

Toys “R” Us Inc. has named a new head merchant to drive product innovation and differentiation at the company’s Babies “R” Us stores.

Reg McLay has been named senior vice president, Babies “R” Us Business, effective March 30. In this role, McLay will lead the Babies “R” Us merchandising team in the U.S. He will report to Hank Mullany, president of Toys “R” Us, U.S.
Walmart calls on suppliers to make domestic difference

Walmart vice president of U.S. manufacturing Cindi Marsiglio shared new details about a first-of-its-kind event planned for early July in Northwest Arkansas to advance the retailer’s $250 billion domestic sourcing agenda.

During a fast-paced presentation Thursday morning organized by a group called Doing Business in Bentonville, Marsiglio shared wide-ranging insights regarding the company’s 10 year, $250 billion domestic sourcing commitment unveiled in January 2013.
Walmart’s Judith McKenna is Q1 cover girl

In case you missed it, the first quarter edition of Walmart Supplier News is now available. For perspective on Walmart COO Judith McKenna’s quest for operational excellence and a wide range of Walmart-related topics click here.
Report: Target to raise minimum wage

New York -- Target Corp. will raise its minimum wage to $9 per hour, with the change effective in April, according to a report late Wednesday afternoon by Dow Jones.

The move comes after several other major retailers, most recently Walmart and TJX Cos., unveiled similar wage hikes. It also comes amid a tightening job market.
More than 50% of Williams-Sonoma revenue in 2014 done online

San Francisco -- Williams-Sonoma set a milestone in 2014 as it reported that, for the first time ever, e-commerce sales made up more than 50% of all yearly revenues.

Williams-Sonoma said its fourth quarter net revenues grew 5.2% to $1.542 billion versus $1.466 billion in the prior year quarter.

Same-store sales grew of 5.1%.
Target unveils one-year return policy for exclusive brands

Minneapolis -- Target Corp. launched an enhanced return policy covering all of the retailer’s 32 owned and exclusive brands, which extends the return window to one year from the date of purchase.

The retailer also rolled out a one-year return guarantee for guests using Target’s baby, college or wedding gift registry.
NRF proposes solutions to deal with cybersecurity threats, including breach notification law

Washington, D.C. -- The National Retail Federation on Wednesday presented Congress with what it termed “practical, commonsense and achievable solutions” to better protect consumers and help businesses prevent cyberattacks and data breaches, including passage of a uniform nationwide breach notification law applying to all entities that handle sensitive customer information.
Starbucks announces stock split, outlines delivery plans, talks race relations

Seattle -- Starbucks Corp. stirred up controversy even as it excited shareholders at the company’s annual meeting on Wednesday.
J. Crew swings to Q4 loss, dragged down by namesake brand

New York -- J. Crew Group Inc. saw fourth quarter namesake sales and traffic counts fall, which dragged down results for the quarter ended Jan. 31. J. Crew reported a loss of $30.6 million for the fourth quarter, compared with a profit of $5.9 million in the year-ago period. An impairment charge contributed $26 million to the negative results.