Content about Target

MINNEAPOLIS — April same-store sales at Target increased 1.1% and helped the company achieve a 5.3% first-quarter comps increase that was the highest in six years. How much of the performance was due to record warm weather versus good execution of a solid strategy against the back drop of an improved economy is debatable.

NEW YORK — Real Simple has rolled out a limited-edition line of licensed pet products.

The 23-product collection exclusively will be sold at Target stores nationwide through June. The collection includes:

• Pet Bowls with removable metal food and water dishes, which includes an air-tight press-down lid that seals food to keep it fresh and portable;

• Dry Food Scoop with 0.75-cup and 1-cup measurements, and feeding instructions;

MINNEAPOLIS — For the second month in a row, Target’s same-store sales were nearly double the expected amount. As a result, the company increased its first-quarter guidance.

Same-store sales increased 7.3%, with half of the increase driven by growth in average transaction size combined with an increase in comparable-store transactions. Overall comparable-store sales in March 2011 decreased 5.5%.

CHICAGO — Catherine Lindner, Walgreens VP retail marketing, has been named vice chair of the Network of Executive Women, the association announced Tuesday. Under the NEW's bylaws, Lindner will assume the post of board chair when the term of the current board chair — Walmart SVP home Michelle Gloeckler — expires in October 2012.

MINNEAPOLIS — Target has revealed the locations of its first 12 stores in Quebec. As previously announced, Target purchased the leasehold interests of 189 sites currently operated by Zellers and plans to open 125 to 135 stores in Canada, the majority of which will open in 2013.

Target said it intends to announce additional Quebec store locations in the coming months.

Target plans to open stores in the following locations in fall 2013:

• Galeries D'Anjou, Anjou

• Place Portobello, Brossard

NEW YORK — The Ethisphere Institute's sixth annual selection of the "World's Most Ethical Companies" included several of the nation's top retailers.

Among this year's list of 145 organizations, Ethisphere — which describes itself as a leading international think-tank dedicated to the creation, advancement and sharing of best practices in business ethics, corporate social responsibility, anti-corruption and sustainability — included Costco, Safeway, Target, Wegmans and Whole Foods.

MINNEAPOLIS — The board of directors of Target has declared a quarterly dividend of 30 cents per common share.

The dividend, which marks the company's 179th consecutive dividend paid since October 1967, is payable June 10 to shareholders of record at the close of business May 16.

MINNEAPOLIS — Kantar Media on Wednesday reported that overall retailer advertising expenditures increased 1.6% and retailer participation in Free Standing Insert coupon promotion pages increased 30.7% over calendar year 2011, versus the corresponding year-ago period. Additionally, digital coupon events increased 40.4% during this period across the leading retailer websites monitored by Kantar Media.

MINNEAPOLIS — Target reported a 7% same-store sales increase in February that shattered the company’s guidance for a 4% gain, thanks to unseasonably warm weather, which boosted shopper traffic and transaction sizes.

The sales increases was well above the company’s expectations, which prompted chairman, president and CEO Gregg Steinhafel to say, “We’re very pleased with the pace of our sales since the holiday season, though we continue to plan for a first quarter comparable-store sales increase of around 4%.”

DAYTON, Ohio — While Walmart maintained the No. 1 position on Interbrand's "U.S. Most Valuable Retail Brands" list for 2012, several other retailers are moving up the ranks.

Although Walmart touts a value that's more than $139 billion, this year also marked a 2% decrease for the big box retailer, Interbrand said. Second on this year's list was Target, which holds a value of $23 billion, a 1% increase over last year.

NEW YORK — Burt’s Bees, a maker of natural personal care products, has developed a new collection, dubbed “Güd,” that is reimagined for the millennial generation.