Legislative, Regulatory & Legal

Minneapolis — Target Canada announced that it will complete its inventory liquidation efforts and close the last of its 133 Canadian retail stores to the public on April 12.

Target will complete its inventory liquidation efforts and close the last of its 133 Canadian retail stores by April 12.

The retailer has already shut down 46 stores across Canada and will close another 32 on April 2; 18 on April 4; and 24 on April 8. The final 13 stores will close just days after that.

Fort Worth, Texas – In what may be a tale of survival to rival the PT 109 ordeal of John F. Kennedy, RadioShack Corp. will exit Chapter 11 bankruptcy with some 1,700 stores intact.  

A bankruptcy judge on Tuesday approved the sale of 1,743 RadioShack stores to hedge fund Standard General, preserving some 7,500 jobs, the Wall Street Journal reported. Standard General intends to operate most of the preserved RadioShack stores in an alliance with Sprint Corp.

Washington, D.C. – President Barack Obama has signed an executive order creating sanctions for cybercriminals who engage in crimes against the U.S. from foreign locations. The order allows the U.S. to impose sanctions on individuals who harm critical infrastructure, damage computer systems, or steal trade secrets, and sensitive information through cyberattacks based outside the U.S.

The order does not specify what type of sanctions can be imposed.

On the heels of questions over quality control standards for its herbal supplements, GNC has announced three new marketing partners.

GNC said the new agency partners – Consigliere (brand management/creative/advertising), CROSSMEDIA (media/communications planning) and 22squared (digital and social media) – will help drive profitable growth for the brand.

New York – Walmart on Wednesday sent out a tweet in which it commended Arkansas Gov. Hutchinson and legislative leaders for reconsidering a law that some people and organizations fear would open the door to discrimination against gays and lesbians. The “religious freedom” measure (HB1228) in Arkansas is similar to the one that has kicked up a firestorm in Indiana. Earlier in the day on Wednesday, Gov, Hutchinson said he wouldn’t sign the bill in its present form and called for changes to be made.

Walmart plans to improve the customer experience, invest in its grocery business, and put pressure on suppliers to drive down prices, according to a Bloomberg report.

New York – Arkansas native and Walmart president CEO Doug McMillon has taken a firm stance against a “religious freedom” measure passed by the Arkansas House on Tuesday. The bill (HB1228) is similar to the one that has kicked up a firestorm in Indiana.