Breaking news, industry updates, and the latest developments shaping global retail, e-commerce, and commerce technology.
The Estée Lauder Companies reports fiscal 2026 fourth quarter and full-year results on August 19, with consensus at $3.55 billion in revenue and 32 cents of adjusted EPS. Nine months of $2.12 already banked leave the full-year guidance range with almost no tolerance for a miss.
US SNAP enrollment fell nearly 13% year over year to just over 37 million people, with 49 of 50 states declining. At the same time, every SNAP-authorized retailer must meet a tougher USDA staple food stocking standard by November 4, 2026.
A US action treating undisclosed commercial steering of AI product recommendations as deception is likely by 31 March 2027, with a state attorney general the likelier first mover than the FTC. Three independent signals from July and August 2026 point the same way, and one design detail argues against it.
Most of a retail annual report is boilerplate. These are the sections that actually predict what happens next.
A supplier allegation forces a decision fast. Verifying the claim properly beats both silence and a panic announcement.
Home Depot reports second quarter fiscal 2026 results on Tuesday, August 18, with consensus near $4.71 per share on about $47.5 billion of revenue. The quarter is being presented by an interim office of the chief executive, one day before 50% Section 338 duties on Canadian goods take effect.
Lowe’s reports second quarter fiscal 2026 results on Wednesday, August 19, with consensus looking for about $26.2bn in sales and $4.24 in EPS. The quarter is the clearest test yet of whether $10bn of Pro distribution acquisitions can offset a stalled home improvement consumer.
Three regulatory signals from the past five weeks point to US marketplace product-safety escalation arriving through customs and import-data enforcement rather than platform rulemaking. The first attributable action is likely before the end of Q1 2027.
Walmart reports second quarter fiscal 2027 results on August 20, with consensus near USD 186.77 billion in revenue and USD 0.74 adjusted EPS. The quarter is the first full period under the new Section 301 forced labor duties, and it closes a day before 50% tariffs on Canadian goods begin.
The Census Bureau publishes July retail and food services sales on Friday, August 14 at 8:30 a.m. ET, the last broad read on US demand before 50% Section 338 tariffs on Canadian goods take effect. June’s $768.6bn baseline was flattered by a late Prime Day, leaving July with a hard comparison.