News

REDMOND, Wash. -- Target has enlisted the services of Microsoft to help run business-critical workloads for all its retail stores on 15,000 virtual machines using Microsoft virtualization and management technologies, giving its IT department greater agility and economies of scale, Microsoft announced. According to Microsoft, Target is using Windows Server 2008 R2 Hyper-V and Microsoft System Center to virtualize inventory, point-of-sale, supply-chain management, asset protection, in-store digital media and more.

NEW YORK -- VF Corp., whose stable of banners includes Vans and The North Face, announced an aggressive growth, including plans to open 400 U.S. stores across its various brands during the next five years. The company discussed these plans and more at an investor conference held recently in New York City.

In addition to the U.S. expansion, VF is looking to open some 225 stores in Europe and 80 in Asia. The expansion is expected to bring the company’s global store count to 1,500 units.

NEW YORK — Following the recent sale of Walgreens' pharmacy benefit management business, Credit Suisse analysts said they are interested in the executive team's updated thinking on their healthcare strategy and plans for the $550 million in proceeds.

Retail is a hard enough business without muddying the waters with all sorts of activities that have nothing to do with selling stuff shoppers want and need. To recap, Target gave some money to a homophobic politician who a lot of people thought was a jerk, which created an uprising in the gay and lesbian community and resulted in the company adopting a new policy to govern the political contribution process.

Japan may be a wealthy country, but as the death toll there continues to rise, major U.S. corporations are stepping up with significant donations and Target is among them. The company last week announced it would contribute $500,000 to Save the Children, an organization that is aiding with Japan’s earthquake and tsunami relief efforts.

Walmart's efforts to open in New York City were helped last week when a new poll, released Friday, found that New Yorkers would shop at Walmart if one opened in the city. No kidding? Target is already there and New Yorkers love Target, so it stands to reason they will love Walmart too even though the companies offer a slightly different value proposition and Walmart comes with a lot more baggage.

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Bausch + Lomb on Friday appointed a clinical professor of ophthalmology to serve as the company's first-ever chief medical officer.

As CMO, Calvin Roberts will coordinate B + L's research and development efforts across its vision care, pharmaceuticals and surgical business units.

MINNEAPOLIS -- Target's deal with Lady Gaga may have fallen through, but that doesn't mean the retailer has lost its ability to court the music industry. Case in point, the company announced yesterday that it is partnering with GRAMMY and Academy Award-winning singer and actress Jennifer Hudson for the exclusive, deluxe edition of her second studio album, "I Remember Me." The deluxe edition, including four additional new songs and bonus video material, will be available only at Target stores nationwide and on Target.com beginning March 22.

Chicago -- Retailers and consumer product manufacturers who create and maintain a diverse workforce are more likely to increase innovation and meet consumer needs than those who don’t, according to a new report by the Network of Executive Women.

New York City -- American Apparel, which has yet to disclose certified financial results for 2009, has now delayed the filing of its 2010 annual report because it needs time to complete “reviews and analyses” of reports for both years. 

The troubled retailer, whose founder and CEO Dov Charney was recently accused in a $260 million suit of using a former employee as a sex slave, did admit it expects to register losses for 2010, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.