Retail News

At least one of the DEI-centric boycotts pertaining to Target is coming to an end, as “Target Fast” has been called off by its organizer. Pastor Jamal Bryant of the New Birth Missionary Baptist Church called for an end to the boycott after Target allegedly privately admitted to a breakdown in trust with the Black community and recommitted itself to funding Black-led community groups and businesses (via Forbes).

The continuing conflict in Iran could push food inflation even higher, experts suggest, with fertilizer being in short supply. “Higher energy and input costs risk reigniting global food inflation just as retail food prices had returned to more historical levels in many countries,” the International Food Policy Research Institute wrote (via CNBC).

Ulta Beauty delivered a mixed report card for its fourth quarter, beating LSEG projections on revenue while missing on earnings per share. Revenue was pegged at $3.9 billion against $3.8 expected, while EPS came in at $8.01 versus $8.03 anticipated (via CNBC).

Costco is partnering with Sesame and IVI RMA North America to reduce the cost of fertility care and specialist treatments. “By combining transparent pricing with coordinated care, we’re removing the barriers that have historically kept quality fertility treatment out of reach for too many families,” said Richard Stephens, SVP of pharmacy at Costco (via Chain Store Age).

Goldman Sachs set a predicted price of oil, per barrel, of $100 in March — and $85 in April. The ongoing Iran conflict is at the heart of these price predictions, with the status of the conflict being highly unpredictable (via Reuters).

Honda has scrapped plans for three EVs which would have hit the U.S. market, as well as announced up to $15.8 billion in losses tied to tariffs and declining EV demand (via Automotive News).

Papa John’s International is reportedly weighing a $1.5 billion deal to go private under an acquisition offer from Irth Capital. The Qatari-based investment fund, backed by Brookfield, is said to have offered $47 per share, a 44% premium over Papa John’s most recent closing price (via FOX Business).

According to New York Fed data compiled by Apollo Academy, the K-shaped economy currently taking place in the U.S. is continuing with no signs of slowing. “The stronger growth in consumer spending for high-income households is driven by the K-shaped growth in wages and wealth,” wrote economist Torsten Slok (via Apollo Academy).

Dick’s Sporting Goods is signaling a weaker near-term fiscal report card, largely due to its recent acquisition of Foot Locker. “In retail you’re never really done cleaning out the garage. Anything else going forward is normal course of business,” said executive chairman Ed Stack (via CNBC).

The ongoing Iran conflict forced oil prices above $100 again as no sign of cessation of tensions was seen. The U.S. Navy is not yet in a position to escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz, with a loose timeline being pegged at later this month (via NBC News).