Discount Store

Minneapolis -- Target Corp. reported Wednesday that earnings for the second quarter rose 3.7%, boosted by same-store sales growth and beating Wall Street expectations.

The retailer posted a profit of $704 million for the quarter ended July 30, compared with $679 million in the year-ago period. Revenue rose 4.6% to $16.24 billion, besting analysts’ expected $16.17 billion. Same-store sales rose 3.9%.

Stirling Properties, the developer of River Chase Shopping Center in the south Louisiana community of Covington, announced that Sam’s Club is coming to the center, planning a fall 2012 opening for the new 136,000-sq.-ft. warehouse club.

The largest open-air retail center in St. Tammany Parish, the 640,000-sq.-ft. River Chase is currently anchored by Target, Belk, J.C. Penney. Best Buy, Marshalls, Ross Dress for Less and a 14-screen Hollywood Theater.

New York City -- Nordstrom announced Monday that its new Treasure&Bond concept will open in SoHo on Friday, according to a report by the New York Times. The boutique-style store, which represents a new market entry for Nordstrom, will be a fraction of the size of a typical Nordstrom department store and all profits will be donated to charity. Merchandise is funkier, but is not discount like its Nordstrom Rack sister. 

Framingham, Mass. -- TJX Cos. reported Tuesday that net income for the second quarter rose 14% to $348 million, compared with $305 million in the year-ago period.

The parent of TJ Maxx and other discount concepts saw revenue climb 8% in the quarter, to $5.47 billion, topping analysts' estimated $5.44 billion.
 

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Despite the absence of top line growth at Walmart’s U.S. stores division, second quarter earnings grew 12.4% to $1.09 and came in a penny ahead of analysts’ estimates, which was enough for the company to narrow and increase the range of its full year profit forecast.

Bentonville, Ark. -- Wal-Mart Stores reported Tuesday that profit for the quarter ended July 31 rose to $3.8 billion, up from $3.6 billion in the year-ago period. Overall revenue, up 5.4% to $109.37 billion, topped Wall Street’s expectations.

Yet, the world’s largest retailer is feeling the pinch from a tight economy that is slow to loosen. Wal-Mart U.S., the company's biggest unit, posted a 0.9% drop in same-store sales, the ninth consecutive quarterly drop and beneath analysts' estimates for a 0.6% fall.

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. — TJX announced that net sales for the second quarter of fiscal 2012 increased 8% to $5.5 billion and consolidated comparable-store sales increased 4%. Net income for the second quarter was $348 million and diluted earnings per share were 90 cents, compared with 74 cents per share last year. 

Bentonville, Ark. -- According to reports by Reuters and Bloomberg on Friday, Wal-Mart Stores is transferring management of its e-commerce business to store-level leadership in developed countries and said that two online executives are leaving the company.

According to the reports, e-commerce leaders in markets such as the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, will now report directly to the heads of stores in those countries instead of global e-commerce executive Eduardo Castro-Wright.