The 'end to the good times' is here as consumers brace against inflation: S&P

Analysts see more risk to profits and sales as consumers manage spiking costs for fuel and food, and retailers face more pain on freight. 

By Ben Unglesbee • May 26, 2022

Dollar stores raise their expectations in volatile environment

Dollar General and Dollar Tree could benefit from customers seeking out low prices, but their own costs are rising and shoppers are focused on consumables for now.

By Ben Unglesbee • May 26, 2022

Macy's Polaris turnaround gains traction in Q1

The department store partook of elevated demand from a variety of quarters in the period, but has work to do to entice increasingly wary consumers.

By Daphne Howland • May 26, 2022

Dick's sales decline in the face of 119% growth last year

The results indicate a slowdown in consumer demand for the category after stimulus payments last year helped fuel record growth.

By Cara Salpini • May 26, 2022

The Backroom: What Walmart and Target tell us about the state of retail in 2022

Rising food and gas prices are causing consumers to pull back on discretionary spending. That hurt retailers in the first quarter.

By Retail Dive Staff • May 26, 2022

Chatbot startup Zowie raises $14M in Series A funding

The company will use the funds to hire more employees and expand its product.

By Tatiana Walk-Morris • May 25, 2022

With work, travel and occasions back on, customers have returned to Nordstrom

Even off-price Rack beat Q1 expectations, although the company still faces plenty of unknowns this year. Meanwhile, Trunk Club is shutting down.

By Daphne Howland • May 25, 2022

Petco comps up 5% in Q1 as consumers continue to spend on pets

The pet category has been resilient in times of economic uncertainty. That could help Petco as consumers pull back on discretionary spending.

By Caroline Jansen • May 24, 2022

Best Buy trims sales expectations as pandemic boom unwinds

Inflation, the end of stimulus and a return to experience spending hurt sales at the retailer — but it could have been worse. 

By Ben Unglesbee • May 24, 2022

Retail turmoil comes for off-price

Inflation is making shoppers cautious, and that even includes the bargain hunters at retailers like Ross and TJX.

By Daphne Howland • May 23, 2022

Foot Locker's Nike replacement efforts working 'exceptionally well'

CEO Dick Johnson said Foot Locker is underpenetrated in "virtually all of our brands outside of our top three." That leaves room for growth.

By Cara Salpini • May 20, 2022

The Weekly Closeout: Kohl's considers packaged foods and Target partners with Tabitha Brown

The department store looks into new categories as profit takes a hit, and the author and actress created four collections for the mass merchant.

By Retail Dive Staff • May 20, 2022

Hugo Boss COO leaves to head Swiss outdoor brand

Heiko Schäfer joined in March 2020, just as COVID-19 began to upend the apparel industry. 

By Ben Unglesbee • May 20, 2022

2 top Kohl's executives to depart as the retailer gets closer to a sale

The retailer, which reported a rough first quarter, said Chief Marketing Officer Greg Revelle and Chief Merchandising Officer Doug Howe are leaving.

By Daphne Howland • May 19, 2022

Bath & Body Works outlook on profit growth turns negative as inflation wears on

The retailer expects material, transportation and wage costs, along with technology investments, to weigh on earnings. 

By Ben Unglesbee • May 19, 2022

After heightened demand during the pandemic, growth at Home Depot and Lowe's begins to normalize

A cooler spring delayed sales during Q1, but Home Depot's position among professionals helped it weather challenges better than its rival.

By Caroline Jansen • May 18, 2022

David's Bridal acquires custom wedding dress startup Anomalie

However, Anomalie will no longer create custom gowns and will instead "build tools that fulfill the mission of helping brides." 

By Kaarin Moore • May 18, 2022

Target's profit 'collapsed' in Q1 as retail smashes into fuel costs

The retailer faced hundreds of millions of dollars in unexpected freight costs. But the company is being selective in when to hike prices.

By Ben Unglesbee • May 18, 2022

Walmart's profits take a hit as fuel spikes and consumers react to inflation

As costs continue rising, the retailer is being strategic about pricing — raising and rolling back as it seeks market share and profit. 

By Ben Unglesbee • May 17, 2022

Warby Parker lost $15M in sales as a result of pandemic disruptions in Q1

Despite the lost sales, the eyewear brand grew revenue by 10.3% year over year and 18% from 2019. But profitability continues to weigh on the company.

By Caroline Jansen • May 16, 2022

GameStop poaches former Belk CEO as its new COO

Nir Patel is the retailer's second operations chief in a little over a year. 

By Ben Unglesbee • May 16, 2022

When activists come for retailers: 7 recent shareholder spats

Hedge funds have been pressing for everything from new leadership to company spinoffs at some mainstay industry players.

By Ben Unglesbee • May 16, 2022

The Weekly Closeout: Eddie Bauer CEO exits and Target workers move to unionize

Damien Huang had only been CEO for about a year, while Target's Christiansburg, Virginia, employees seek higher wages.

By Retail Dive Staff • May 13, 2022

Inflation finally slowed online in April but remained 'punishingly high' overall

Consumer demand remains relatively high, but there are signs it might wane if inflation keeps up. Meanwhile, buying habits are shifting.

By Ben Unglesbee • May 13, 2022

Dillard's strong apparel sales stoke Q1 revenue and margins

The regional department store tends to outpace most players, but may not be able to escape the pressures coming in the second half of the year.

By Daphne Howland • May 13, 2022