Cautious outlooks from Walmart and Five Below raise questions about consumer resilience as gas prices take their toll.

Traffic gains and sharper assortments widen the gap with full-price rivals.

Strong comp growth and profitability show the treasure hunt model’s appeal in a tight economy.

Q1 results show how the biggest retailers are managing uncertainty as the Iran war pressures consumer spending

As shrink returns to pre-pandemic levels at major retailers, margins get a lift in a still-tough climate.

TJX, Ross Stores, and Burlington are bullish about their 2026 prospects as they gain share with shoppers.

A strong value proposition, entertaining store experience, and expanding footprint position the retailer for continued share gains.

Q3 consumer spending looked steady, but the gains were fueled mainly by higher-income shoppers, revealing a split landscape that bolstered value and essentials retailers while squeezing brands dependent on discretionary and big-ticket projects.

Walmart, TJX, and other US retailers are deploying body cameras to combat shoplifting, harassment, and violence against staff. While the full scope of retail theft is debatable, every stolen item chips away at revenues. With tariffs and rising costs squeezing margins, retailers are testing every lever to protect the bottom line. Body cams may help—but only if they reduce loss without eroding customer trust. Retailers should exercise care in walking a fine line between safety and scrutiny.

TJX is confident its value proposition will resonate with shoppers this holiday season. Q4 is already “off to a strong start,” CEO Ernie Herrman said, following a better-than-expected Q3. As TJX and other retailers have repeatedly pointed out this year, off-price is one of the few retail sectors that thrives in times of uncertainty. Few retailers can compete with TJX’s value proposition—particularly its range of good-better-best merchandise, which appeals to shoppers of all budgets—and its treasure hunt experience. TJX’s continued momentum shows that retailers that can offer a compelling combination of value and fun stand to outperform this holiday season.

Shoppers’ search for value is steering them to budget-friendly retailers—off-price chains, dollar stores, and other discounters—that benefited from a surge in sales and traffic in Q2. Value is top-of-mind for today’s consumer, regardless of income level. That’s good news for discounters and dollar stores, which are ideally placed to benefit from consumers’ financial anxieties. However, risks such as renewed tariffs or dips in consumer confidence mean retailers need to carefully manage their assortments and pricing.

TJX shrugs off tariff impact as consumers choose value: The retailer expects economic volatility to create more opportunities to gain share.

If ad dollars shrink, Meta and others may need to ditch risky side projects and focus on scalable, affordable services to survive the slowdown

Record holiday sales helped retailers, but purchasing patterns across income groups diverged starkly. Middle- and lower-income consumers grew more selective, carefully weighing where and when to spend amid economic uncertainty. Meanwhile, higher-income shoppers continued to spend freely.

Macy’s makes strides in Q4, but pressures persist: Revamped stores show improvement, but the company’s turnaround is a work in progress.

The challenging retail environment is fuel for TJX: The off-price retailer sees greater opportunities to attract shoppers amid tariff threats and declining consumer confidence.

Lord & Taylor’s new owner has grand ambitions: The storied department store will relaunch as a luxury off-price etailer and license its brand name for a wide range of merchandise.