Apparel

New York -- Target Corp. on Monday named Jeffrey Jones as executive VP and chief marketing officer, effective immediately. He succeeds Michael Francis who left the company in October to join J.C. Penney.

It seems like forever that that Walmart has been describing the performance of its apparel department as “a work in progress,” but this could be the year things turn around thanks to a number of factors working in the company’s favor.

For starters, the return to basics emphasis is giving Walmart customers what they want and expect from Walmart, just as the market for apparel is enjoying strength and disruption at a competitor is creating the potential for share gains.

El Paso, Texas -- Freedom Crossing at Fort Bliss, the first-ever, open-air shopping center to be part of a United States military installation, announced that A'Gaci, O'shoes, and Texas Roadhouse will soon open at the retail destination. Comprised of more than 461,000 sq. ft. of gross leasable area, Freedom Crossing is one of the only shopping centers to be built in the United States in recent years, and the first opportunity for businesses to privately operate within an open-air center on a U.S. military installation

Indianapolis -- Finish Line Inc. posted earnings of $41.9 million for the fourth quarter, compared with $34.2 million in the year-ago period. But the chain forecast a plunge in first-quarter earnings due to lower margins.

Sales in the quarter ended March 3, 2012, rose 18.6% to $456.3 million, ahead of analyst estimates of $432.62 million. Same-store sales rose 10.8%.

For the full fiscal year, consolidated net sales increased 11.4% to $1.37 billion. Same-store sales increased 9.2%.

Indianapolis -- The Finish Line announced that Gart Capital Partners will invest $10 million in Finish Line’s Running Specialty Group, with the goal of creating the largest operator of specialty running shoe business in the United States.

HOUSTON — Stage Stores announced Michael Glazer has been appointed to the position of president and CEO on an interim basis. Glazer replaces the company’s former president and CEO, Andy Hall, who the company announced has resigned from both the company and its board of directors to pursue other interests.

LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Parents of "Alvin and the Chipmunks" fans may soon be heading to Walmart to snatch up items from the retailer's exclusive children's line from Fox Consumer Products. The launch of the collection coincided with the Blu-ray and DVD release of "Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked" in Walmart stores on March 27.

In honor celebration of Women's History Month, The Huffington Post's Nell Merlino has penned a column highlighting some successful businesswomen. Among them is Rosalind Brewer, who in February was named president and CEO of Sam's Club, and is the first woman, and the first African American to hold a CEO position at one of Walmart's divisions. Other women on the list include Spanx creator Sara Blakely and financial guru Suze Orman. Read the full article here.

STOCKHOLM, Sweden — Fans of H&M will soon have a new place to shop as the Swedish fashion retailer Hennes & Mauritz AB confirmed Thursday that it will open a new chain in 2013 that will build on the 2007 launch of its upscale Collection of Style (COS). No name for the new concept has been revealed yet.

Houston -- Stage Stores said Thursday that its president and CEO Andy Hall has resigned to pursue other interests, and will be replaced in the interim by Michael Glazer, a member of the company's board since 2001.

Glazer is currently the president and CEO at Mattress Giant Corp., based in Addison, Texas. He previously served as managing director of Team Neu, a private equity firm, and he was also president and CEO of KB Toys Inc.

Stage Stores said it has already begun the search for a permanent CEO and the candidates will include Glazer.