Target, Inc.

Department stores and shopping centers malls are gaining market share for the first time in three decades, according to consultants Customer Growth Partners, and this month most will report their best annual earnings in years -- if not ever.

“Department stores from Macy’s to Nordstrom, and mall operators from Macerich to Simon, have used the recession not just to cut costs, but to reinvent themselves,” said Craig Johnson, president, Customer Growth Partners, a consulting and research firm serving retail and other consumer industries.

By Katherine Oberle and Monica Sloboda, [email protected], [email protected]

On November 18, 2010, the U.S. Green Building Council announced the long-awaited launch of its newest green building rating system, LEED for Retail. There are two distinct certification tracks available, LEED for Retail: New Construction and LEED for Retail: Commercial Interiors. 

MINNEAPOLIS-- Target is giving Lady Gaga fans something to celebrate. The retailer is offering customers the chance to pre-order an exclusive deluxe edition of her new album, "Born This Way," and download her first single and title track, "Born This Way" for free at Target.com/gaga beginning at 8 a.m. CST on Friday, Feb. 11 through midnight, Saturday, Feb. 26.

Walmart and Target are said to be among major corporations working with the Department of Energy on the development of a new breed of energy-efficient air conditioners. The DOE recently announced that as part of a voluntary program, it worked with members of the DOE Commercial Building Energy Alliances, including Walmart and Target, to develop new performance criteria for 10-ton capacity commercial air conditioners, also known as rooftop units that are 50% to 60% more efficient than existing equipment.

Minneapolis -- Popular recording artist and fashion icon Lady Gaga has partnered with Target Corp. to offer an exclusive deluxe edition of her new album, "Born This Way."

The album will be released on May 23. Target’s exclusive deluxe edition includes three additional studio songs and five remixes, and will be available at stores nationwide and on Target.com. Consumers can also pre-order the album and download the first single and title track free at Target.com beginning at 8 a.m. CST on Feb. 11 through midnight, Feb. 26.

Target director of owned brands Annie Zipfel is among those slated to participate in the fourth annual Network of Executive Women Multicultural Work force conference to be held March 1 to 3. With a theme of “Building Competencies, Growing Business,” the event will focus on the advantages of developing culturally competent organizations.

After a year of steadily declining delinquency rates in Target’s credit portfolio, January proved to be a month of stabilization as the percentage of those 60 and 90 days past due on their accounts held steady when compared with the prior month. Accounts 60 days past due represented 4.2% of credit card receivables in January and accounts 90 days past due represented 3.1%. Both figures were identical to levels recorded in December, but well below peak levels seen in February 2010 when the 60 and 90 day past due rates hit their fiscal year peaks of 6.1% and 4.5%, respectively.

Now that Verizon has the iPhone, AT&T is offering some sweet offers to hang onto its existing subscribers, and it has enlisted the aid of Target to accomplish that objective. Target began selling the iPhone last November three months after announcing a partnership with RadioShack to offer mobile centers in its stores, and on Friday series of trade-in opportunities were offered at the 846 stores where TargetMobile is available. 

No offense to the grammatically challenged recording artist known as Meatloaf, but the notion that “two out of three ain’t bad” doesn’t apply when the issue is monthly same-store sales at Target.