Data & Analytics

After a year of steadily declining delinquency rates in Target’s credit portfolio, January proved to be a month of stabilization as the percentage of those 60 and 90 days past due on their accounts held steady when compared with the prior month. Accounts 60 days past due represented 4.2% of credit card receivables in January and accounts 90 days past due represented 3.1%. Both figures were identical to levels recorded in December, but well below peak levels seen in February 2010 when the 60 and 90 day past due rates hit their fiscal year peaks of 6.1% and 4.5%, respectively.

Washington, D.C. -- A report released Monday by The Conference Board said that retail employers expanded their work forces in January.
 
The Conference Board’s Employment Trends Index increased 0.2% to 100.5, the highest level in two years. The measure rose 7% from a year earlier.

DEERFIELD, Ill. -- David Gregory, host of NBC's "Meet the Press," will deliver the keynote address at BNP Media's Food Safety Summit on April 20.

No offense to the grammatically challenged recording artist known as Meatloaf, but the notion that “two out of three ain’t bad” doesn’t apply when the issue is monthly same-store sales at Target.

Chelmsford, Mass. -- Kronos on Monday announced the release of its Retail Labor Index, which showed a February increase to 4.2% from 3.85% in January. (This metric is defined as the percentage of job applications that result in a hiring, normalized within a scale of 0 to 100. A level of 3.0% means that for every 100 applications received, three hirings occurred.)

February’s metric is the highest the Index has been since August 2008 when it reached 4.45%, according to Kronos.

CHICAGO  -- Element14, a collaborative engineering community and electronics store for design engineers and electronics enthusiasts, announced that Jeri Ellsworth has joined its "ask an expert" panel to further promote the exchange of ideas among professionals, enthusiasts, and DIYers alike within the community. Ellsworth is also offering the element14 community early access to her latest video tutorial, which looks at designing a circuit that triggers sound effects, music and mechanical animation through motion.

HALF MOON BAY, Calif.  — GoPro has announced the availability of the LCD BacPac, a detachable LCD screen for the company’s HD HERO camera. The LCD BacPac represents the first in a line of expansion modules to be released for the HD HERO camera. Available for order at GoPro.com and subsequently shipping to retailers around the world, the LCD BacPac has an MSRP of $79.99.

Plano, Texas -- J.C. Penney Co. said Monday it is expanding its in-store digital presence by rolling out the Findmore smart fixture to more than 120 stores across the United States.

The kiosk fixtures feature 42-inch touch screens that link store customers to J.C. Penney’s website. They also provide inventory information and scan bar codes on in-store items to give shoppers additional product information and features,