Supply Chain & Merchandising

LAKELAND, Fla. — Gino DiGrazia, who currently serves as VP and controller of Publix's business analysis and reporting, has been promoted to VP finance. In addition to his current responsibilities for business analysis and reporting, DiGrazia assumes many of the responsibilities previously held by Kelly Underhill, director of tax and treasury, who retired from Publix on March 30.

MINNEAPOLIS — First quarter earnings at Target exceeded a profit forecast the company increased last month after a strong start to the quarter.

Hingham, Mass. -- The Talbots and Sycamore Partners extended the exclusivity period for the private equity firm's non-binding $214.6 million takeover offer to May 22.

Talbots had entered into an exclusivity agreement with Sycamore on May 5, which was due to expire on May 15.

Geneseo, N.Y. -- Purchase, N.Y.-based National Realty & Development Corp. said that CountryMax, a family-owned and operated retailer of pet, farm and lawn & garden supplies, has opened at Geneseo Towne Plaza, in Geneseo, N.Y.

CountryMax opened at the center April 4th and occupies 17,600 sq. ft. In addition to CountryMax, the center is anchored by The Goodwill Store and Grossman’s Bargain Outlet.
 

Jacksonville, Fla. -- Regency Centers, a national owner, operator and developer of grocery-anchored and community shopping centers, announced that buildings at two of its shopping centers in North Carolina and Illinois have received LEED Silver established by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).

Home Depot’s Craig Menear, EVP merchandising, shared details and data from a first quarter that saw double-digit comps in certain seasonal product categories.

Overall, Home Depot saw comp-store sales increase 5.8% in the first quarter of strong sales and earnings growth.

When JCPenney hired former Target chief marketer, Michael Francis, to serve as president, the company no doubt thought he would bring with him a bit of Target's magic. Now, about six months since he assumed his role at JCPenney, the company has undergone a number of personnel changes and the implementation of its new "fair and square" price strategy, and investors are waiting for it to pay off.

Minneapolis -- Target Corp. reported a better-than-expected 1.2% increase in first-quarter profit as warm weather and an early Easter helped drive sales. The chain also raised its earnings forecast for the full year.

Target’s net earnings for the quarter ended April 28 were $697 million, compared with $689 million in the year-ago period.

“We’re very pleased with our first-quarter earnings, which benefited from better-than-expected sales,” Gregg Steinhafel, Target’s CEO, said in a statement.