Target, Inc.

Minneapolis — Target will open a single-level store in New Mexico, the first of its kind in the state. The store, located in Albuquerque, is scheduled to open in 2013 and will occupy 155,000 sq. ft.

New York — Walmart topped the list retailers on the BrandZ Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands, according to a study commissioned by WPP Group and conducted by Millward Brown Optimor.

The BrandZ Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands study identifies and ranks the world's most valuable 100 brands by their dollar value, an analysis based on financial data combined with consumer measures of brand equity.

NEW YORK — JCPenney executives laid out further details of their strategy going forward during the chain’s quarterly conference call with investors. The call followed the release of JCPenney’s first quarter results, when it reported a worse-then-expected loss of $163 million, and a 19% drop in same-store sales.

JCPenney said it would launch a new private label apparel brand, jcp, for both men and women. The brand is set to debut in August.

Puyallup, Wash. -- Youngstown, Ohio-based Cafaro Co. said that Panera Bread will open a new bakery-café at its South Hill Mall property in Puyallup, Wash.

The new Panera Bread, slated to open this fall, will occupy a 4,300-sq.-ft. building recently vacated by Krispy Kreme.

The 1 million-sq.-ft. South Hill Mall is anchored by Target, Macy’s, J.C. Penney, Sears and Regal Cinemas, and features 120 specialty shops.
 

Minot, N.D. -- Chattanooga, Tenn.-based CBL & Associates Properties announced it has acquired Dakota Square Mall in Minot, N.D.

CBL acquired the property from the Lightstone Group.

MINNEAPOLIS — Target has announced its plans to open new Target Clinic locations at four Target stores in northern Virginia and four Target stores in North Carolina, marking the first Target Clinics to open in these states.

The new clinics currently are under construction and will open on July 29.

Does J.C. Penney have time on its side? Or to put it another way: How long will investors wait for J.C. Penney’s transformation? Because, based on the chain’s awful first quarter, it doesn’t appear to have even taken root yet. I’m not surprised.

MINNEAPOLIS — First quarter earnings at Target exceeded a profit forecast the company increased last month after a strong start to the quarter.

When JCPenney hired former Target chief marketer, Michael Francis, to serve as president, the company no doubt thought he would bring with him a bit of Target's magic. Now, about six months since he assumed his role at JCPenney, the company has undergone a number of personnel changes and the implementation of its new "fair and square" price strategy, and investors are waiting for it to pay off.

IndyCar driver Dario Franchitti will honor sponsor Target's 50th anniversary by using the using the number 50 on the car he will use at the Indianapolis 500. The car will feature a paint scheme that uses the Target bullseye in place of the zero. Franchitti regularly uses the No. 10 car. Read more.