NEW YORK — Target Corp. reported a 29 percent drop in first-quarter profit as unusually cool spring weather and financial pressures chilled customers' appetite for spending.The company, based in Minneapolis, also on Wednesday cut its annual profit outlook, sending its stock down.Target is the latest in a string of companies including rival Wal-Mart Stores Inc. that say bad weather and ...

Wal-Mart named Dan Bartlett, a former adviser to President George W. Bush, to head its corporate and government affairs. He will succeed Leslie Dach, who led the retail giant's decadelong push to remake its corporate image.

DUBAI (Reuters) - Carrefour , Europe's largest retailer, is in advanced talks to divest its remaining 25-percent stake in its Middle Eastern joint venture to local partner Majid Al Futtaim (MAF), two sources familiar with the matter said. Family-owned MAF is paying between $400-$500 million for the stake, one of the sources said, adding an announcement on the divestment was ...

A week ago it was the better than expected weather's fault for the big Wal-Mart miss. Today, it is the turn of that other retail bellwether, Target, to blame sunny days. From the release: "Target’s first quarter earnings were below expectations as a result of softer-than-expected sales, particularly in apparel and other seasonal and weather-sensitive categories,” said Gregg Steinhafel, chairman, ...

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and Starbucks Corp. are among 19 retailers opting out of a $7.25 billion antitrust settlement with Visa Inc.