CVS to close ‘select’ pharmacies in Target stores in the coming months

CVS Health plans to close select pharmacies inside Target stores early this year, a company spokesperson said Thursday, as retail pharmacy chains in the U.S. struggle to boost profits.  The closures will begin in February and finish by the end of April, the spokesperson said in a statement. She added that employees affected by the … Read more

Abercrombie and Lululemon report early holiday results

Combination showing store signage from Abercrombie & Fitch and Lululemon stores. Getty Images Abercrombie & Fitch, Lululemon and American Eagle Outfitters all raised their fiscal fourth-quarter outlooks Monday, saying they drew customers looking for holiday gifts and items for themselves in November and December. Yet, Wall Street greeted the news with varying levels of enthusiasm. … Read more

Online holiday spending rises to new record, Adobe Analytics says

A UPS worker sorts packages in New York on Dec. 18, 2017. Adam Jeffery | CNBC Online spending rose 4.9% year over year, setting a record for e-commerce during the holiday season, as shoppers pounced on discounts and leaned on buy now, pay later to cover more of their purchases, according to Adobe Analytics. Sales … Read more

Companies losing pricing power after years of unbridled spending

A FedEx worker delivers packages in New York, May 9, 2022. Andrew Kelly | Reuters After years of unbridled consumer spending on everything from home improvement to dream vacations, some companies are now finding the limits of their pricing power. Shipping giant FedEx last week said customers have shied away from speedier, pricier shipping options. … Read more

AI is giving Santa a boost this holiday season

Manonallard | E+ | Getty Images For many Americans, it’s the first holiday season when most of the family may know the term “artificial intelligence” if it comes up during Christmas dinner. Just don’t expect AI to do the heavy lifting for Santa quite yet. The rise of generative AI — and the use of … Read more

Theft and crime higher nearby

Target’s shuttered small-format store on Folsom Street in San Francisco’s SoMa neighborhood, November 2023. Gabrielle Fonrouge | CNBC On Sept. 26, Target set off a national firestorm when it said it would close nine stores in four states because theft and organized retail crime had made them too dangerous to run. On its face, Target’s … Read more

National Retail Federation walks back key organized retail crime claim

The leading retail lobbying group has walked back a key claim about shrink, or inventory losses from various sources, after a news investigation revealed that the analysis was incorrect. The Friday retraction from the National Retail Federation underscores just how difficult it is for the industry to accurately measure the impact and source of inventory … Read more

Walmart hiring, wage pressures have eased, CEO says

A worker stocks the shelves at a Walmart store on January 24, 2023 in Miami, Florida. Walmart announced that it is raising its minimum wage for store employees in early March, store employees will make between $14 and $19 an hour.  Joe Raedle | Getty Images News | Getty Images After pandemic-fueled higher turnover and … Read more

Walmart CEO Doug McMillon talks about deflation

Holiday shoppers are turning to Walmart for groceries and gifts, but CEO Doug McMillon said it’s hard to predict how sales will look in the months after the peak shopping season. In an interview with Sara Eisen that aired Wednesday on CNBC’s “Squawk on the Street,” the leader of the world’s largest retailer said higher … Read more

Retailers, Covid-era nostalgia revive the vinyl records industry

A stack of freshly pressed gold vinyl records at United Record Pressing. CNBC This story is part of CNBC’s new quarterly Cities of Success series, which explores cities that have been transformed into business hubs with an entrepreneurial spirit that has attracted capital, companies and workers. Once considered a dying industry, the vinyl record business … Read more