Mass Merchant

Veteran finance executive and former top Walmart executive Wan Ling Martello has joined the board of directors of Alibaba as the Chinese e-commerce giant eyes growth in the U.S.

Minneapolis – Target Corp. exceeded Wall Street projections with net earnings of $753 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2015, a 221% increase from $234 million the same period the prior fiscal year. Declining selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses and loss from discontinued operations helped boost profits as sales climbed.

Target reported net sales of $17.4 billion, up 2.8% over the same period last year.

While Abercrombie & Fitch and Aeropostale continue to struggle against sharp sales declines, American Eagle has managed to win back shoppers, if its second quarter results are any indication.

Target’s better than expected second quarter profits, same store sales, rate of e-commerce growth and an increased full year forecast stood in sharp contrast to the disappointing results Walmart reported a day earlier.

Grand Rapids, Mich. – A rival Midwestern grocery chain is reportedly accusing regional mass merchandiser Meijer Inc. of offering unfairly low prices on grocery products. According to the Milwaukee Business Journal, Milwaukee-based law firm Gonzalez Saggio & Harlan has filed five complaints against Meijer from an unnamed client who is grocer with stores in Wisconsin.

Bentonville, Ark. -- In a shift to quality over quantity, Walmart has cut expansion plans for its Neighborhood Market stores despite the format’s consistently strong top line growth in recent years.

 In a shift to quality over quantity, Walmart has cut expansion plans for its Neighborhood Market stores despite the format’s consistently strong top line growth in recent years.

Franklin, Tenn. – Although mobile POS software installations by North American retailers grew 41% year-to-year, this rate did not meet expectations of analysts and industry experts. According to a new study from IHL Group, “Mobile POS Software Market Share,” the enterprise market of retailers with more than 50 stores only delivered 59% year-over-year growth, well below the expected 100% increase.