With more than 21,000 locations in 48 states, Dollar General is the largest retailer in the country in terms of physical presence. This makes it an excellent barometer for customer sentiment and circumstances. So when the budget retailer announced its second-quarter earnings in late August, analysts and investors were paying close attention. As expected, the
Sam’s Club and Costco are locked in one of retail’s most closely watched battles. Both warehouse clubs ask shoppers to pay an annual fee for access to lower prices on groceries, household products, gas, and a growing range of other goods and services. Both companies have built fiercely loyal customer bases. And both are betting
Kohl’s is navigating shifting customer behavior that continues to weigh on its sales, despite its recent efforts to win back shoppers. The department store chain saw its comparable sales decrease by 0.9% year over year in the second quarter of 2026, according to its latest earnings report. Also, it earned $261 million in operating income,
A charming origin story about a mom feeding hungry college kids who later became hungry young professionals, and a passionate customer base that fell in love with those recipes, does not guarantee a happy ending. Even in the best of times, restaurant operators face a nearly impossible challenge. In the current market, they need to
The furniture sector still faces financial distress, business closings, and bankruptcies despite a year of recovery in 2025. After a two-year decline in sales, the furniture industry recovered in 2025 as combined sales of the Top 100 furniture retailers increased by 0.9% to $51.2 billion compared to the previous year, according to Furniture Today. Positive sales
Target has been on a mission to transform its stores. The company wants shoppers to see it as more than a place to pick up groceries, household essentials, and everyday necessities. Instead, Target wants to be a destination for fashion and discovery again. And the company is betting that one of the best ways to
When a new coffee chain opens near our home, I try it at least once. For many chains, like Cali Coffee and Dutch Bros., after a few visits, I knew that neither chain offered me a compelling enough product to drive farther than the closest Starbucks for anything they sold. A local chain, Carmella, passed
Valued at a market cap of $58 billion, Nike is among the worst-performing stocks on the S&P 500 over the past decade. Nike (NKE) stock is down almost 80% from all-time highs and trades at a 12-year low. The ongoing pullback has raised the forward dividend yield to 3.7%, making it attractive to income-seeking investors.
When a company files Chapter 7 bankruptcy, it places its fate in the hands of the courts. That can result in its assets being sold off for parts, vendors accepting all or part of the company in lieu of payment, or, in rare cases, a sale of the brand to someone who wants to actually
When development companies put their funds behind a project, there is always the risk that things will not go the way they intended. Two resorts in Miami Beach filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy within a few weeks of each other in March 2026, while at the end of last year, the company behind well-known New York City hotels such