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☆ Analysis: Why Walmart's new bet on fashion brands, home decor threatens specialty chains
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-15 | by ( Siddharth Cavale | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

She told Walmart investors its strategy is to "democratize fashion" or convert the company's core, price-conscious shoppers into style-conscious shoppers. It would probably be the rest of the market that should be worried," he said pointing to apparel retailers such as Carhartt. Walmart accounts for 4.6% of the $560.4 billion U.S. apparel market, followed by TJX, Target and Ross at 4.4%, 4.1% and 2.8%, respectively, according to GlobalData. Bankrupt Bed Bath and Beyond was a leader in the home decor and furnishing industry along with furniture chains Ikea and Wayfair. In 2005, Walmart's Metro 7 fashion brand tanked and later designer lines with Max Azria and Norma Kamali also withered.

Persons: Walmart Supercenters, Drew Barrymore, Sofia Vergara, Denise Incandela, George, Ralph Lauren, Rosenblum, Privately, Refinitiv, TJX, Ross, Brandon Maxwell, Clea Shearer, Joanna Teplin, fryer, Sofia Jeans, Vergara, Arun Sundaram, Sundaram, Max Azria, Norma Kamali, Siddharth Cavale, Vanessa O'Connell, David Gregorio Our Organizations: Walmart, Reebok, Saks, Tilly's Inc, Abercrombie, Fitch, Bravo, Netflix, Bed, Amazon.com, Walmart's Metro, Thomson Locations: Bath, U.S, Bed Bath, Walmart's, New York

☆ The 14 Best Women’s Bathing Suits for Sun and Sand
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-13 | by ( Erika Veurink | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +9 min

The brand’s Sidestroke one-piece style is a top pick for Tussey. High-waisted optionNana Castro, a fashion content creator who splits her time between New York and Florida, raves about the flattering silhouette of these full-coverage bikini bottoms from Aerie. The brand’s Balconette swim top style (which comes in bra sizes) is supportive with lightweight, flexible underwire. Vintage-inspired pickMadewell x OOKIOH Savannah One-Piece Swimsuit $125 at MadewellOne pieces don’t have to be boring—take this bold golden suit in a classic silhouette, for example. “I really love a vintage-inspired classic one-piece, maybe because I like the idea of wearing it with high-waisted pants as an everyday bodysuit,” she says.

Persons: Erika Veurink, we’ve, men’s swimsuits, Retta Leritz, ”, Tyler McCall, “, Nana Castro, Castro, Aemelia Madden, ” Madden, Madden, It’s, Taylor Hansen Hughes, Nordstrom, Hughes, Kelly Mittendorf, ain’t, Karen Blanchard, Blanchard, Christene Barberich, Apt, Madewell Organizations: Abercrombie, Fitch, Free, Mare, New, Refinery29 Locations: Louis, Brooklyn, New York, Florida, N.Y, New York City, Moonstone

☆ The ‘breakout travel trend’ of the decade: What to know about expedition cruising
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-13 | by ( Helen Iatrou | Chris Dwyer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Instagram posts — which often showcase trips to Antarctica — may have given expedition cruising more publicity, but this form of cruising isn't new. Today, there is stiff competition among expedition cruise lines to launch more technologically advanced vessels and to secure onboard talent. Source: Aurora ExpeditionsNoah Brodsky, chief commercial officer of Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic, described expedition cruising as the "breakout travel trend of the decade." Expedition cruising is also a good option for the growing number of solo travelers. "Unfortunately, this has meant the new expedition cruise ships have become larger and the expedition experience itself has been sacrificed," he told CNBC.

Persons: LIND, Costa, Greg Mortimer, Carlo Raciti, Bronwyn Stephenson, Aurora expeditioner, Lindblad, Mensun, Robert Bindschadler, Hayley Peacock, Gower, Aurora's Hayley Peacock, Noah Brodsky, James Cole, Hillary, Cousteau, Shackleton, Cole, Xers, hadn't, Carl Raciti, Andrew Marsh, Commandant Charcot, Stefanie Schmudde Organizations: Aurora Expeditions, Panama's UNESCO, Expeditions, Lindblad Expeditions, NASA, Aurora, Geographic, CNBC, Expedition, Cruisers, Environmental, Abercrombie, Kent Locations: Australia, Panama, Costa Rica, Aurora, Antarctica, Its, Greenland, Alaska, Galapagos, French Polynesia, Western, Kimberley, Central, South America

☆ Here are Monday's biggest analyst calls: Oracle, Tesla, McDonald's, Amazon, Nio, Carnival, AMD and more
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-12 | by ( Michael Bloom | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

UBS reiterates McDonald's as buy UBS said McDonald's is "well positioned to drive further sales growth and market share gains." JPMorgan upgrades Carnival to overweight from neutral JPMorgan said it sees an "attractive risk/reward" for the cruise operator. Bank of America upgrades Carnival to buy from neutral Bank of America said it's getting bullish on cruise demand. Morgan Stanley upgrades Sentinel One to overweight from equal weight Morgan Stanley said the cybersecurity company has an attractive risk/reward. Morgan Stanley reiterates Home Depot as overweight Morgan Stanley said it's bullish on the company's long-term growth outlook.

Persons: McDonald's, it's, Morgan Stanley downgrades Bill.com, Morgan Stanley, Wolfe, Tesla, Nomura, Evercore, Wedbush, it's bullish, Argus, Abercrombie, Jefferies Organizations: UBS, JPMorgan, JPMorgan Chase, Petrobras, CCL, Bank of America, of America, Intuit, Oracle, Disney, Auto, Citi, U.S . Bancorp Citi, U.S . Bancorp, Sentinel, AMD, Abercrombie, Fitch

☆ The Best Men’s Bathing Suits for Swimming and Sunning
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-11 | by ( ) www.wsj.com time to read: +6 min

There’s no shortage of options out there—that’s why we polled a handful of style pros on the best suits to shop. Stretch swim trunksKeep it classic with another favorite of Singh’s: These 6-inch inseam shorts from J.Crew. He considers these Banana Republic swim shorts worthy of water and land, given their zip fly and fade-proof fabric. Fun and flashyLet’s say you’re in the market for a playful bathing suit, something that feels as liberating as a summer Friday. And at $50 a pair, there’s no harm if you want to get a second suit that’s a little less leggy.

Persons: Erika Veurink, Steve Cole, Arjan Singh, Jolie, Singh, ”, “, Leo Chan, Chan, Chris Xaviar, Xavier, Carrie Birdwell Mann, Cole Habersham, Vilebrequin, Cole, Xaviar, Habersham Organizations: XXL, Banana, Newport, Abercrombie, Nike Locations: New York City, Los Angeles, oxford, Newport Beach, Calif, California, Toronto

☆ Retailers battle for uncertain back-to-school demand after ‘volatile’ quarter
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-06 | by ( Katherine Masters | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

[1/2] Shopping trolley is seen in front of Walmart logo in this illustration, July 24, 2022. U.S. shoppers' spending in the summer ahead of the college and K-12 school year has grown steadily since 2015, according to the National Retail Federation, a trade group. The chain is stocking Adidas' Samba and Gazelle sneakers ahead of the new school year, it said. The challenge for retailers is predicting whether parents will buy less clothing and sneakers when the cost of necessities - such as pencils, notebooks and laptops - strains many households. Retailers face a "volatile time," said Jessica Ramirez, a senior research analyst at Jane Hali & Associates.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Locker, Spencer, hasn't, Ralph Lauren, Nordstrom, Doug McMillon, John David Rainey, Jessica Ramirez, Jane Hali, Moody’s, Moody's, Maxx, Martin Waters, Fran Horowitz, Jennifer Foyle, Abercrombie’s Hollister, URBN, Katherine Masters, Siddharth Cavale, James Davey, Gerry Doyle Organizations: Walmart, REUTERS, National Retail Federation, Ulta, Adidas, U.S . Commerce Department, Associates, Target, Moody's Victoria’s, Abercrombie & Fitch, Urban Outfitters, Abercrombie, Fitch, Free People, Thomson Locations: Britain, U.S, North America, New York, Bentonville , Arkansas, London

The athleisure retailer said its net revenue rose by 24% to $2 billion between the first quarter of 2022 and the first quarter of 2023. The company performed particularly well with its international customers: sales rose 60% year-over-year outside of North America. Shares of Lululemon rose 13% in after-hours trading. The retailer raised its expectations for net revenue in 2023 to between $9.4 billion and $9.5 billion, representing 17% sales growth. Meanwhile, Home Depot reported steep sales and revenue declines after three years of robust growth

Persons: Lululemon, Calvin McDonald, Fitch Organizations: CNN, Abercrombie, Home Depot Locations: China, North America

☆ Nordstrom beats quarterly sales estimates as apparel demand holds up
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

May 31 (Reuters) - Nordstrom Inc (JWN.N) beat market estimates for first-quarter sales on Wednesday as demand from wealthy shoppers cushioned a wider, inflation-driven slowdown in spending on clothing and accessories. In a bid to attract more budget-conscious shoppers, Nordstrom has been opening new stores under its off-price banner Rack. While quarterly sales at Rack decreased 11.9%, Nordstrom said trends improved later in the quarter, driven by its moves to stock up shelves with crowd-favorite brands. The company also reported a 110-basis-point increase in quarterly gross margin, thanks to easing cost pressures and tighter inventory management. On an adjusted basis, the company reported a profit of 7 cents per share.

Persons: Nordstrom, Deborah Sophia, Devika Organizations: Nordstrom Inc, Abercrombie, Fitch, Target Corp, Home Depot Inc, Thomson Locations: Bengaluru

☆ Nordstrom delivers surprise profit as inventory woes ease
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-31 | by ( Deborah Mary Sophia | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

May 31 (Reuters) - Nordstrom Inc (JWN.N) posted a surprise first-quarter profit on Wednesday as better inventory control and demand from wealthy shoppers helped the company defy an inflation-driven slump in retail spending, sending its shares up 7% after hours. While quarterly sales at Rack fell 11.9%, Nordstrom said trends improved later in the quarter and have continued into May. The company's inventories decreased 7.8% at quarter-end, while gross margin improved 110 basis points, partly due to easing cost pressures. Total quarterly revenue at Nordstrom fell about 11% to $3.18 billion, but surpassed analysts' average estimate of $3.12 billion, according to Refinitiv IBES data. Excluding items, it reported a per-share profit of 7 cents, compared with estimates for a loss of 13 cents.

Persons: they're, Erik Nordstrom, Nordstrom, It's, it's, Morningstar, David Swartz, Deborah Sophia, Devika Organizations: Nordstrom Inc, Abercrombie, Fitch, Target Corp, Home Depot Inc, Nordstrom, Thomson Locations: Bengaluru

☆ A retailer just blocked 42,000 customers from its site for returning too many items. It could trigger a new wave of returns backlash.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-25 | by ( Grace Mayer | Associated Press | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Sweden-based online fashion retailer Bootz AB blocked 42,000 customers for returning too many items. Bootz's policy is part of a larger trend among retailers who are charging customers for making too many returns. While levying these measures against customers isn't new, shoppers are making more returns than ever before, Insider reported. Some retailers are now wanting customers to shoulder the cost of returns, by charging them fees to make those returns, Insider reported. Amazon, TJ Maxx, and Abercrombie & Fitch, are just a few brands that are charging customers who make online returns.

☆ Abercrombie & Fitch surges more than 30% after reporting surprise profit
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-24 | by ( Gabrielle Fonrouge | In Gabrielle-Fonrouge | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Pedestrians pass in front of an Abercrombie & Fitch Co. store in San Francisco. Shares of Abercrombie & Fitch soared more than 30% on Wednesday after the mall retailer beat estimates, raised its guidance and reported a surprise profit. Excluding one-time items, Abercrombie reported per-share profit of 39 cents in the quarter. For fiscal 2023, it now expects net sales to grow between 2% and 4%, compared with a previous range of 1% to 3%. For the fiscal second quarter, the company expects net sales to grow 4% to 6% and an operating margin in the range of 2% to 3%.

☆ American Eagle Outfitters shares sink as retailer lowers forecast
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-24 | by ( Melissa Repko | In Melissa-Repko | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Shares of American Eagle Outfitters dropped fell Thursday, after the company lowered its full-year outlook, even as it matched Wall Street's quarterly earnings expectations and beat revenue expectations. The mall retailer said Wednesday afternoon it now expects operating income to range between $250 million and $270 million, below the $270 million to $310 million range it had predicted in March. American Eagle lost those earlier gains, as it reported its own quarterly results after the bell, including falling profits. Net income fell about 42% to $18.45 million, or 9 cents per share, compared with $31.74 million, or 16 cents a share, in the year-ago period. Aerie's comparable sales increased 2%, but comparable sales for American Eagle's namesake brand declined 2% compared with the year-ago period.

☆ Here’s why retailers are beating earnings estimates, even with lackluster sales
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-24 | by ( Robert Hum | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Here's the big key from retailers this earnings season: Margins are holding up and that's driving earnings beats even amid more tepid sales trends. That's all led to a rather lackluster round of retail sales this earnings season. Retailers have avoided heavy discounting We haven't seen many mentions this season of retailers resorting to steep markdowns despite more tepid shopping trends. Lower freight and shipping costs Another major pandemic cost driver was elevated transportation costs for retailers. Abercrombie & Fitch saw gross margin improvement "primarily driven by a benefit of 760 basis points from lower freight costs ."

Persons: Kohl's, Abercrombie, Fitch, TJX, Ralph Lauren, Lululemon, Michael Kors Organizations: Abercrombie, Fitch, Retailers, Urban, Anthropologie, Free People Group, Urban Outfitters, Walmart, Body, Nordstrom, Dollar Locations: Kohl's, Costco

☆ The rise and fall — and rise again — of Abercrombie & Fitch
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-24 | by ( Avery Hartmans | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Abercrombie & Fitch was founded as a store for outdoor gear in the late 1800s. Get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in business, from Wall Street to Silicon Valley — delivered daily. AdvertisementAdvertisementAnd these changes are paying off: Abercrombie & Fitch’s recent sales shattered Wall Street estimates, according to its 2023 fiscal second quarter report. The brand brought in $935.3 million in revenue — far outpacing Wall Street estimates of $842.4 million in revenue. Here's how Abercrombie & Fitch rose to fame, almost lost it all, then mounted a comeback.

Persons: Fitch, Abercrombie Organizations: Abercrombie, Service, Fitch, Supreme Locations: Wall, Silicon

With the end of another earnings season in sight, Wall Street's attention has turned to Washington and the debt ceiling deadline. Republican negotiators on Friday walked out of talks on raising the debt limit , abruptly ending a positive week of discussions that appeared to be leading toward a deal. Democrats and the White House have been pushing for a "clean" hike to the debt limit that would push the next deadline past the 2024 presidential election, while Republicans are pressing for spending cuts. Many investors believe this ongoing game of chicken over the debt limit is largely for show, since the U.S. has never defaulted on its debt obligations. U.S. President Joe Biden hosts debt limit talks with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and other congressional leaders in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, U.S., May 9, 2023.

☆ Amazon is offering shoppers $10 to pick up purchases in-store in a bid to address rising delivery costs
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Sawdah Bhaimiya | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Amazon is offering some shoppers $10 to collect purchases in-store, rather than having them delivered. The e-commerce giant is among a number of retailers who are rethinking free shipping options. Amazon is offering shoppers $10 to collect their purchases in-store rather than getting them delivered in a bid to address rising shipping costs, Reuters reported Monday. Kohl's partnered up with Amazon in 2019 to accept Amazon returns at its stores. In recent months, Amazon has made changes to its delivery and returns offering due to rising costs.

☆ Stocks making the biggest moves midday: MongoDB, American Airlines and more
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-12 | by ( Jesse Pound | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Employees of American Airlines help check in passengers at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on January 11, 2023 in Arlington, Virginia. Here's a look at some of the stocks making the biggest moves on Wednesday. MongoDB — Shares jumped 9.4% after Morgan Stanley upgraded MongoDB to overweight from equal weight, citing the software company's leadership in cloud optimization initiatives. American Airlines , Delta Air Lines , United Airlines — Shares of the major airline companies were under pressure on Wednesday after American Airlines updated its first-quarter guidance. Shares of American fell more than 9%, while United dropped about 2% and Delta shed nearly 6%.

☆ Here are Wednesday's biggest analyst calls: Netflix, Tesla, Honeywell, Amazon, Shopify, Hyatt & more
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-12 | by ( Michael Bloom | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

UBS upgrades Goldman Sachs to buy from neutral UBS said in its upgrade of the banking giant that it's "resilient." "We are upgrading GS to Buy from Neutral as the firm appears well positioned to outperform amidst elevated levels of market volatility." Morgan Stanley upgrades MongoDB to overweight from equal weight Morgan Stanley said in its upgrade of the developer data platform that it has "share gain opportunities." Morgan Stanley names Box a top pick Morgan Stanley named the cloud content management company as a top pick and says it sees more margin upside ahead. Morgan Stanley upgrades Evercore to overweight from equal weight Morgan Stanley said the investment bank has "underappreciated resiliency."

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☆ Amazon is cracking down on returns
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-12 | by ( Nathaniel Meyersohn | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

New York CNN —Amazon is attempting new measures to get customers to return fewer of their online orders, including charging a fee to return items to UPS stores. So, Amazon will start charging customers a $1 fee if they return items to a UPS store when there is a Whole Foods, Amazon Fresh grocery store or Kohl’s closer to their delivery address. Shoppers have become accustomed to endless free returns in recent years, but Amazon and other companies are trying to curb this customer habit. Amazon also recently started flagging “frequently returned” products on its website. More often, returned products can end up in liquidation warehouses or even landfills, which are an environmental threat.

Organizations: & $

☆ The most-wanted clothing brands at resale are probably hanging in your closet
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-11 | by ( Parija Kavilanz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Resale clothing shoppers are bypassing previously-owned luxury brands at discounted prices in favor of scoring secondhand mid-tier brands for less. As many as 75% of consumers have shopped, or are open to shopping, for secondhand clothing – and demand has only grown during the pandemic. Mid-tier brands like Zara, Levi's and Abercrombie & Fitch have emerged as some of the most popular clothing brands among resale shoppers. In this environment, he said secondhand shoppers are hyper-focused on value, especially when buying clothes, and mid-tier brands are sitting in this sweetspot. ThredUp competitor Poshmark said mid-tier brands like Nike, Free People, Zara and J.

☆ Starbucks new CEO wants senior leaders to work in stores. Every leader should follow suit.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( Avery Hartmans | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Former Walmart CEO Greg Foran used to visit stores every week to observe factors like customer service, inventory levels, in-stock levels, and assortment. Fewer retail CEOs got their start working in storesLowe's CEO Marvin Ellison started his retail career as a Target security guard. Others went through management-training programs operated by department stores. As department stores started facing stiff competition from specialty stores, they scrambled to cut costs. These days, finding a qualified retail CEO seems like one of the hardest jobs to fill, with many companies looking outside the retail industry.

☆ Gen Z loves the same brand that teens have loved for over a decade
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-05 | by ( Matthew Kish | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Nike also remains the preferred apparel brand, according to the semiannual Piper Sandler survey. Twice a year, Piper Sandler surveys teenagers, now part of Gen Z, on brand preferences. And among upper-income female teenagers, Lululemon earned the top spot, being the preferred brand of 14% of respondents. Among upper-income males surveyed, Nike was the top clothing brand of 50% of those surveyed. For the most recent edition of the survey, Piper Sandler polled teenagers in 47 states.

☆ Old Navy wants to solve a major bugbear of female shoppers by selling more dresses with pockets, as it looks for creative ways to boost sales
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-05 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Old Navy says it has doubled the number of dresses with pockets in its new collection. One expert said Old Navy also needs to focus on styles and freshness to win over shoppers. Old Navy, which accounts for more than half of Gap Inc's total sales, has seen sales fall in recent years. "However, adding pockets is not a solution for all of Old Navy's woes – which run much deeper than the absence of pockets. Old Navy did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment asking how many dresses it currently sells that contain pockets.

☆ Starbucks' new CEO plans to spend time working at his company's coffee shops. Here's why every retail leader should take a shift on the sales floor.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-03 | by ( Avery Hartmans | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Former Walmart CEO Greg Foran used to visit stores every week to observe factors like customer service, inventory levels, in-stock levels, and assortment. Fewer retail CEOs got their start working in storesLowe's CEO Marvin Ellison started his retail career as a Target security guard. David Swanson/ReutersOf course, times have changed — in the past, many retail CEOs got their start at the store level. As department stores started facing stiff competition from specialty stores, they scrambled to cut costs. These days, finding a qualified retail CEO seems like one of the hardest jobs to fill, with many companies looking outside the retail industry.

☆ Amazon, other retailers revamp 'free' shipping as costs soar
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( Lisa Baertlein | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

REUTERS/Alyssa PointerLOS ANGELES, March 24 (Reuters) - There is no such thing as free shipping. "The days of free delivery are numbered," Ken Morris, managing partner at Cambridge Retail Advisors, said of the fast-changing retail marketing tool. It is an open secret that most retailers raise product prices to subsidize free shipping. Postal Service hitting record levels, the industry where nearly three-quarters of e-commerce companies offer some sort of free shipping is rethinking the financial cost of habituating shoppers to free shipping. While retailers like Amazon and fashion purveyor Asos Plc (ASOS.L) have raised thresholds for fast shipping, others are dropping free shipping altogether or taking product prices up again.

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