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Covering the latest news in the retail industry

  • August 6, 2025

    • The U.S. toy industry has returned to growth in 2025, with dollar sales increasing by 6% thus far this year, per Circana. Adults are driving the bulk of the growth, with sales increasing by 18% for recipients aged 18 and older (via Globe Newswire).
    • Amazon Autos  is expanding its selection to include used and certified pre-owned (CPO) listings. Said listings are currently on offer in Los Angeles, with more markets opening in short order (via Amazon).
    • Claire’s has again filed for bankruptcy in the U.S., with a filing in Canada on the way. North American stores will remain open as the company navigates the process (via CBC).
    • Apple is expected to announce a further $100 billion investment in expanding its U.S. operations, to be announced by President Trump later on August 6, per a White House official (via CNN Business).
    • Disney posted a Q3 revenue and earnings beat, with the former ticking upward by $2 and adjusted earnings per share blowing past projections of $1.39 to rest at $1.61 (via Deadline).
    • McDonald’s saw a sales turnaround of 2.5% in the quarter ended June 30, at restaurants open for at least a year. CEO Chris Kempczinski, however, hinted that there remained some concern around value coming from lower-income customers (via CNN Business).
    • Columbia is launching a multi-season ad campaign, signaling a return to its “no-nonsense” roots. Titled “Engineered for Whatever,” the campaign features heavy metal, humor, and a sense of adventure which company marketing exec Matt Sutton termed a “bold move” (via Creative Review).
    • Shopify forecast strong Q3 revenue above market estimates, citing continued demand from retailers pertaining to its e-commerce services. In response, shares jumped by almost 20% in early morning trading (via Reuters).
    • Bath & Body Works has brokered deals with bookstore operators, including Barnes & Noble and Follett Corp, to set up shops within ~600 campus stores across the U.S. Fragrances, candles, and other items will be made available to students for purchase (via Reuters).

  • August 5, 2025

    • Wayfair delivered better-than-anticipated profit and revenue figures for the second quarter, beating Wall Street estimates. However, “I would describe the market not as having strength, but as sort of feeling like it’s bottomed out,” CEO, co-founder and co-chairman Niraj Shah said (via Chain Store Age).
    • Dunkin’ is partnering with Kahlúa to launch a rum-based cream liqueur. “Kahlúa Dunkin’ Caramel Swirl Cream Liqueur” launches August 5, at a MSRP of $24.99 (via CNN Business).
    • President Trump has threatened increased tariffs on imports coming from India, accusing the nation of purchasing Russian oil and then selling said oil on the open market (via CNN Business).
    • Yum Brands reported quarterly revenue and earnings figures which fell short of analyst projections. Pizza Hut and KFC reported U.S. same-store sales declines, while Taco Bell saw same-store sales growth of 4% (via CNBC).
    • Bain Capital and 11North Partners have added 10 open-air shopping centers to their portfolio, nine of which are in Florida and the other in South Carolina. Said shopping centers feature strong tenants including Publix, Chipotle, Chick-fil-A, McDonald’s, and Bank of America (via Chain Store Age).
    • Conventional food retailers “crushed” smaller-scale natural or specialty food stores in the post-COVID era. According to the Specialty Food Association’s most recent report, larger entities were better able to weather supply chain and inflation-related issues (via Supermarket News).
    • Retail job cuts are up a whopping 249% versus last year’s figures, per a Challenger, Gray & Christmas analysis. Through July, the retail sector shed 80,478 positions, versus 23,077 by the end of July in 2024 (via Challenger, Gray & Christmas).
    • Tesla sales sank in both Britain and Germany in July, in both cases by a staggering figure. In Britain, July sales tumbled 60% YoY, while in Germany, sales exhibited a decline of 55% YoY (via CNBC).
    • American Eagle shares tumbled nearly 10% in early morning trading August 5; however, following President Trump’s endorsement of the Sydney Sweeney AE ad campaign, shares had previously shot up by 23% the day prior (via CNBC).
    • Petco has launched a new “My Human” product lineup focused around pet owners who want to proudly display their affection for their furry family members. “Creating a completely unique human category at Petco was a no-brainer that’s deeply rooted in our brand’s essence,” said Michael Romanko, Petco chief customer and product officer (via PR Newswire).

  • August 4, 2025

    • Nearly half of retailers are currently utilizing AI tech at least weekly, per Amperity data, and a whopping 97% plan to maintain or increase their AI investment in the next year (via BusinessWire).
    • BP has announced its largest oil and natural gas discovery in 25 years, located off the coast of Brazil. The company is engaged in a strategic shift to refocus energy on fossil fuels versus renewables (via CNN Business).
    • 80% of American consumers eat fast food at least once monthly. Nearly half (40%) eat fast food four times or more per month, according to Zappi data (via Chain Store Age).
    • Tesla has awarded CEO Elon Musk a $29 billion pay package, achieved through Musk’s heavily discounted purchase of company shares (via CNN Business).
    • Harley-Davidson has named former Topgolf CEO Arthur Starrs as its own chief executive officer, hoping to stem slowing demand for its motorcycles. Starrs resigned from his position at Topgolf in advance of the move (via Reuters).
    • Analyst calls today will see Nvidia, Teslaw, Apple, Berkshire Hathaway, Disney, Doordash and others report financials, as onlookers await financial details and insider commentary (via CNBC).
    • Walmart has transformed five of its delivery trucks into touring experiential retail spaces, with items on display being notable for not typically being thought of as within the retailer’s usual scope (via Chain Store Age).
    • Anthropologie is promoting its Maeve label to a standalone brand, complete with its own brick-and-mortar storefronts. The first store under the banner is slated to open in Raleigh, North Carolina (via PR Newswire).
    • IKEA is partnering with Best Buy, soon opening 10 mini showrooms inside of Best Buy locations based in Florida and Texas (via News8000).
    • El Pollo Loco CEO Liz Williams has indicated that while U.S. fast-food consumers would like to spend more, they remain financially constrained. “Consumers want to spend, or want to enjoy our products, but they’re limited on what they can spend,” she said (via Restaurant Business).

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