PNI Digital Media Inc., Vancouver, British Columbia, announces the company continues to see record transaction volumes during its current third quarter of fiscal 2009. A record 2,299,923 orders have been transacted via the PNI Digital Media Platform thus far this quarter. This represents a 134-percent increase in orders over the comparable period of fiscal 2008 and the 26th straight quarter of record orders transacted when comparing year over year same quarters, the company claims. As of today, PNI has transacted and distributed more orders via the PNI Digital Media Platform this fiscal year than were transacted in the entire previous fiscal year.

  To date the average daily order volume for fiscal thirdquarter is 36,507, compared to 15,626 for the same period of fiscal 2008. Overall retail sales processed through the PNI Digital Media Platform for retail partners show an increase of over 200 percent for the quarter compared to the comparable period in fiscal 2008.

Organic growth of retail partners on the PNI Digital Media Platform continues to be very strong, up an aggregate 20 percent year over year. The company's third quarter financial results are expected to be announced in early August 2009.

  "Orders transacted through the PNI Digital Media Platform this quarter continue to be very strong," says Kyle Hall, CEO of PNI. "In the face of deteriorating reports across most sectors of the economy, including the retail photo industry, PNI's business platform again proves its effectiveness for our retail partners, as more consumers migrate to our online solution. Clearly, our retail partners are outperforming the expectations of the industry. Combined with our last two quarterly results of digital orders transacted, these interim results further reinforce our industry leading position as the platform of choice for effective growth."

  The company also said it is finalizing the requirements to change its official name from PhotoChannel Networks Inc. to PNI Digital Media Inc.

Target Corp., Minneapolis, Minn., reported net retail sales for the four weeks ended May 30 were $4,458 million, a decrease of 2.3 percent from $4,564 million for the four weeks ended May 31, 2008. On this same basis, May comparable-store sales decreased 6.1 percent.

"Sales for the month of May were somewhat below our expectations," says Gregg Steinhafel, chairman, president and CEO, Target.

The company currently operates 1,698 Target stores in 49 states.

  Costco Wholesale Corp., Issaquah, Wash., reported net sales of $5.47 billion for the month of May, the four weeks ended May 31, 2009, a decrease of 5 percent from $5.77 billion in the same four-week period last year. Both this year's and last year's four-week periods included 27 days in the U.S. (closed Memorial Day) and Canada (closed Victoria Day).

  Rite Aid Corp., Camp Hill, Pa., announced, for the five weeks ended May 30, same store sales increased 0.6 percent over the prior year period. May front-end same store sales decreased 1.5 percent while pharmacy same store sales, which included an approximate 511 basis points negative impact from new generic introductions, increased 1.6 percent.

  For the five weeks ended May 30, 2009, same store sales excluding the acquired Brooks Eckerd stores increased 1.5 percent compared to the prior-year period with front-end same store sales decreasing 1.1 percent and pharmacy same store sales increasing 3.0 percent.

  The company operated 4,825 stores compared to 5,004 stores in the like period a year ago.

  Fred's Inc., Memphis, Tenn., reported a 6-percent sales decline to $134.7 million from $143.4 million in May 2008, reflecting the closing of 74 underperforming stores and 23 underperforming pharmacies last year. Excluding stores closed during 2008, however, total sales from ongoing stores increased 1 percent in May versus the same month last year. Comparable store sales for the month rose 0.2 percent versus an increase of 3.4 percent in the same period last year.

During May, Fred's opened one new pharmacy. Fred's Inc. operates 666 discount general merchandise stores, including 24 franchised Fred's stores in the southeastern United States.

  BJ's Wholesale Club Inc., Natick, Mass., reported sales for May decreased by 4.7 percent to $783.4 million, from $822.0 million in May 2008. Comparable club sales for May 2009 decreased by 6.8 percent, including a negative impact of 10.8 percent from lower gasoline prices and volume versus last year. Excluding the impact of gasoline sales, however, merchandise comparable club sales increased by 4.0 percent.

"Our merchandise comparable club sales increase of 4.0 percent was a good result in this economy, although it was slightly below our guidance," says Laura Sen, president and CEO. "Traffic continued strong, increasing by 5 percent over last year. Overall, May sales results reflected continued strength in food and consumables, televisions and computer equipment, partly offset by ongoing softness in discretionary departments such as apparel, jewelry and sporting goods, and a slightly increased impact from price deflation in certain areas of perishable foods."