Walmart

Some companies were more aggressive with promotions last months and others were less so, but Target held steady producing the same number of circular ad pages (109) in May 2011, and it did the same month the prior year, according to data collected by the Chicago based firm Market Track.

New York City -- A Superior Court in Pennsylvania on Friday upheld a $187.6 million class action award against Wal-Mart Stores on allegations that its Pennsylvania employees were not properly compensated for off-the-clock work and missed rest breaks.

A panel said there was sufficient evidence at trial to conclude there had been a breach of contract, unjust enrichment and violations of state labor laws, the Associated Press reported.

In keeping with its renewed focus on EDLP, the average number of promotional pieces per market decreased to two in May compared with 2.8 the prior year, but the average number of pages increased to 40 compared with 30, according to the Chicago-based firm Market Track.

All of the proposals voted on at Walmart’s shareholders’ meeting last Friday were defeated, but the official tally of results filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission last night revealed one proposal that drew a surprisingly large number of votes.

They both serve on the Walmart board of directors and were re-elected by shareholders at the company’s annual meeting last week, but for some reason they also drew the largest number of negative votes, according to results of the election Walmart filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission late Thursday.

New York City -- Wal-Mart Stores will donate as much as $5 million to New York City’s cash-strapped Summer Youth Employment Program, Crain’s New York Business reported. The donation will reportedly save 3,400 jobs.

The Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips 400 takes place next weekend at the Michigan International Speedway, and Walmart stores near the track are rolling out the checkered carpet to capitalize on race fever. A variety of special events will be held at stores near the track beginning on Wednesday, June 15.

Bangalore, India -- A Wednesday report by Bloomberg said that Wal-Mart Stores, in its joint venture with Indian company Bharti Enterprises, plans to triple its wholesale outlet locations in India this year.

The report comes as Wal-Mart and other foreign retailers have been blocked from opening retail outlets in India, and are permitted only to set up wholesale locations.