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Covering the latest news in the retail industry

  • August 22, 2025

    • Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has signaled the coming end of retaliatory tariffs on USMCA-compliant goods as of Sept. 1. Tariffs on autos, aluminum, copper, lumber, steel, and energy are to remain in effect (via CBC).
    • U.S. consumers are becoming increasingly comfortable with gen AI, per Omnisend data. More than half (53%) of those surveyed use AI tools for e-commerce purposes at least one per month (via Chain Store Age).
    • Tesla is under investigation for allegations related to it having delayed notifying government bodies concerning crashes involving its driver assistance technology. The NHTSA is engaged in the investigation over Tesla’s regulatory compliance (via CNN Business).
    • Nike is pushing into the popular outdoor sports and recreation market, starting with a new trail running shoe attached to its outdoor sub-brand ACG. The athleticwear retailer is also eying the Chinese market for expansion (via Reuters).
    • Former Walmart U.S. CEO Bill Simon has spoken out, questioning the stock selloff exhibited following Walmart’s recent quarterly results. Shares shed 4% of value, but Simon indicated “It was about as good of a quarter as any retailer could have in any environment.” (via CNBC).
    • White Castle plans to open its first Texas location, in a Dallas suburb known as The Colony, in the summer of 2026. The restaurant is anticipated to create between 80 and 100 jobs (via Chain Store Age).
    • Fed chair Jerome Powell hinted at a rate cut in the near future in remarks delivered in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. “Downside risks to employment are rising… With policy in restrictive territory, the baseline outlook and the shifting balance of risks may warrant adjusting our policy stance,” Powell said (via CNN Business).
    • Meta and Google have reportedly signed a cloud services deal worth ~$10 billion. Meta will leverage Google cloud services for its growing artificial intelligence projects (via IBD).
    • Jeep is bringing its popular Cherokee model back into production, this time as a hybrid. The new Jeep Cherokee is said to boast a starting price of $36,995 (via CarScoops).
    • Ross Stores delivered results which fell in line with Wall Street estimates for Q2 2025. Despite this, net earnings fell ~4% from Q1 2024, from $527.1 million to $508 million, and EPS trended downward to $1.57 versus $1.60 a year prior (via Chain Store Age).

  • August 21, 2025

    • Walmart slightly improved its EPS from $0.67 in fiscal Q2 2025 to $0.68 in fiscal Q3 2026, but fell short of analyst expectations. Meanwhile, it delivered a sales beat, reporting $177.4 billion for the quarter versus $169.3 billion the year prior — beating analyst projections of $176.16 billion (via Chain Store Age).
    • Dollar General has named previous DG c-suite veteran Donny Lau to the posts of EVP and CFO. Lau had served Dollar General as senior VP of finance and chief strategy officer in the past (via Chain Store Age).
    • Target is facing criticism over its installation of new CEO Michael Fiddelke, who rose through the ranks at the retailer to become COO previous to his appointment. Analysts claim an external CEO hire would have been preferable to reboot the company’s performance issues (via Reuters).
    • Generative AI traffic to retail sites is up a whopping 4,700% YoY as of July, according to Adobe data. That statistic is up from a 1,300% YoY increase spanning Nov. 1 to Dec. 31, 2024 (via Forbes).
    • Sony will be raising the price of its Playstation 5 console by $50 in response a slow recovery in the video game market as well as ongoing tariff pressures (via CNN Business).
    • Cracker Barrel stock plunged in morning trading, seemingly in response to a revision of its logo which omits both the man and the barrel. Analysts suggest that the move “risks confusing its customers with a rebrand,” in conjunction with ongoing restaurant remodels (via CNN Business).
    • Bed Bath & Beyond will not be opening nor operating stores within the state of California. Executive Chairman Marcus Lemonis cited higher taxes, fees, wages, and “endless regulations that strangle growth” as motivators for the decision (via FOX Business).
    • Chipotle has teamed up with Zipline to test drone delivery. Those in the Dallas area can avail of “Zipotle” delivery via early access capabilities in the Zipline app (via CNBC).
    • Spirit Halloween is making a significant investment to make shopping its brick-and-mortar locations more immersive. Debuting the “Madison Scare Park” subway platform, complete with new, more technically intricate animatronics, the retailer hopes for another strong sales season (via Chain Store Age).

  • August 20, 2025

    • Lowe’s has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Foundation Building Materials. The buyout deal concerning the North American distributor is valued at approximately $8.8 billion (via Chain Store Age).
    • Target has named current company COO Michael Fiddelke as its next CEO. Fiddelke will assume the helm of the company on Feb. 1, 2026 (via Chain Store Age).
    • Hertz now sells pre-owned vehicles via Amazon Autos. Consumers within 75 miles of Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, and Seattle can begin browsing the inventory as of Aug. 20 (via CNBC).
    • Guess announced it will be going private as part of a deal including a group comprised of its co-founders, CEO, and Authentic Brands. Authentic Brands will acquire a majority (51%) of all Guess IP (via Reuters).
    • Claire’s has announced that it will be selling the bulk of its North American business to PE firm Ames Watson. Liquidation processes have been paused at most of its stores as part of the deal, though financial details related to the sale remain scarce (via CNBC).
    • McDonald’s will be engaging in continued menu price reductions in an effort to bolster perception of value with consumers. Eight separate combo meals will be priced at least 15% below the price of purchasing menu items separately, with franchisees in agreement being offered financial support from corporate (via CNN Business).
    • TJX beat earnings expectations, and has raised its full-year guidance based on an optimistic portrait of its continuing business (via CNBC).
    • Estee Lauder offered a grim profit forecast, projecting annual profit below Wall Street estimates in addition to a $100 million hit attributed to tariffs in fiscal 2026 (via Reuters).
    • Victoria’s Secret has opened a new 7,500-square-foot flagship location in Miami Beach. The location will operate on Lincoln Road, known to be an trendy, upscale area (via Chain Store Age).

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