A Home Depot store is shown in the Little Havana neighborhood in Miami, Florida, September 18, 2015. "Mega-retailers are returning to 'just-in-time' inventory strategies, killing the 'just in case' promise of the pandemic's supply chain snarl," said Susquehanna analyst Bascome Majors. During the second quarter, the Big 4 retailers combined reduced inventories by 4%, the largest quarter-over-quarter drawdown since 2015, Majors said in a client note. No longer swimming in unsold merchandise puts them in a better position to bring in new seasonal goods for the all-important peak holiday season. Despite enthusiasm for new seasonal products, retailers remain cautious.

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Persons: Joe Skipper, Bascome Majors, Majors, Susquehanna's Majors, Lisa Baertlein, Bill Berkrot Organizations: REUTERS, Susquehanna, Walmart, Big, Thomson Locations: Little Havana, Miami , Florida, U.S, United States, splurging, Los Angeles