News

MINNEAPOLIS -- Groupon, a company that provides discounts for various events and services across the country, has teamed up with General Mills to offer its first consumer-packaged-goods deals. 

The program is launching for residents of Minneapolis and San Francisco, who can sample select General Mills brand items when they take advantage of a 50% off deal that delivers over $40 in value to their doorstep for $20. The package also includes a General Mills $15 coupon book and is good while supplies last.

New York City -- Borders is seeking at least $50 million in additional financing as sales trail expectations and publishers demand cash in advance, according to two people who have seen the chain’s plans to reorganize, Bloomberg reported. The bankrupt retailer already has a $505 million debtor-in-possession loan from lenders led by GE Capital.

Borders may risk liquidation without further investment, easier terms from vendors or a buyer, said the people, who declined to be identified because the process isn’t public, the report said.

New York City -- A western Pennsylvania woman filed a federal lawsuit Wednesday against Target Corp. and its law firm over the chain's debt-collection practices, the Associated Press reported. The woman claims false affidavits were used to go after customers who allegedly owed money to a subsidiary bank that issues the store's credit cards.

Walmart remains in full blown communications mode, and next week it rolls out the big gun when president and CEO Mike Duke is scheduled to participate in the Barclays Capital 2011 Retail and Restaurants Conference at 1 p.m. EST on Tuesday, April 26.

The stock buyback binge Walmart has been on for the past few years is positioned as a way for the company to return cash to shareholders, and it is. However, the $25.6 billion (that’s not a typo) spent by Walmart on share repurchases during the past three years has had another effect. It has driven the Walton family’s ownership stake in the company to a record level of 48.18%.

CHICAGO -- Teen retailer Claire's Stores provided some hope that discretionary spending is improving by reporting net sales of $421.9 million for the fiscal 2010 fourth quarter, an increase of $11.2 million, or 2.7% compared with the fiscal 2009 fourth quarter.  The company's fourth-quarter comps were particularly strong in its North American market, where they were up 4.7% compared with 1.2% for the same period last year. In the company's European markets, comps were up 0.6% compared with 3.7% in 2009.

CUPERTINO, Calif. -- Apple reported a record second-quarter net profit of  $5.99 billion, or $6.40 per diluted share, and revenue of $24.67 billion, thanks to strong sales in Macs, iPhones and iPads. These results compare with net quarterly profit of $3.07 billion, or $3.33 per diluted share, and revenue of $13.5 billion, in the year-ago quarter. International sales also helped boost profits, as they accounted for 59% of the quarter’s revenue, the company reported.

Chicago -- Teen retailer Claire's Stores provided some hope that discretionary spending is improving by reporting net sales of $421.9 million for the fiscal 2010 fourth quarter, an increase of $11.2 million, or 2.7% compared with the fiscal 2009 fourth quarter. Consolidated same-store sales increased 3.2% in the fiscal 2010 fourth quarter consisting of a 4.7% increase in North America and a 0.6% increase in Europe.