News and analysis of major department store chains: Macy’s, John Lewis, Nordstrom, Galeries Lafayette.
Macy’s posted 3% comparable sales growth in the first quarter of fiscal 2026, its strongest first quarter in four years, led by a 10.2% jump at Bloomingdale’s. The department store operator beat profit guidance and raised its full-year sales and earnings outlook.
Signet Jewelers, owner of Kay, Zales and Jared, beat first quarter fiscal 2027 profit estimates with adjusted EPS of $1.56 on sales of about $1.55 billion. The jeweler raised its full-year guidance and flagged a $50 million accelerated share buyback.
US off-price chains Ross and Burlington crushed Q1 estimates with double-digit sales gains and raised guidance. But executives concede tax refunds and a BNPL surge flattered the quarter, masking softer underlying demand.
Department store loyalty programs and store cards run on two different engines. Here is the unit economics, the breakage math, and how to measure incremental margin.
Concessions turned empty department store floors into a revenue engine again. Here is the margin math, the deal terms, and the operating discipline that separate a profitable shop-in-shop program from a glorified flea market.
Retail deep dive: Tools and vendors for department stores & chains in 2026.
Retail deep dive: Outlet chains and why they outperform full-line stores.
Retail deep dive: Department store closures: reading the signals correctly.
Retail deep dive: Private label as the department store survival strategy.
Retail deep dive: Mall anchor tenants in the post-mall era.