Corporate Governance

Minneapolis -- Supervalu Inc.'s fiscal third-quarter loss widened on larger write-down’s and weaker sales. The company reported a net loss of $750 million, including non-cash goodwill and intangible asset impairment charges of $800 million after-tax, from a loss of $202 million a year ago.

Supervalu said same-store sales fell 2.9% in the latest quarter. Net sales fell 4% to $8.33 billion, below analysts' average forecast of $8.42 billion.

New York City -- Kohl's is the recipient of the People’s Pick award in The Harris Poll Customer Relationship Series, conducted by Harris Interactive. The award cognizes the strength of consumers' bonds with mid-tier department stores and reflects the customers' connections and future intentions.

Beachwood, Ohio -- Buyout firm The Blackstone Group and real estate investment trust DDR Corp. will buy 46 shopping centers owned by EPN Group for $1.43 billion, which includes the assumption of at least $945 million in debt.

Blackstone Real Estate Partners VII, an affiliate of Blackstone, will own 95% of the joint venture. DDR will own 5% and invest $150 million in preferred stock with a fixed dividend rate of 10%.

Smart move by Target to open its first wave of Canadian stores in Ontario, as the province accounts for roughly one third of the nation’s 36 million residents and is home to Target Canada headquarters and distribution facilities.

Target may have floundered a bit in December, but many retailers reported solid sales gains for the month. Overall, retail sales rose 3.4% at the 22 retailers tracked by the Thomson Reuters same-store sales index, compared with the 3.3% analyst forecast, however results were mixed.

That was the case with the nation’s discounters and department store retailers, with many chains citing unseasonably warm weather that sapped demand for cold-weather merchandise.

Undaunted by the reality that two months into the fourth quarter same-store sales have failed to materialize at the pace originally envisioned, Target is sticking with guidance that calls for a low- to mid- single-digit increase in January.

PLANO, Texas — JCPenney announced that Thomas Engibous will become chairman of its board of directors on Jan. 28.  Engibous was named to the board in 1999 and has served in presiding director and lead independent director roles since 2008.  He will assume the chairman's role from Myron Ullman, III, JCPenney's former chief executive officer, who will step down as executive chairman.

MONTVALE, N.J. — Grocer A&P has announced plans to shutter 14 stores in four states as it prepares to emerge from bankruptcy.

The company has filed a motion with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York seeking approval to close the stores. The store closures are expected to be completed in the company's fiscal first quarter, subject to court approval.

STOCKHOLM — Stefano Marzano has been appointed chief design dfficer, a new role at Electrolux.  

COLUMBUS, Ohio — DSW is raising its full-year earnings guidance and accelerating new store openings following strong November and December sales results.

The company said it has raised its annual diluted earnings per share guidance to a range of $2.96 to $2.99 for fiscal 2011 from a range of $2.90 to $2.95, excluding any impact from the RVI merger and related items.