Top Retailers

ALBANY, N.Y. — The cost of acquiring a Facebook “liker?" Less than 13 cents per fan, according to a Media Logic blog entry posted last week. At least that’s what retailer Kirkland's spent in its pursuit of more than 200,000 Facebook surfers who opted-in on the Kirkland's page. And because the act of a Facebook user “liking” a page is posted on that person’s newsfeed, it fast becomes a case of “if you tell two friends and they each in turn tell two friends ...”

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Sam's Club is expanding its foray into the private-label business by focusing on consumables.

According to an Associated Press report, the retailer is launching a private-label baked goods line called Artisan Fresh, Simply Right, a personal care collection, and Daily Chef, which includes groceries.

The brands, which will roll out this fall, will replace Sam's Club store brand Members Mark, AP said.

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — CVS Caremark is enhancing its hepatitis C patient support program following the recent Food and Drug Administration approval of two new add-on therapies for hepatitis C, the company announced on Friday.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Walmart's board of directors has approved a new program authorizing the company to repurchase $15 billion of its shares, the company announced at its 41st annual meeting of shareholders Friday.

This program replaces the previous $15 billion program, announced on June 4, 2010, that had approximately $2 billion of remaining authorization. Under the program, repurchased shares are retired constructively and returned to unissued status.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — After nearly four hours of music, cheering, celebrity appearances and brief presentations by senior executives, Walmart president and CEO Mike Duke wrapped up the company’s annual shareholders’ extravaganza Friday morning by sharing five priorities associated with serving what he called the next generation of customers.

CINCINNATI — Kroger has kicked off a two-week campaign that is expected to generate $5 million dollars in cash and food donations to assist 80 local food banks in communities where Kroger's customers and associates live and work.

Kroger said that its annual Bringing Hope to the Table campaign, which runs through June 11, will assist food banks that are members of Feeding America, the nation's largest hunger-relief organization. Since 2006, Kroger's family of stores has generated contributions of $25 million in food and funds through the campaign.

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — CVS Caremark has donated approximately $40,000 in monetary and in-kind donations to support residents of Joplin, Mo., including some of the company's pharmacy benefit manager clients and their members who were impacted by the recent tornado, the company announced on Friday.

CVS Caremark and CVS/pharmacy colleagues in the region collected and donated first aid and personal care supplies valued at approximately $35,000 to local relief efforts in Joplin. In addition, CVS Caremark has made a $5,000 donation to the American Red Cross.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — May proved to be a good month for Walgreens, as the drug store chain posted a total sales jump of 7% to nearly $6.1 billion.

Walgreens reported that its total front-end sales experienced a 5.5% increase, while comparable front-end sales realized a 3.6% increase.