Sobeys

Target recently filed its annual report on form 10-K with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Here’s a look at some interesting facts and figures contained in the document:

• Target employed 355,000 “team members,” last year, a figure that swells to 400,000 during the holidays.

• The company operated 37 distribution centers, including four food distribution centers and maintains 27 international sourcing offices in 18 countries

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.

Target is expected to gain about $3 billion in market share during the next few years as the company completes the rollout of its PFresh program, according to Credit Suisse analyst Edward Kelly.

SAN FRANCISCO -- Walmart’s U.S. VP of benefits, Chris McSwain, was elected chairman of the Integrated Benefits Institute, the organization announced Monday.

“Chris McSwain has played an important leadership role in the health benefits community, and we look forward to his continued leadership with IBI,” said Thomas Parry, president of the non-profit health and productivity research organization.

Get used to that headline. Increased sales of food during the coming year are expected to contribute 1.5% to Target’s same-store sales growth as the company continues it aggressive PFresh remodeling program.

Same-store sales in February advanced 1.8%, and the strongest performance came in the grocery category, where comps increased in the low teens while health care, beauty and other household essentials experienced gains in the mid-to-upper single-digit range. Also showing strength was the apparel category where comps increased in the low-to-mid single-digit range.

MINNEAPOLIS — February same-store sales at Target advanced 1.8%, thanks to the addition of fresh food and consumables that are part of an aggressive remodeling program causing more people to shop its stores. The company said more than half of its February same store-sales gain was driven by an increase in transactions combined with a small increase in the average transaction size. The 1.8% gain comes on top of a 2.4% increase in February 2010.

PLEASANTON, Calif. -- Safeway Monday announced the promotion of Mir Aamir to president customer loyalty and digital technologies, reporting to Diane Dietz, EVP, chief marketing officer. In this new role, Mir will lead Safeway's loyalty programs and oversee digital and mobile efforts related to loyalty. He will also continue to be responsible for marketing strategies, shopper analytics and insights, club card strategies and pricing.

The solid fourth-quarter financial results Target reported last week were quickly overshadowed by long-term growth objectives that gave stakeholders a clear idea of where the company is headed in terms of sales and profits. Target expects its annual sales, currently about $66 billion, to reach the $100 billion mark within six to seven years, and current earnings per share of $4 will at least double over that same time frame.