July 11, 2025

  • U.S. retail sales fell in June on a monthly basis, the first decline since February of this year, per NRF data. However, while core retail sales dipped 0.32% month-over-month, those same sales were up 3.36% year-over-year (via Chain Store Age).
  • Samsung is looking into expanding its array of wearable tech featuring AI integration. “It could be something that you wear, glasses, earrings, watches, rings and sometimes [a] necklace,” COO Won-joon Choi said (via CNN Business).
  • Back-to-school spending is anticipated to hit $30.9 billion this year, according to a new Deloitte report. That works out to about $540 per student, a drop of about $16, despite price increases across all categories (via Chain Store Age).
  • Walgreens Boots Alliance shareholders have agreed to the $10 billion buyout offer presented by Sycamore Partners. A vast majority (~96%) of votes were notched in support of the buyout plan, according to a preliminary tally of results (via Forbes).
  • Levi Strauss has raised its full-year sales guidance to $1.25 to $1.30 per share, up from a range of $1.20 to $1.23 per share projected earlier. The company also indicated that it was willing to absorb at least some of the impact of ongoing tariffs (via CNBC).
  • Ulta Beauty has expanded into the UK market in a serious way via the acquisition of British beauty retailer Space NK. Financial details surrounding the deal remain as yet undisclosed (via Vogue Business).
  • Ford and Lincoln are recalling over 850,000 vehicles due to a potentially faulty fuel pump, per NHTSA records. The recall spans a variety of Ford and Lincoln models, including trucks, cars, and SUVs (via FOX Business).
  • Tomato prices could increase by 10% or more should a trade deal between the U.S. Commerce Department and Mexican exporters end as planned. NatureSweet Ltd. CEO Rodolfo Spielmann said “there’s no scenario” in which his import company can absorb the cost of tariffs (via FOX Business).
  • Amazon Prime Day day three saw a decrease in average order spend, despite overall household spend trending upward to $139.71, versus $126.26 the day prior. Average order spend fell to $54.78 from $57.12 on day two, according to Numerator data (via Chain Store Age).
  • Increased tariffs of 35% on Canada have been threatened by President Trump. The expectation, according to Trump administration officials, is that goods covered by the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement will be exempt from these tariffs (via CNN Business).