August 19, 2025
- Home Depot reported profit and sales growth metrics which fell short of Wall Street expectations. However, the retailer plans to open 13 stores this year, and reaffirmed its full-year guidance (via Chain Store Age).
- Intel is receiving a $2 billion investment from Japan’s SoftBank. SoftBank will purchase shares of Intel for $23 per share, coinciding with news that the White House is mulling an investment in the chipmaker as well (via CNN Business).
- Pop Mart indicated its profit had soared by almost 400% during the first half of 2025. The Chinese company, made famous over the viral popularity of its Labubu doll lineup, is struggling to contain a raft of fakes entering the market (via Reuters).
- Best Buy launched its third-party marketplace on Aug. 19 in an attempt to deepen its inventory selection and halt sluggish sales (via CNBC).
- Nvidia is reportedly working on a new AI chip, designed for sale in China, which is significantly more powerful than the H20 chips it is currently allowed to sell in that market (via TechCrunch).
- Eight Sleep, a New York-based developer of smart sleep products, has raised $100 million in Series D funding. The company plans to launch retail stores sometime next year (via Axios).
- Skims plans a push into Europe following the hire of former Michael Kors exec Robin Gendron, assuming the newly created role of president of EMEA. Stores are planned for London and Dubai (via Forbes).
- Anheuser-Busch announced a $15 million investment in its U.S. brewery, as part of a broader $300 million investment package unveiled in May to create and maintain U.S. manufacturing jobs (via Reuters).
- Starbucks is offering an across-the-board 2% wage increase for its salaried employees. Corporate staff, store managers, and manufacturing and distributions workers are among those entitled to the raise (via Chain Store Age).