Target boosts second-quarter forecast, says same-store sales will be higher by Terri Cullen at CNBC. "The retailer said it expects to see a "modest increase" in comparable-store sales, having forecast negative results earlier in the year. "Following better-than-expected results in the first quarter, we've seen additional, broad-based improvement in traffic and category sales trends in the second quarter, despite continued challenges in the competitive environment," Brian Cornell, chairman and CEO of Target, said in a statement." Read more | Press release   J.C.Penney rolling out toy shops by Korri Kezar at Dallas Business News. "...introducing roughly 500-square-foot areas in [...]

  Wal-Mart Will Punish Its Suppliers for Delivering Late — or Early by Matthew Boyle at Bloomberg. "Two days late? That’ll earn you a fine. One day early? That’s a fine, too. Right on-time but goods aren’t packed properly? You guessed it -- fined. The program, labeled “On-Time, In-Full,’’ aims to add $1 billion to revenue by improving product availability at stores, according to slides from a presentation obtained by Bloomberg." Read more   Target is testing new curbside pickup service in Twin Cities by Kavita Kumar at Star Tribune. "In 2014, it partnered with...Curbside...Target ended that program in 2016..."But [...]

  True Value Weighs Sale, Could Fetch About $800 Million by Kiel Porter at Bloomberg. "The company is working with an investment bank to examine strategic options, including a sale, said the people, who asked not to be identified because they weren’t authorized to speak publicly. The process is expected to attract private equity firms, the people said. No final decision has been made and the company may elect not to pursue a sale." Read more   Amazon wins India's approval to invest in domestic food retail at Reuters. "Amazon.com Inc has secured approval to stock and sell food and [...]

  Amazon threatened to kill its Whole Foods deal if the grocer started a bidding war by Jason Del Rey at Recode. "Amazon’s bankers “also made it clear again ... that Amazon.com would disengage from its efforts to acquire the Company and pursue other alternatives and initiatives if the $42.00 per share price were not accepted,” the filing said" Read more   ...Reuters has reported that Albertsons was "Company X" in Whole Foods bidding at Fortune. Read more   Retailers offer deals for Amazon Prime Day -- but not Walmart, Target by Diane Kruzman at USA Today. "Walmart, Target and Lowe's are [...]

  Home Depot buying equipment rental company for $265M by David Allison at Atlanta Business Chronicle. "Fort Mill, S.C.-based Compact Power Equipment has been a business partner of Home Depot's since 2008. The companies' partnership began with three pilot equipment centers at Charlotte, N.C., stores, and by 2015 had grown to 1,000 Home Depot stores across the U.S. and Canada." Read more   Wal-Mart de Mexico Sales Pick Up in June via Fox Business. "Same-store sales in Mexico rose 7.2% in June, thanks to 0.2% more customers who spent on average 7% more per visit. Newly opened stores contributed another [...]

  QVC buying Home Shopping Network in deal valued at $2.1 billion at CNBC. "Liberty Interactive will purchase the 62 percent of HSNi that it didn't already own in an all-stock deal valued at $2.1 billion." Read more   Costco June Comp Sales +6.0% "Costco reported net sales of $12.17 billion for the month of June, the five weeks ended July 2, 2017, an increase of  seven percent from $11.33 billion during the similar period last year." Press release   KROGER VS. LIDL - Kroger sues Lidl for trademark infringement by Steve Watkins at Cincinnati Business Courier. "Kroger argues in [...]