Target, Inc.

Despite the dicey economy and an Easter that fell late in the year, March wasn’t all bad news for big-box retailers. Some modest increases in net and comparable-store sales were logged during the month. Still, results were rather uneven, although in line with most companies’ expectations.

In the wake of activist hedge fund manager William Ackman of Pershing Square Capital Management’s plan to nominate five new candidates to serve as members of a 13-member board of directors at Target Corp., the Minneapolis-based retailer has issued a statement confirming that its 12-member board slate is the correct size.

Wholesale and club stores receive the most favorable coverage among retailers in the blogosphere, while traditional department stores and mass merchandisers trail far behind due to substantial criticism from consumers, according to new research from Washington-based media analysis company CARMA International.

Candy stores across the United States are experiencing a boom in sales as people reach for the comfort and familiarity of their favorite sweets during the recession. The economic bust seems to have a sweet tooth.

Walmart this week rolled out Your Zone, a home furnishings line for teenagers that’s being sold nationwide and on Walmart.com.

In addition to the retail veteran, hedge fund manager William Ackman will nominate himself and representatives from the real estate, academic and banking arenas.

We live in interesting times. On the one hand, value retailing is driving price compression, benefitting consumers.

But retailers can manage the perception of price, as well as price itself, Kurt Salmon Associates found.