Wal-Mart Tops Retail List, Again

Discount merchandiser Target Corp. passed century-old department store chain Sears, Roebuck & Co. for the fourth spot on this year’s list of the largest U.S. retailers.

The biggest three U.S. retail chains held their positions on the list, released Tuesday by the National Retail Federation’s Stores magazine.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the world’s largest company by revenue, widened the gap over its rivals with sales greater than its five biggest U.S. competitors combined.

Home improvement chain Home Depot Inc., based in Atlanta, held on to the No. 2 spot that it claimed last year, and Cincinnati-based grocery chain Kroger Co. remained at third.

Chicago-based Sears slipped to No. 5 after recording a slim 0.9% increase in revenue.

Costco Wholesale Corp. rose two rungs to No. 6, passing Kmart Holding Corp., which recently emerged from bankruptcy protection, and grocery chain Albertson’s Inc. came in 7th. Pleasanton, Calif.-based Safeway Inc., J.C. Penney Co. and Kmart round out the top 10.

In another sign of trouble among apparel store chains, San Francisco-based Gap Inc., the largest U.S. apparel chain, knocked May Department Stores out of the top 20.