TARGET

SOUTHPORT, Conn. — DiversityBusiness.com earlier this month named the “Top 50 Organizations for Multicultural Business Opportunities." More than 1.3 million diversity business owners participated in an online election to determine the “Top” 50 organizations. Wal-Mart Stores was named the leading retailer and No. 2 overall for providing business opportunities to diverse business owners throughout the United States. Food, drug and mass retailers Kroger (No. 11), Target (No. 18), Supervalu (No. 23), Walgreens (No. 26) and Ahold USA (No.

MINNEAPOLIS — John Mulligan, EVP and CFO of Target, said the retailer is deeply sorry for its late 2013 data security breach and is aware that consumer confidence in the company is shaken; his comments came during a Feb. 4 testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

According to Reuters, Mulligan also said that Target discovered 25 registers infected with malware on Dec. 18, contradicting an earlier statement from the retailer that all malware had been removed by Dec. 15.

MINNEAPOLIS — Target reportedly said a data breach at an unidentified vendor led to hackers obtaining phony credentials that allowed them to gain access to Target’s systems and steal the information for 40 million credit and debit cards, as well as the personal data of about 70 million consumers. According to the Associated Press, Target did not offer any specific details on who the vendor was or how hackers obtained the credentials.

MISSISSAUGA, ONTARIO — Target plans to carry on its Canadian expansion this year with nine additional stores, the majority of which will open in Ontario, although the retailer plans to open single stores in Quebec, Manitoba, Alberta and British Columbia.

Target is looking to open a new, smaller — much smaller — store in the base of an apartment building currently under construction near the University of Minnesota campus that will serve as a test for the new format dubbed TargetExpress, the New York Times has reported.

AMITYVILLE, N.Y. — SheaMoisture, a personal care brand, has released two new products formulated especially for babies and children with allergies and skin sensitivities.

MINNEAPOLIS — In light of the changing healthcare landscape due to healthcare reform, Target is discontinuing part-time health insurance coverage for its stores’ part-time associates, beginning April 1, according to a report in Target’s Bullseye View.

NEW YORK — Target Corp. has signed a lease to open a 20,000-sq.-ft. location in Minneapolis that will serve as a test of a new format called TargetExpress, the New York Times reported. The new unit, considerably smaller than CityTarget’s 80,000- to 125,000-sq.-ft. footprint, would be the chain’s smallest store to date.