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☆ Walmart and Target borrowing ideas from each other shows we're in a new economic landscape
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-05 | by ( Dan Defrancesco | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

In today's big story, we're looking at the rising similarities between Target and Walmart. Dominick Reuter/Business InsiderIf imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, Walmart and Target are embarking on some serious tributes to each other. AdvertisementTwo of the country's largest retailers are taking pages from each other's playbooks as they adjust to a changing economic landscape. And Walmart founder Sam Walton openly admitted he stole borrowed plenty of ideas from Sol Price, the originator of the wholesale club model. That's led Walmart to see an increase in higher-income clientele, a trend they're leaning into.

Persons: —, Dominick Reuter, Insider's Dominick Reuter, Dominick, Christina Hennington, it's, Sam Walton, Sol Price, That's, Charlie Flanagan, Management's Bryan Kelly, Li Deng, Mike Schuster, Sam Altman Andrew Caballero, Reynolds, Daniel Ek, Slaven Vlasic, Rebecca Zisser, Elon, Zers, Xochitl Gomez, Alyson Hannigan, Jason Mraz, Charity Lawson, Ariana Madix, Dan DeFrancesco, Naga Siu, Hallam Bullock, Lisa Ryan Organizations: Service, Target, Walmart, AQR, Investments, AQR Capital Management, Vatic Investments, Sigma, Investment, Barclays, ING, MSCI Israel, Tel, Tel Aviv Stock Exchange, Israel Securities Authority, Reuters, Broadcom, VMware, The New York Times, Inc, Adobe, ABC, Major, Baseball, MLB Network Locations: Israel, Tel Aviv, New York City, San Diego, London, New York

Toys, games and hobby gear are on track to be less expensive this holiday season for the first time since 2020, while sporting goods prices are down this holiday for the first time since 2018, data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)showed. To be sure, prices overall are higher in 2023 despite slowed price growth, with October's consumer price index climbing to 3.2% year-over-year. The figure remained flat on a month-over-month basis, signaling some holiday item prices may be slow to come down. Despite a dip in sporting goods prices, they continue to pace above 2019 levels. Walmart WMT.N said prices of general merchandise - clothing, electronics, furniture - had declined by low to mid-single-digit percentages versus last year, enabling the retailer to cut prices this holiday season.

Persons: Theresa Forsberg, Jill Lizzo, Barbie, Walmart WMT.N, it's, ”, Christina Hennington, Vincent Alban, Jessica Ramirez, Jane Hali, Jeffrey Roach, Macy's, Kevin Simpson, Simpson, Siddharth Cavale, Amina Niasse, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Walmart, Reuters Graphics Reuters, REUTERS, Associates, LPL, Dick's Sporting, Reuters, Wealth, Target, Home Depot, Wayback Machine, Thomson Locations: New Milford , Connecticut, New York's Harlem, Chicago , Illinois, U.S, New York

A child looks at toys in a Target store ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday and traditional Black Friday sales in Chicago, Illinois, U.S. November 21, 2023. Toys, games and hobby gear are on track to be less expensive this holiday season for the first time since 2020, while sporting goods prices are down this holiday for the first time since 2018, data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)showed. Walmart WMT.N said prices of general merchandise - clothing, electronics, furniture - had declined by low to mid-single-digit percentages versus last year, enabling the retailer to cut prices this holiday season. Black Friday discounts are 30% to 50% at major retailers and could go deeper later in the season. "You're going to see margin compression and potentially lower sales," said Simpson, whose firm holds shares in Walmart and Home Depot.

Persons: Vincent Alban, Barbie, Walmart WMT.N, it's, ”, Christina Hennington, Jessica Ramirez, Jane Hali, Jeffrey Roach, Kevin Simpson, Simpson, Siddharth Cavale, Amina Niasse, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: REUTERS, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Reuters Graphics Reuters, Walmart, Associates, LPL, Wayback Machine, Dick's Sporting, Reuters, Wealth, Target, Home Depot, Thomson Locations: Chicago , Illinois, U.S, Macy's, New York

☆ Target CEO signals a halt to revenge spending and delays in impulse buys
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( Dominick Reuter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementTarget's CEO said Wednesday that customers are continuing to make more tradeoffs in their family budgets and delay some spending. The lower price-points are meant to inspire more of the unplanned purchases that make a Target run a Target run. "This year, we've seen more and more consumers delaying their spending until the last moment," Cornell said. "It all puts pressure on discretionary spending."

Persons: —, Brian Cornell, Christina Hennington, we've, Cornell, Anna Wong Organizations: Service, Bloomberg Economics, Target

☆ Target's new favorite buzzword is 'value'
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( Melissa Repko | In Melissa-Repko | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Target 's goal this holiday season: be more like Walmart . The retailer's leaders said customers will see thousands of gift ideas under $25, store displays that highlight affordability and low-priced Thanksgiving ingredients. The company's executive team used the word "value" 17 times. Target has struggled to improve sales as shoppers focus more on essentials while being choosier when buying clothing, electronics and more. Going into the holiday season, nearly two-thirds of those displays meet that standard.

Persons: Kendra Scott, Christina Hennington, Hennington, John Mulligan Organizations: Walmart, Target Locations: Minneapolis

☆ A mixed picture for retailers as bargain-hunting shoppers pick their spots
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-29 | by ( Deborah Mary Sophia | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

A sale sign greets shoppers at a retail store in Carlsbad, California, U.S., May 25, 2023. Sephora "performed exceptionally well" with strength in North America in the first half of the year, the beauty retailer's owner LVMH (LVMH.PA) said last month. Retailers have also flagged the impact from Americans prioritizing experiences like movies, vacations and concerts over discretionary purchases. Tempered forecasts from sportswear retailers Foot Locker (FL.N) and Dick's Sporting Goods (DKS.N) also added to the mixed picture, with Dick's also citing an increase in organized retail crime and theft at stores. Reporting by Deborah Sophia in Bengaluru; Editing by Sriraj KalluvilaOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Mike Blake, Edward Jones, Brian Yarbrough, LVMH, Yarbrough, Dick's, Corie Barry, Liza Amlani, We've, Christina Hennington, Deborah Sophia, Sriraj Organizations: REUTERS, Ross Stores, Walmart, Dick's Sporting, Electronics, U.S . Labor Department, Thomson Locations: Carlsbad , California, U.S, North America, Bengaluru

☆ Merch, vinyl, hotels and credit cards: Taylor Swift's Eras Tour helped a bunch of companies – but hurt others
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-26 | by ( Theron Mohamed | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Taylor Swift's Eras Tour had a significant impact on several public companies this summer. "Knowing how our guests can't get enough of Taylor Swift, we proactively secured an exclusive vinyl offering that Swifties bought in droves." "In July, Taylor Swift launched her Eras Tour merch shop with us experiencing unprecedented volume sales and site visitors on launch day, and we were ready for it." "Folks aren't buying as much patio furniture when they're spending hundreds or thousands of dollars to go to Taylor Swift. Rolling Stones, U2, Madonna, Prince, and this Taylor Swift performance was at a whole different level.

Persons: Taylor, Taylor Swift, Swifties, Christina Hennington, — Harvey Finkelstein, — Boyd Muir, — Leslie Hale, Raymond Martz, Jon Bortz, Wee Ee Cheong, Thomson Leighton, James Conroy, It's, Jonathan Johnson, Tom Schmitt Organizations: Service, AlphaSense, Merchandising, Universal Music, Lodging, Overseas Bank, Bot, Akamai, Forward Locations: Wall, Silicon, Chicago

☆ Three ways Walmart and Target are diverging as consumers watch their wallets
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-17 | by ( Melissa Repko | In Melissa-Repko | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Target followed that pattern in the second quarter. E-commerce sales rose 24% for Walmart U.S. in the second quarter. Both retailers pointed to curbside pickup as a major driver of online sales — a key differentiator from competitor Amazon. Walmart chalked up online sales gains to store pickup and delivery, as well as more advertising revenue. Sales of frequency categories, such as food and beauty items, weren't enough to offset weaker discretionary sales at the retailer.

Persons: Rainey, Christina Hennington, That's, Target's Hennington, Taylor Swift, Stanley tumblers, Chip, Joanna Gaines Organizations: Wal, Rogers, Getty, Walmart, Walmart U.S, Amazon Locations: Rogers , Arkansas, Tenleytown, Washington, DC

☆ Target acknowledges the Pride backlash hurt sales in June and says it will rethink its approach to 'heritage moments' going forward
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-16 | by ( Dominick Reuter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Target said right-wing outrage over its annual LGBTQ Pride Month merchandise hurt sales in June. Unlike boycotts against Bud Light, the anti-LGBTQ reaction included threats against workers. "The reaction is a signal for us to pause, adapt and learn," Target's chief growth officer said. Get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in business, from Wall Street to Silicon Valley — delivered daily. Cornell said Target would continue to celebrate Pride and other heritage months, noting that the company would be "mindful of timing, placement, and presentation."

Persons: Target, Bud Light, Michael Fiddleke, Brian Cornell, Cornell, Christina Hennington Organizations: Pride, Service, Disney, Target Locations: Wall, Silicon

CNN —Earnings season continues this week with Target, Walmart, TJ Maxx parent company TJX and other high-profile retailers set to release their quarterly results. That shift showed up in earnings results for retailers including Home Depot and Target earlier this year. US retail spending, which is adjusted for seasonality but not inflation, inched up in June but fell below economists’ expectations. Americans feel hopeful inflation is coolingAmericans are feeling more optimistic that inflation is trending down now and into the future. Consumer spending expectations ticked up from the month before but remain below levels seen during the past year, according to the report.

Persons: TJ Maxx, hasn’t, Christina Hennington, Doug McMillon, they’re, Matt Egan Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, CNN, Target, Walmart, TJ, Shoppers, Home Depot, Refinitiv, “, University of Michigan’s, Consumer, Federal Reserve Bank of New, Federal Reserve, AAA, Labor Locations: Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Russia, Saudi Arabia

☆ Target offers 1 year to return items from store brands like Cat & Jack kids' clothes. Here's everything you need to know about the unusually generous policy.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-22 | by ( Dominick Reuter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Target guarantees satisfaction for a year on owned-brand goods, including Cat & Jack kids clothes. Here's Target's policy, the strategy behind it, and what could cause it to change. Target's policy says most items must be returned within 90 days and they must be in new condition or unopened. In a way, the return policy helps Target make sales, as it incentivizes shoppers to buy its in-house brands. "These are people admitting on social media that they were actually quite satisfied, but they are just finding a loophole and this return policy," Herzog said.

Organizations: & &

☆ Five takeaways about the consumer from Walmart, other retailers after a big week of earnings
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-19 | by ( Melissa Repko | In Melissa-Repko | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

So far, at least five retailers – Target, Walmart, Tapestry , Bath and Body Works and Foot Locker – have spoken about sales trends across the country getting worse. The retailer's comparable sales in the U.S. declined 4.6% in the quarter versus the year-ago period. Target, Home Depot and Walmart all saw a noticeable pattern: Fewer pricey and fun items in shopping carts. At Home Depot, customers bought fewer big-ticket items like appliances and grills in the fiscal first-quarter. Customers at Walmart have become more selective when shopping for electronics, TVs, home items and apparel, Rainey told CNBC.

Discretionary products account for a major portion of the company's merchandise and it has been looking to increase the share of household essentials as sticky inflation and higher interest rates weigh on consumers' spending decisions. "American consumers continue to face difficult trade-off decisions as they juggle the wants and needs of their families ... The fear of a looming recession weighs heavily on many American families," Senior Target executive Christina Hennington said on a post-earnings call. Target projected adjusted profit between $1.30 and $1.70 per share, below estimates of $1.93 for the current quarter and forecast comparable sales to decline in the low-single digits. Target executives used the word "cautious" at least 13 times during the hour-long earnings call.

☆ Target forecasts gloomy second-quarter as consumers turn cautious
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Target projected adjusted profit between $1.30 and $1.70 per share, below estimates of $1.93 for the current quarter. It forecast comparable sales to decline in the low-single digits, compared to estimates of a 0.25% rise, according to Refinitiv data. The company also said theft and organized crime could reduce this year's profitability by more than $500 million compared to 2022. The pressure in discretionary categories outweighed strong growth seen in its everyday essential businesses, Chief Financial Officer Michael Fiddelke said. "We are confident that the economy and consumer will stabilize overtime and will once again benefit from growth in that (discretionary) portion."

☆ Retailers see a tough year ahead, so they're rolling out the recession playbook
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-16 | by ( Melissa Repko | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

Now, major retailers are dusting off their playbook for a recession — or at least for a period of slower sales. Target shoppers can soon get a Starbucks coffee, make a return and retrieve an online purchases without leaving their cars. Some retailers are rethinking their approach to discounts while questioning other costs, such as giving away free shipping or deliveries without strings attached. Some retailers have also turned free shipping into a perk for only engaged or higher spending customers. Nike , for instance, offers free shipping for shoppers – if they share their personal data by joining its membership program.

☆ These dependable dividend increasers are beating the market
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( Michelle Fox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

While recent dividend cuts may make investors concerned about what's to come next, there are still many stocks that have dependable dividend increases. Last week, Intel slashed its dividend by more than 65% , following VF Corp.'s dividend cut and Hanesbrands elimination of its dividend last month. The exchange operator has increased its payout four of the last five years and has a one-year dividend-per-share growth of 24.1%. United Parcel Service has the highest one-year dividend-per-share growth at 49% on our list. Finally, Target has a 2.7% dividend yield and has a one-year dividend-per-share growth of 22.5%.

NEW YORK, Feb 28 (Reuters) - Retailers have a new sweet spot: products that cost $3 to $5. Target said on Tuesday that it would be stocking its shelves with more products priced under $10 as the retailer tries to appeal to more cost-conscious consumers dealing with once-in-a-generation inflation. This comes a little more than a year after dollar store chain Dollar Tree (DLTR.O) said it would launch more discretionary products including seasonal items and apparel priced between the $3 and $5. Many, including high-income households, are buying more store-label brands as budgets stretch in the face of higher interest rates. Target said it plans to launch or expand more than 10 owned brands, adding thousands of new products.

☆ Target leans into 'affordable joy' and its cheap chic reputation as sales slow
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( Melissa Repko | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

An increased number of mannequins feature clothing and shoes throughout the remodeled Target store in Orange, California. It also intends to expand a network of hubs to make it cheaper and faster to get online orders to customers. Target plans to offer more items at lower price points, such as $3, $5, $10 and $15. "Given value is absolutely top of mind right now, being able to deliver affordable joy differentiates us in the marketplace," CEO Brian Cornell said. "And that's a clear advantage in the near term and remains our focus over the long term."

☆ Shoppers expected to spend on Black Friday, despite inflation
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-25 | by ( Nathaniel Meyersohn | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

The holiday shopping season looks much different than it once did. Instead of doorbuster deals on Black Friday, retailers began their holiday sales in early fall. Shoppers are once again expected to buy around key holidays like Black Friday and also buy later in the season, hoping to land deals. Overall, holiday sales are expected to grow this year, but at a slower pace than last year. Holiday sales will increase by up to 8% this year, the National Retail Federation projects.

☆ Hasbro CEO says inflation won't ruin Christmas but Wall Street is worried
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-23 | by ( Paul R. La Monica | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

New York CNN Business —The holidays are rapidly approaching, and for the toy company Hasbro, a slowing economy could be a proverbial Grinch that steals Christmas. Before joining Hasbro, Cocks was an executive at Microsoft (MSFT) from 1999 through 2006 and 2008 through 2016. Cocks said Hasbro is investing “significantly” in digital toys, particularly digital versions of classic Hasbro board games like “Monopoly” and “Scrabble” as well as D&D and the company’s “Magic: The Gathering” game. It’s definitely been a boon for the game,” Cocks said. “If there’s a couple of truisms in life, there’s death, there’s taxes, and there’s parents wanting to have a great holiday for their kids.”

☆ Why Target will probably have the best Black Friday discounts this year
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-18 | by ( Avery Hartmans | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Target will probably have the best deals this holiday shopping season, UBS analysts say. That's because Target has a glut of inventory it needs to get rid of during the holidays. "Since Target has been amongst the most impacted by having a glut of inventory this year, it will probably set the tone across several categories," the analysts wrote. The analysts visited Target stores and tracked how many items were on sale. They did note that Target's discounting has been less aggressive in categories like apparel and beauty.

☆ Shoppers are pulling back at Macy’s and Kohl’s
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( Nathaniel Meyersohn | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

That’s squeezing Macy’s, Kohl’s, Target and other chains. Macy’s (M) sales dropped 3.1% last quarter from a year ago, while Kohl’s (KSS) tanked 6.9%. “Consumers are showing increasing signs of stress and pulling back from discretionary purchases,” Target CEO Brian Cornell said on an earnings call. Although Macy’s own store sales fell 4.4% last quarter, Bloomingdale’s sales grew 5.3% and Bluemercury’s increased 14%. Macy’s stock gained 12% Thursday as the results exceeded analysts’ forecasts.

The company said Wednesday it now plans for a weaker holiday quarter. Target did not provide an outlook beyond the holiday quarter, but said it expects tough conditions to persist. So far this fiscal year, those losses have had a more than $400 million impact on Target’s operating margin. Comparable sales, which track Target sales online and at stores open at least 13 months, rose 2.7% over the year-ago period. Target will share more details about its cost-cutting plan at an annual investor day, which is scheduled for March.

☆ Target warns of dour holiday sales, shares plunge 15%
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-16 | by ( Uday Sampath Kumar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Shares of the big-box retailer fell more than 15% in premarket trading after it also said that its third-quarter profit had halved. In contrast, Walmart, which dedicates most of its shelf space to groceries and other daily essentials, raised its full-year sales and profit forecast on Tuesday. However, the top U.S. retailer warned that its customers could slow spending, especially in general merchandise categories, in the holiday quarter. FedEx (FDX.N) and Amazon (AMZN.O) have also warned of a slump in holiday season demand in recent weeks, while overall U.S. holiday sales are expected to rise at a slower pace this year, according to an industry trade group. On an adjusted basis, Target's profit was $1.54 per share for the quarter ended Oct. 29, missing analysts' expectations of $2.13.

☆ Analysts see one retailer winning this holiday and taking share as Target struggles
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-16 | by ( Michelle Fox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

In contrast, Target reported an earnings miss Wednesday, with profit that fell by about 50% in its fiscal third quarter. "General merchandise softness continues to be linked to Covid-winner categories (CE, home, and apparel basics), although the category's performance also improved sequentially." Walmart's general merchandise sales fell at a low-single digit pace, its chief financial officer, John Rainey, said on the earnings conference call Tuesday. For Target, the softness in general merchandise is taking its toll. The retailer has made some progress clearing through its excess inventory, but the fiscal thir quarter brought higher-than-expected markdowns, Target said.

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