As Tariffs Lead to Price Hikes, Thrifting Becomes an Option
- Major U.S. Retailers including Lowe's, Target, and TJX reported earnings and sales data during early 2025 amid economic uncertainty and trade tensions.
- The tariffs imposed during the recent U.S.-China trade tensions have influenced retailers' pricing approaches and led some customers to curb their spending.
- Lowe's reported a modest decrease in first-quarter sales, totaling $20.9 billion compared to $21.4 billion in the same period last year, while Target lowered its full-year sales outlook for 2025, anticipating a small decline as customers reduce spending amid economic concerns.
- Marvin Ellison, Lowe’s CEO, said, "Although we're pleased with this reduced dependency, we're not satisfied and we're working to accelerate our diversification efforts," highlighting sourcing shifts; Target’s Brian Cornell stressed that "price is the very last resort" amid tariff impacts.
- These developments suggest retailers face ongoing challenges from tariffs and consumer caution, with some like TJX maintaining growth forecasts while overall spending patterns may heighten U.S. Economic contraction risks.
28 Articles
28 Articles
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Tariffs, inflation and leery customers are hitting retailers in different ways
Retailers are trying to navigate their way through economic uncertainty in 2025. Tariffs, inflation and lingering fears of a recession have left many Americans uneasy and pulling back on spending.
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