Content about chairman , president and CEO

PLEASANTON, Calif. — Safeway surprised analysts Thursday morning with fourth-quarter earnings per share of 62 cents, well above a consensus of 57 cents among analysts.

Total sales were up 0.9% to $12.8 billion in the fourth quarter. Higher fuel sales and an increase in the Canadian exchange rate were offset by reduced sales due to store closures and a 0.8% decline in identical-store sales, excluding fuel, the grocer reported. Same-store sales, excluding fuel, declined 0.5%. Fuel sales rose 23%.

Share value on the NYSE was up 14 cents in mid-day trading to $22.19.

MINNEAPOLIS — Target said that although its comparable-store sales were below expectations in the South and Northeast, the company believes overall sales will be driven by two of its recent initiatives.

Target chairman, president and CEO, Gregg Steinhafel, said that while the company "expects the economy to remain challenging, Target's PFresh remodel program and REDcard Rewards 5% savings program continue to operate in line with expectations."

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — The next chapter for CVS Caremark officially is under way as the company announced on Monday the next stage of its previously announced transition plan and officially named Larry Merlo, president and COO, as CEO, effective March. 1.

Tom Ryan, chairman, president and CEO, will remain nonexecutive chairman until his retirement at the company’s annual meeting of shareholders in May.

MINNEAPOLIS — Despite an easy prior-year comparison, Target fell short of its December same-store sales guidance with a disappointing 0.9% gain.

The company forecasted December comps in the low to mid-single-digit range after it released November results, which saw comps advance 5.5%. Analysts were expecting the company to report a 4% December gain.

NEW YORK Colgate-Palmolive experienced a strong third quarter as its global market shares in toothpaste and manual toothbrushes reached record highs year-to-date, the company announced on Thursday.

"Overall, we are very pleased with our solid results this quarter, despite aggressive competitive activity and difficult economic conditions around the world," stated Ian Cook, chairman, president and CEO. 

CINCINNATI Procter & Gamble announced on Wednesday that first-quarter earnings per share from continuing operations exceeded estimates and rose 5% as net sales rose 2% to $20.1 billion.

CINCINNATI Procter & Gamble honored its top performing external business partners at its supplier and agency summit on Thursday.

P&G's annual summit recognizes and celebrates those key contributors who have demonstrated partner excellence. Bob McDonald, P&G's chairman, president and CEO, said that the company's partnerships with business partners and retail customers "are built upon the fundamental idea of improving lives."

Remember “Gilligan’s Island?” Man, that was a great show. The thing about “Gilligan’s Island” was that no matter what else happened, you just knew they were never getting off that island.

It really didn’t matter how rock bands, movie stars or Russian cosmonauts washed up on shore, the passengers and crew of the S.S. Minnow were never getting off that island.

And that’s why eventually you just had to stop watching. You already knew the ending, and at some point the jokes just got stale.