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New York -- TJX Cos. has joined the growing ranks of retailers who no longer report monthly sales. On Thursday, the retailer announced that it will report results on a quarterly basis going forward. Also, as previously announced, Ross Stores will no longer be reporting same-store sales after the April results.

That will leave 11 U.S. retail chains reporting monthly sales, down from a peak of 68 in 2006, according to Reuters.

One hundred and forty one billion dollars. That's the estimated brand value of Walmart, according to Interbrand's "Best Global Brands" report. The annual study ranks the 50 most valuable U.S. retail brands, along with the top store brands in countries around the world.

By Garrick Brown, research director, Terranomics

The recent announcement that retail giant Walmart plans to open more than 100 of the brand’s Neighborhood Market stores in 2013, and as many as 500 Neighborhood Market locations over the next few years, has industry analysts and observers talking. They have my attention, as well.

New York -- A Friday report by Reuters revealed that J.C. Penney CEO Ron Johnson was well aware that the retailer’s deal with Martha Stewart would step on Macy’s toes, but testified in court that the company decided to move forward anyway.

Attorneys for Macy’s in New York state court on Friday presented Johnson with an email he sent to a Penney board member saying that Stewart would have to break her agreement with Macy’s if Johnson was going to “pull off” a deal with her.

Chicago -- Automation and mass production will continue to make life easier in the years ahead, but consumers and companies will react by valuing – and promoting – human services and artisan goods. That’s one of the key trends research firm Mintel predicts will be impacting consumer behavior in the next five to 10 years.

As part of its lunch of Mintel Futures, a new program designed to forecast long-term industry trends, Mintel identified six key trends affecting the global consumer market in the near future:

Jeff Gordman is following in the family tradition. As president, chairman and CEO of Gordmans, he leads a company whose roots go back nearly 100 years, to when his grandfather opened a store in downtown Omaha in 1915.

From that one store, the company evolved over the years, eventually expanding beyond Nebraska. It also added a discount division, Half Price Stores. By 1990 the company had 32 stores, equally divided between the two divisions.

Wayne, N.J. -- Toys “R” Us announced that it is extending its free layaway program through Dec. 16, due to significant positive response by consumers. The free offer was originally slated to end on Oct. 31. The chain was the first retailer to offer free layaway, starting in September. Since then, other companies have also stepped up with enhanced layaway programs, including Walmart and Kmart.

By Kathy Gersch, kathy@kotterinternational.com

Seattle -- Mobile payments took another step forward with the announcement that Starbucks Coffee Co. has entered into a partnership with Square, a mobile-payment start-up. Starbucks will invest $25 million in Square -- part of the latest round of financing -- and Starbucks chairman, president and CEO Howard Schultz will join Square’s board of directors. Square was founded in 2009 by Jack Dorsey, creator of Twitter.

If you’ve spent any time in Nordstrom over the past few years, you’ve probably noticed their efforts to integrate some younger, edgier product lines into their more conservative upscale fashion selections. It seems they’re taking these efforts one giant step forward with the announcement of their new partnership with Topshop.

By Eileen F. Mitchell, emitchell@rcsrealestate.com