Target, Inc.

Credit card trends at Target hit a new high, or low, depending on one’s perspective. Either way, it’s a good thing.

Eight new healthcare clinics in Target stores are set to open in two new markets in July as part of the company’s most ambitious expansion of the healthcare initiative since it first began dabbling with clinics.

Four clinics at stores in the Northern Virginia towns of Fairfax, Falls Church, Gainesville and Leesburg are set to open on July 29, the same day as four new clinics in the North Carolina towns of Apex, Wake Forest and Durham, which will get two clinics.

April same-store sales at Target increased 1.1% and helped the company achieve a 5.3% first-quarter comps increase that was the highest in six years. How much of the performance was due to record warm weather versus good execution of a solid strategy against the back drop of an improved economy is debatable.

MINNEAPOLIS — April same-store sales at Target increased 1.1% and helped the company achieve a 5.3% first-quarter comps increase that was the highest in six years. How much of the performance was due to record warm weather versus good execution of a solid strategy against the back drop of an improved economy is debatable.

New York -- Macy's Inc., Target Corp., Kohl’s, Saks and Costco’s Wholesale Corp. all reported results that fell short of expectations in April. An early Easter, which helped fuel March results, high gas prices, cool weather and renewed worries about the economy contributed to the decline, according to many analysts.

Target turned 50 this year, and chairman, president and CEO Gregg Steinhafel weighed in on the expect more, pay less (EMPL) value proposition, his 32-year career and miscellaneous other topics in a Q&A interview with the company’s online magazine known as “A Bullseye View.” To read a transcript of his comments click here.



 

Target’s annual shareholders’ meeting will be held June 9 in downtown Chicago at the location of a soon-to-open CityTarget store on State Street. The venue is an interesting choice that speaks volumes about the potential for the new urban format.

Retailers are in business to sell products customers want, except when they’re not, which appears to be the case with the retailer’s decision to stop selling Amazon.com’s hugely popular Kindle devices.

Target has done quite well for itself in California, but that doesn’t mean it’s been easy. Ironically, the state with the most extensive network of Target stores also happens to be the one identified as the worst state in which to do business, according to a recent survey.

Minneapolis -- Target said it will open its new smaller format concept, CityTarget, at the Beverly Connection in Los Angeles, in March 2013. The 99,000-sq.-ft. will be located on the second floor of the shopping complex, at the corner of La Cienega and Beverly Boulevard.