Kohl’s is investing in home and gifting items and featuring both “underpenetrated” categories prominently in the front of the store to “inspire” customers as they enter.

Home Depot yesterday reported that its first-quarter sales fell 4.2 percent with U.S. comps down 4.6 percent. The chain is expected to post its first annual sales decline since 2009.

Domino’s Pizza last week said its research shows, to avoid delivery costs, more customers prepare meals during inflationary times rather than order pizza. Will high inflation, including grocery, contribute more to increasing or decreasing the appeal of home cooking?

Overstock.com had a challenging 2022, but it could have been worse. The online furniture and home goods retailer reported a 30 percent year-over-year revenue decrease and a net loss of $35 million. How do you see Overstock.com positioned against its rivals in the furniture and home goods space for 2023?

Target plans to invest $100 million by the end of 2026 to open six new sortation centers as it seeks to increase the number of next-day orders it fulfills while simultaneously lowering its costs. How do you expect Target’s sortation centers to affect its in-store and last-mile operations?

Bed Bath & Beyond is saved, at least for the time being. The retailer issued a press release announcing a deal with Hudson Bay Capital Management that will provide funds for a public offering of its stock. Did Bed Bath & Beyond have any choice but to lean into its meme stock status to obtain funds from Hudson Bay Capital Management after banks took a pass?

The economic recession of 2023 will not be televised. That’s because it appears unlikely to happen, despite predictions of its inevitability from economists, bankers, analysts and others. What factors do you think will have the greatest impact on retail industry performance for the balance of 2023?

Tom Kingsbury is no longer the interim CEO of Kohl’s. The company yesterday confirmed earlier reports by formally announcing that Mr. Kingsbury has been named to the position on a permanent basis while continuing to serve on its board of directors. What do you think Tom Kingsbury needs to do as he takes on the Kohl’s CEO role on a permanent basis?

On January 19, Bloomberg published an article entitled, “Fake Meat Was Supposed to Save the World. It Became Just Another Fad.” On January 22, Impossible Foods took out a full-page ad in The New York Times and posted a blog entry vigorously defending plant-based meat. Do you applaud Impossible Foods’ response to the Bloomberg article or was it unnecessary and counterproductive?

It’s good to be Tractor Supply. The retailer is on a multiyear winning streak, posting record sales and profits and grabbing market share from a long list of competitors. How long can Tractor Supply keep its winning streak going?

Dollar Tree yesterday said that its executive chairman, Richard Dreiling, has been named CEO of the company. He replaces Mike Witnyski who has led the company since last year after serving in leadership positions with Dollar Tree going back to 2010. What impact do you expect Rick Dreiling to have on Dollar Tree and Family Dollar?

Nordstrom last week became the latest retailer in the apparel space to lower its outlook as it found that deeper discounts were required to clear slow-moving holiday merchandise. Is Nordstrom’s shortfall likely more reflective of the broader challenges facing the apparel category or its own management strategies and processes?

Party City Holdco, the parent company of Party City, on Tuesday filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The retailer also said it had entered into an agreement with creditors.  What are the biggest challenges that Party City leadership will face in coming months as it goes through the bankruptcy process?

American consumers continued to spend as prices rose steadily higher from 2021 to June 2022. Will they keep up the shopping pace as prices go in the opposite direction? How might a further easing of inflation affect consumer spending?

Rite Aid yesterday said that board member Elizabeth “Busy” Burr has been named interim CEO of the company, effective immediately. She replaces Heyward Donigan who has led the drugstore chain since 2019. What does Rite Aid need to do to better to compete against CVS, Walgreens and other rivals?

Bed Bath & Beyond (BBBY) will file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection within a matter of weeks, according to reports from numerous news outlets. Will the current plan in place under Sue Gove enable Bed Bath & Beyond to avoid falling into bankruptcy?

Falling coronavirus case levels and fewer restrictions drove a strong recovery in spending on experiences in 2022 and they appear to be continuing to take significant discretionary dollars away from retail. How much of a factor has the spending shift toward experiences (i.e., travel, dining out, live events) been on retail in recent months?

Throughout the U.S., a number of new Amazon Fresh stores have been built out, but are just sitting there, leading some to wonder if Amazon is quietly backing away from the Just Walk Out grocery concept. Do you see Amazon Fresh’s stalled openings as a temporary retrenchment or a sign Amazon may be reassessing the concept’s approach?

With customers continuing to seek lower-priced shopping options due to inflation, the major players in value retailing are already far outpacing others in opening new stores in 2022 and appear to be riding mighty tailwinds heading into 2023. How much of the expansion success by dollar stores, budget grocers and other value-first chains depends on enduring inflation?

In the first major assessment of holiday selling, Mastercard estimated U.S. retail sales grew 7.6 percent year-over-year from November 1 through December 24. The performance topped Mastercard’s prediction that called for a 7.1 percent increase but fell short of last year’s 8.5 percent gain. What’s your feeling on how the 2022 holiday selling season went for U.S. retail?

Barnes & Noble looks to have stabilized and now plans to expand its store footprint next year, even amid an unpredictable economic landscape. The book seller will debut 30 new stores in 2023, opening more than it closes annually after numerous years of net contraction. Is this the right time for Barnes & Noble to pursue an expansion of its physical retail footprint?

Express is one of many apparel brands struggling to find new relevance without the draw they once enjoyed during the heyday of the shopping mall. Now the brand is entering into a partnership with a company known for its work recently reviving another iconic retailer. What will it take to reinvigorate Express?

Tomorrow is going to be a big day for retail, perhaps the biggest. A record number of consumers are expected to go shopping tomorrow (AKA Super Saturday), according to a forecast by the National Retail Federation and Prosper Insights & Analytics. How important will Super Saturday be to retail’s final results for the 2022 holiday selling season?

Lowe’s last week updated its plan to drive market share growth in the home improvement category. The chain’s “Total Home Strategy” seeks to achieve growth across five areas: professional contractors and construction professionals, online sales, installation services, localization and elevated product assortment. What are the keys to Lowe’s achieving the goals of its Total Home Strategy?

Big Lots is looking to leave the city life behind as it sees plenty of opportunities to grow in places with wide open spaces.  Will a greater emphasis on operating stores in small towns and rural areas and away from more competitive urban markets prove successful for Big Lots?

The devotion that Wawa’s customers feel for the convenience store chain has been described as cult-like, and that has inspired the business to follow its devotees into an expanding list of geographical markets. What makes Wawa special in the eyes of its customers and how does it ensure that it carries that uniqueness into new territories?

Same-day delivery service DoorDash recently announced the layoff of 1,250 corporate workers, raising questions as to whether this is a result of a company in trouble, a contracting vertical, an impending recession or elements of two or three of the above. Are the layoffs at DoorDash a sign of things to come for delivery companies or are they commensurate with changes in the broader retailing market?

A columnist at The Wall Street Journal has found some “nits to pick” with Kroger following the grocery giant’s release of its third quarter earnings results and its recent deal to merge with Albertsons, including a lack of progress by Kroger on the digital front. How do Kroger’s digital operations stand up to its competitors in the grocery space?

A record number of consumers in search of deals on holiday gifts went shopping in stores and online over the Thanksgiving Day weekend, according to the results of a new survey by the National Retail Federation and Prosper Insights & Analytics. What are your takeaways from the Thanksgiving weekend results?

Echo devices continually rank among Amazon.com’s best sellers, but the Alexa business is reportedly bleeding money and management is facing questions about the initiative’s viability. Do you eventually see voice shopping taking off, or do see other ways to drive incremental revenue from Alexa-enabled devices?

Major off-pricers have raised their full-year outlooks, confident in their ability to reposition their mix for an increasingly promotional environment. Apparel resale marketplace thredUP, however, reduced its outlook due to the competition from traditional retailers. Do you see the heightened promotional environment being risky for off-pricers and those in the resale market?

Americans may have started their Christmas shopping in July or October or some other point before this week, but research indicates that a record number of the nation’s citizens still plan to go hunting for gifts between Thanksgiving Day and Cyber Monday. Are you surprised that so many people are expected to go shopping over the Thanksgiving weekend given all the early sales run by retailers this year?

In her first quarterly analyst call as Foot Locker’s CEO, Mary Dillon said she sees many parallels between sneakers and the beauty category when it comes to supporting growth, but also sees a bigger opportunity for Foot Locker to drive consumer demand. Do you see more benefits than drawbacks from Foot Locker adopting more of a “consumer-led” than “product-led” approach?

Described as a “nightmare before Christmas” by The Wall Street Journal, Macy’s and Kohl’s saw an unexpected sales slowdown in October and early November, leaving questions about whether holiday gifting is being delayed or cut back in a hyper-inflationary period. How worrisome should the late holiday purchasing trend be for department stores?

Target’s same-store sales have been trending in the wrong direction. The retailer, which posted a 2.7 percent third quarter gain in its comps, saw its store traffic increase 1.4 percent on top of a gain of nearly 13 percent in 2021. Target’s average ticket also improved 1.3 percent. Are Target’s October and early November sales trends consistent with what’s taking place across retail?

Walmart’s savings message is resonating with Americans across income levels and helping the company dramatically reduce its inventory in the process. How likely is it that the new customers coming to Walmart for groceries will stick with the chain once inflation becomes less of a factor?

Michelle Gass is stepping down as the chief executive of Kohl’s as of December 2 and moving to Levi Strauss & Co in January. What should happen at Kohl’s following Michelle Gass’ departure?

Lowe’s is looking to simplify. The home improvement retailer last week disclosed that it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell its Canadian operations to the private equity firm Sycamore Partners for $400 million in cash and future performance-based considerations. What do you see as Lowe’s strengths and weaknesses over the next year and beyond?

This holiday season, customers might be more likely to head to an airport than a shopping mall. Thanks to an increased customer interest in traveling, some worry that retailers might find themselves with less foot traffic than they had hoped for. Do you expect retailers to take a hit this holiday season because of money being rerouted to travel?

Joining a number of other retailers with in-house investment vehicles, Dick’s Sporting Goods announced the launch of DSG Ventures, a $50 million fund that will initially focus on companies that directly serve athletes and their communities, or that help Dick’s better serve its customers. What should Dick’s Sporting Goods hope to gain from its launch of DSG Ventures?

Facing a heightened promotional environment amid elevated inventories in the marketplace, VF Corp. has rejiggered its near-term plans to drive higher revenue and profit in the second half of its fiscal year ending March 2023. What do you think is key to preserving profitability in an environment marked by elevated promotions and inventories?

Amazon last week held its second Prime Day event of the year and, as it turned out, the sales promotion may not have been the kickoff to the holidays that the retail and technology giant was hoping for. Do you see the results of Amazon’s Prime Early Access event as a bellwether for the company’s 2022 holiday season performance or that of the larger retail industry?

Kroger and Albertsons have agreed on a deal that will combine the first and second largest supermarket operators in the U.S. The deal valued at $24.6 billion will see Kroger pay $34.10 a share for Albertsons’ stock, which closed at $28.63, CNBC reports. How will the Kroger/Albertsons merger affect the competitiveness of the two companies?

At Ralph Lauren Corporation’s Investor Day, CEO Patrice Louvet claimed that a four-year transformation has elevated the brand’s status, product and go-to-market strategy to serve as a foundation for accelerated growth.  What’s been the key to Ralph Lauren’s turnaround and how should it be looking to further capitalize on the progress?

Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard announced last week that he is giving away his company to combat climate change. Did Yvon Chouinard have better options than to transfer ownership of Patagonia to a non-profit to fight the climate crisis?

Many retailers saw dollar sales slow and profit margins drop over the first six months of the year and some have responded to this situation by cutting back on capital expenditures. Should retailers currently struggling with sales and profits seek to increase or decrease their capital expenditures at this time?

Target will apparently need CEO Brian Cornell when he’s 64, and beyond. All it took was for the company to scrap its mandatory retirement age of 65 so the CEO, currently 63, would be able to carry on doing his job. What is your position on mandatory retirement ages in retail?

The death of Bed Bath & Beyond chief financial officer Gustavo Arnal last Friday has shocked the company and the retailing world. What do you do now if you are Bed Bath & Beyond’s board of directors?

Starbucks announced plans to hire retail and restaurant industry outsider Laxman Narasimhan as its next CEO, replacing three-time CEO, Howard Schultz, as the chain embarks on a “Reinvention.” What do you think of the outside hire of Laxman Narasimhan as Starbucks’s CEO?

Lululemon raised its outlook for the year after reporting second-quarter results that came in well above expectations. The stellar performance came despite concerns over promotions across the apparel space and a slowdown in the athleisure category. What’s driving the recent outperformance by Lululemon?