WALMART

BOSTON — A study conducted by Brodeur Partners has unveiled the most relevant retailers in the United States.

CHICAGO — Catherine Lindner, Walgreens VP retail marketing, has been named vice chair of the Network of Executive Women, the association announced Tuesday. Under the NEW's bylaws, Lindner will assume the post of board chair when the term of the current board chair — Walmart SVP home Michelle Gloeckler — expires in October 2012.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Walmart said Thursday it will reduce prices on groceries by $1 billion in 2012, in hopes to draw customers in and encourage them to cross-shop in other areas of the store.

Walmart had $145 billion in grocery sales last year in the United States, making it the largest player in terms of domestic grocery sales. It says the price reductions in food and consumables are an investment and won’t impact margins ,especially if shoppers respond as planned with additional traffic and loyalty.

WABAN, Mass. — Sam's Club has the most loyal customers, according to a new study by the Temkin Group. The report, "2012 Temkin Loyalty Ratings," rated the loyalty that consumers have to 206 large companies across 18 industries.

Only seven companies earned "very strong" loyalty ratings. In addition to the retailers listed above, credit unions and USAA earned the distinction. Sam’s Club had the most loyal customers across all industries, with a loyalty rating of 65%.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Mass merchandiser Sam's Club has made a deal with the pregnancy and parenting brand of an author who has signed on to write articles in its in-store magazine.

MINNEAPOLIS — Kantar Media on Wednesday reported that overall retailer advertising expenditures increased 1.6% and retailer participation in Free Standing Insert coupon promotion pages increased 30.7% over calendar year 2011, versus the corresponding year-ago period. Additionally, digital coupon events increased 40.4% during this period across the leading retailer websites monitored by Kantar Media.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Walmart said Thursday it is continuing its annual tradition of increasing shareholder payout by raising its dividend by 9%.

Walmart will pay a quarterly dividend of 39.75 cents on April 4 to shareholders of record on March 12. That works out to $1.59 per share for the year. The company has increased its dividend every year since its first declared dividend in March 1974.

According to Walmart president and CEO Mike Duke, the company's U.S. business is back on track, and international results remain strong.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Sam's Club is taking its promotion of health-and-wellness solutions further by launching its own branded, bimonthly magazine.

Sam' Club said its 8-million member circulation magazine, Healthy Living Made Simple, is the first warehouse club publication solely dedicated to health-and-wellness issues. Topics covered by the publication include items related to personal, child and pet health. Future issues will spotlight local Sam’s Club pharmacists, optometrists and associates, as well as members’ stories, Sam's Club said.