Apparel & Footwear

Altar’d State owner bids $7M on Francesca’s IP

Altar’d State’s parent company, Stand Out For Good, Inc., is the stalking horse bidder in Francesca’s latest Chapter 11 bankruptcy case, per a court filing on February 9. The deal is subject to bankruptcy court approval, and alternative bids may be submitted.

The proposed stalking horse sale would include a cash purchase price of $7 million for Francesca’s IP assets. Stand Out For Good did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Retail Dive. The proposed deal would also include a breakup fee of $210,000 and an expense reimbursement of up to $150,000, payable to Stand Out For Good. However, the U.S. trustee in the bankruptcy case objected to such reimbursement, along with other aspects of the proposed bidding procedures, in a separate filing on February 10.

Brooks Running revenue up 16% in 2025

Brooks Running reported 2025 global revenue increased 16% and was the ninth consecutive year of gains, according to a February 12 company press release. Revenue in North America was up 13%, while Europe, the Middle East, and Africa increased 22%, and Asia Pacific & Latin America was up 66%. Sales in China increased 245% year over year, partly based on Brooks being the No. 1 international brand among sub-three-hour finishers at the Shanghai Marathon.  In Q4, Brooks held the top market position among running performance footwear brands at U.S. specialty retailers, per the release.

Aritzia on a Roll: Retailer Eyes 200 U.S. Stores

Aritzia is thinking big. The fashion specialty chain is steadily expanding its presence and popularity across North America and sees potential to operate more than 200 stores in the U.S. alone. And in many cases, the buildout is bolder, with larger boxes featuring cafés, spacious fitting areas with multiple fitting rooms, elevated service, and more amenities. Aritzia flagships are always about bringing scale to a premier location. In December 2024, Aritzia opened a 33,600-square-foot flagship at 608 Fifth Avenue, just a stone’s throw from Rockefeller Center and one block from the brand’s original Fifth Avenue location, which opened in 2012 and is now closed. Earlier in 2024, Aritzia opened a 25,000-square-foot SoHo flagship, which replaced an existing store in the neighborhood. And last November, a 25,500-square-foot Aritzia flagship opened in Manhattan’s Flatiron neighborhood.

Athletic & Sporting Goods

Asics acquires US race platforms through its subsidiary Race Roster

Asics Corporation announced that its subsidiary Race Roster US has acquired two US race registration platforms, including GetMeRegistered and another undisclosed provider, as the Japanese brand strengthens its position in the American running market.  Race Roster US signed an asset transfer agreement with SPay, Inc. for GetMeRegistered and a separate asset purchase agreement with the unnamed platform provider, Asics said in a February 2026 announcement.  The acquisitions support the company’s Mid-Term Plan 2026 priority of “expanding the running ecosystem” by providing race-centered digital services that enhance brand experience and support runners’ goals. Asics said the deals will help expand its reach among US runners and accelerate brand communication while increasing product recognition.

Frasers Group Expands Portfolio with Major Stake in Italy’s Maxi Sport

Frasers Group continues to expand its brand portfolio, first in the United States, now in Italy. The British conglomerate will acquire a majority stake in Maxi Sport, an Italian fashion and sports equipment company with eighteen stores in the country.  As the company said in a statement, the goal is for Maxi Sport to continue operating in Italy while “unlocking additional growth opportunities for Sport Direct stores in the region in the future.“  Frasers Group has the sports equipment distribution chain Sports Direct as its business driver, although it also operates House of Fraser, Flannels, Evans Cycles, Frasers and Game, as well as brands such as Slazenger and Jack Wills, and, since October last year, also the U.S.-based The Webster.

Cosmetics & Pharmacy

Estée Lauder Brands Sue Walmart Over Alleged Sale of Counterfeit Goods

A group of Estée Lauder-owned companies has filed a trademark infringement lawsuit against Walmart, alleging that the retail titan sold counterfeit and otherwise infringing versions of its beauty and fragrance products through its online marketplace. In the newly-filed suit, the cosmetics brands allege that Walmart and its e-commerce subsidiary facilitated the sale of non-genuine products bearing the trademarks of Estée Lauder, Clinique, La Mer, Le Labo, Aveda, and Tom Ford. The case joins a growing number of disputes applying established marketplace liability precedent to increasingly integrated e-commerce platforms. As major retailers continue expanding hybrid models that combine first-party sales with third-party marketplace offerings, disputes like this one highlight the ongoing tensions between brand protection efforts and the operational structure of large e-commerce platforms.

Olive Young partners with Gabona to expand K-beauty distribution across Europe

Olive Young has entered into a distribution partnership with Poland-based Gabona to expand its private-label K-beauty brands across European markets. Under the agreement, Gabona will oversee European distribution for three Olive Young-owned brands—Bioheal Boh, Bringgreen, and Colorgram. The rollout will begin in Poland and gradually expand to additional European countries. Olive Young has stressed that each brand will maintain its existing positioning, while Gabona will build a structured, long-term distribution network to strengthen K-beauty availability across the region. The move follows a strong performance in 2025, when Olive Young reported Q3 sales of approximately US$1.07 billion, accounting for around 88% of domestic cosmetic purchases by tourists through Korea’s Global Tax Free program.

Discounters & Department Stores

Nordstrom enlists luxury brands for 125th anniversary celebration

Nordstrom is celebrating its 125th anniversary this year through a series of events, brand activations, and marketing campaigns, the department store announced February 9. The celebration kicks off during fashion week, with special events in New York City and Paris. Nordstrom will partner with brands such as Chanel, Christian Louboutin, Manolo Blahnik, and Tory Burch on exclusive products and events. The retailer is also launching a limited-edition capsule collection of tote bags, charms, sweatshirts, and other memorabilia inspired by its previous logos and designs. As part of the celebration, the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale will feature new brands, “the biggest Anniversary catalog yet,” and additional surprises and treats, including $1.25 coffee at all Nordstrom restaurants and cafes throughout the sale event.

Saks Global to shutter 9 full-line stores

On February 10, Saks Global announced it will close eight Saks Fifth Avenue stores: Birmingham, Alabama; Columbus, Ohio; East Rutherford, New Jersey; New Orleans; Philadelphia; Phoenix; Richmond, Virginia; and Tulsa, Oklahoma. Just one Neiman Marcus store – in Boston – will close. The luxury department store company, which filed for bankruptcy last month, is also shuttering 14 of its Fifth Avenue Club personal styling locations. Two will remain open, and another, in Palm Beach, Florida, will launch in the fall.

Target cuts 500 roles, invests in store payroll

Target is eliminating about 100 roles at the store district level and 400 roles in the supply chain as part of an effort to increase store payroll investment and improve the customer experience. The mass retailer is consolidating its store districts to streamline its structure and standardize its field operating model across its supply chain, according to an internal email Target shared with Retail Dive. “For our stores and supply chain teams at the center of delivering that experience, we’re making some changes to strengthen our frontline by simplifying our organizational structures,” Target’s chief stores officer, Adrienne Costanzo, and chief supply chain and logistics officer, Gretchen McCarthy, said in the email.

Emerging Consumer Companies

Make-up brand Barry M bought by rival Warpaint

One of Britain’s last family-run make-up brands has been bought out of administration by cosmetics rival, Warpaint. Barry M, which was set up in north London in 1982 by Barry Mero, collapsed earlier this month. Inspired by the punks and New Romantics of that era, analysts said Barry M had struggled to continue innovating and been overtaken by competitors. The £1.4 million takeover by Warpaint will see the closure of Barry M’s factory in the capital and puts 100 jobs at risk.

Warby Parker taps Macy’s vet as CFO

Warby Parker has appointed Macy’s veteran Adrian Mitchell as its chief financial officer. Mitchell most recently served as Macy’s, Inc.’s chief operating officer and chief financial officer. He also previously held executive leadership positions at home retailers Arhaus and Crate & Barrel. Mitchell will also become principal accounting officer and principal financial officer, succeeding Warby Parker co-founder and co-CEO Dave Gilboa, who had been serving in these roles on an interim basis.

Food & Beverage

Jennifer Garner’s Once Upon a Farm raises nearly $198 million in US IPO

Once Upon a Farm, the children’s organic food company co-founded by actor Jennifer Garner, said on Thursday it had raised nearly $198 million in its U.S. initial public offering. The Berkeley, California-based company and some of its backers offered around 11 million shares priced at $18 apiece. This was at midpoint of its targeted range of between $17 and $19 apiece. Cassandra Curtis and Ari Raz started Once Upon a Farm in 2015. Two years later, Garner and John Foraker, former CEO of food brand Annie’s, joined as co-founders.

Kraft Heinz pauses work to split the company as new CEO says ‘challenges are fixable’

On February 11, Kraft Heinz said it is pausing work on its previously announced plans to split the company. CEO Steve Cahillane, who joined Kraft Heinz in January, said in a statement that many of the company’s issues are “fixable and within our control.” “My number one priority is returning the business to profitable growth, which will require ensuring all resources are fully focused on the execution of our operating plan,” he said. “As a result, we believe it is prudent to pause work related to the separation, and we will no longer incur related dis-synergies this year.” Kraft Heinz also plans to invest $600 million to fuel a turnaround of its U.S. business. The company plans to allocate the funds to marketing, sales, and research and development. The investment will also go toward “product superiority and select pricing,” according to Cahillane.

Crimson Wine Group buys Raeburn from Purple Brands

US-based Crimson Wine Group has acquired the Raeburn wine brand from Californian wine-and-spirits business Purple Brands. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. In a statement yesterday (9 February), Crimson, which holds wine assets in California, Oregon and Washington state, said the purchase will give it “greater scale”.  Crimson’s average annual production is more than 400,000 cases. Its portfolio includes Pine Ridge Vineyards, Seghesio Family Vineyards and Chamisal Vineyards.

Plant-based food maker SunOpta sold for $1.1B

Dutch beverage giant Refresco is buying organic food and plant-based drink maker SunOpta in a deal valued at $1.1 billion. Refresco is purchasing the manufacturer for $6.50 per share in cash. The transaction, expected to close in the second quarter of 2026, implies an equity value of $829 million for SunOpta and includes about $265.8 million of the company’s debt. Sunopta manufactures plant-based beverages, broths, and fruit snacks for brands and private label offerings. Adding Sunopta enhances Refresco’s North American presence and gives it an opportunity to expand into foodservice and “adjacent beverage categories,” CEO Steve Presley said in a statement.

Grocery & Restaurants

McDonald’s Earnings Beat Estimates as Chain’s Value Push Pays Off

McDonald’s on Wednesday reported quarterly earnings and revenue that topped analysts’ expectations as its value push wins back customers. “By listening to customers and taking action, we have improved traffic and strengthened our value & affordability scores,” CEO Chris Kempczinski said in a statement. Net revenue climbed 10% to $7 billion. The company’s same-store sales increased 5.7%, fueled by strong growth in its home market. U.S. same-store sales increased 6.8%. In the year-ago period, its domestic same-store sales shrank 1.4% after an E. coli outbreak weeks into the quarter weighed on traffic. McDonald’s credited buzzy promotions — like its Grinch Meal and Monopoly promotion — that boosted both traffic and sales this year. The chain also expanded its value offerings by relaunching Extra Value Meals, which offer a roughly 15% discount on combo meals. Outside the U.S., McDonald’s saw same-store sales growth in nearly all markets.

Kroger names Walmart vet Greg Foran CEO

Kroger has named former Walmart executive Greg Foran as its next CEO, a little less than a year after the resignation of the grocer’s embattled leader. Foran spent six years leading Walmart U.S., a position he exited in 2019. While at the retail giant, he is credited with boosting the company’s digital capabilities by introducing online ordering and pickup. He most recently served as CEO of Air New Zealand, leading a digital transformation there and steering the airline through the pandemic. Foran, who was born in New Zealand, started his supermarket career at 17 as a shelf-stacker at Australia-based Woolworths. Just three years later, he was managing a supermarket, attaining increasingly more responsibility within the organization. Hiring a leader with Foran’s extensive technological expertise makes sense as Kroger looks to compete with the tech-enabled grocery offerings of market leader Walmart.

Restaurant Brands International Tops Estimates as International Burger Kings Fuel Sales Growth

Restaurant Brands International on Thursday reported quarterly earnings and revenue that topped expectations, fueled by strong international growth. However, executives said that Burger King’s progress on remodeling U.S. restaurants slowed last year in response to higher costs, and the chain will no longer meet its 2028 deadline to modernize 85% of its domestic locations. The news disappointed investors, and shares of the company fell 6% in afternoon trading. Net sales rose 7.4% to $2.47 billion. Stripping out currency fluctuations and sales from restaurants it plans to refranchise, Restaurant Brands’ organic revenue ticked up 6.5%. The company’s same-store sales increased 3.1%, fueled by strong international growth. Outside of the U.S. and Canada, Restaurant Brands’ same-store sales climbed 6.1%. International Burger King restaurants, which represents the bulk of the segment, saw same-store sales growth of 5.8%.

Home & Road

Timing, preparation create growth opportunity for Gardner White

Already with an eye on expanding into new markets, Top 100 retailer Gardner White realized its opportunity to grow with a nine-store pickup. The Warren, Mich.-based retailer secured leases for nine former American Signature Furniture and Value City Furniture spaces, bringing it to 30 total showrooms. These spaces became available when American Signature Inc. began liquidating and closing its stores during its Chapter 11 bankruptcy process. “You make the timing work when you have a large market opportunity, and we viewed it as a large market opportunity,” Gardner White CEO Rachel Stewart told Furniture Today. “We made the timing work.” The new additions bring Gardner White to new markets, such as Grand Rapids to the west, Traverse City to the north and just across the Ohio line into the greater Toledo area. Stewart said as the retailer has been on a run of growth recently, it’s equipped to handle servicing stores in these additional areas.

Furniture sees sharp decline in December, says DOC

While most categories measured by the Department of Commerce‘s advance monthly estimates were up in December, the furniture and home furnishings category fell furthest off the pace. For the month, the category, which measures brick-and-mortar retail, recorded an estimated adjusted $11.056 billion, a slip of 5.6% compared with December 2024’s adjusted $11.717 billion and almost a full point down (-0.9%) compared with November’s preliminary adjusted $11.161 billion. It was the second month in a row of sagging year-over-year numbers. While the year ended off the pace, furniture and home furnishings finished ahead of 2024 by 2.3% with an unadjusted estimate of $135.79 billion in sales. By contrast, the full retail snapshot showed adjusted estimated December sales of $734.97 billion, up 2.4% on December 2024’s $717.55 billion, and essentially flat when measured vs. November’s preliminary adjusted $735.09 billion.

Food52 Sold in Three Pieces at Bankruptcy Auction

Food52 was sold in three pieces through a bankruptcy auction in a Delaware court, according to published reports. The digital food content and commerce company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy last month. America’s Test Kitchen acquired the Food52 media business for about $10.3 million, according to published reports. Troy-CSL Lighting bought the Schoolhouse home decor brand for about $2.2 million, and Form Portfolios acquired the Dansk tabletop and kitchenware brand for $250,000, according to reports. Food52, launched in 2009, was valued at more than $300 million after private equity firm The Chernin Group acquired a majority stake for $83 million in 2019 and raised an additional $80 million in 2021, according to reports. The company used those funds to acquire Schoolhouse and Dansk as part of its expansion from food content into digital commerce. Food media specialist America’s Test Kitchen, a unit of licensing firm Marquee Brands, is expected to merge the Food52 media business into its content and product review platforms. Static Media was named at the bankruptcy auction as an alternate bidder for Food52 if the approved transaction doesn’t close, according to reports.

Jewelry & Luxury

LuxExperience Q2 Results Point to Turnaround Efforts Working

LuxExperience in the second fiscal quarter demonstrated top-line growth and improved profitability for the first time since the company was formed through Mytheresa’s acquisition of Yoox Net-a-porter. “The turnaround has started, and it’s really the result of cost-cutting,” Michael Kliger, chief executive officer of LuxExperience, told WWD. “In the aggregate, we are growing, and we are profitable, which we believe is a big achievement, knowing that we bought businesses that were money-losing.” LuxExperience — formerly Mytheresa — last April closed its deal to buy Yoox Net-a-porter from Compagnie Financière Richemont, which provided LuxExperience with 555 million euros, no debt, and a 100 million-euro credit facility for Yoox Net-a-porter, in exchange for 33 percent of LuxExperience shares.

Hermes beats sales expectations, sees positive signs in China

Hermes, whose handbags sell for $10,000 and more, reported stronger-than-expected fourth-quarter revenue growth, driven by strong sales in the United States and Japan. Thanks to its ultra-wealthy clients and large order backlog, the group has weathered the luxury sector slowdown better than most rivals, consistently increasing revenue as sales at other luxury groups, such as LVMH and Kering, have been under pressure. “The group is going into 2026 with confidence,” said CEO Axel Dumas, adding that this year’s price increases would be around 5-6%, down from a 6-7% rate in 2025, attributing the slower pace to currency shifts. Hermes shares rose on the results, trading around 3% higher at 1515 GMT.

Office & Leisure

ONAR Completes Divestiture of Reliant Pools

ONAR has successfully finalized the sale of Reliant Pools, transferring complete ownership to Elijah May, as part of a strategic plan. This divestiture comes as ONAR streamlines its operations to concentrate on its core mission: building a marketing platform enhanced with artificial intelligence capabilities.  Reliant Pools, known for its custom swimming pool construction in Austin, Texas, was deemed non-essential to ONAR’s future strategy due to its operational demands and liabilities that conflicted with the company’s long-term goals. The decision to sell aligns with ONAR’s previously disclosed intention in its September 30, 2025 quarterly report, where management explored various strategic alternatives for Reliant Pools. This move allows ONAR to redeploy resources toward its higher-growth marketing and technology platform.

Bally’s sells Rhode Island casino land, obtains construction financing

In a $700 million transaction, Gaming & Leisure Properties Inc. (GLPI) has purchased the real estate of Bally’s Lincoln in Rhode Island. It will be leased back to Bally’s at an annual rent of $56 million, plus annual escalators.  The deal brings to five the number of Bally’s branded-casinos owned by GLPI. As part of a Bally’s master lease, the agreement runs through 2039, with four five-year renewal options.  For its part, Bally’s disclosed a new $1.1 billion term loan, due in 2031. Its financiers are a consortium of Ares Management Credit, King Street Capital Management, and TPG Credit.

Smugglers’ Notch Resort acquired by Vermont ownership group

A beloved northern Vermont ski resort has changed hands, but locals will remain in charge.  Bear Den Partners announced it has acquired Smugglers’ Notch Resort, a Jeffersonville institution that’s been owned by a Vermont family for nearly three decades.  It’s the second such acquisition for Bear Den Partners in as many years. In May 2025, the group bought Burke Mountain Resort in the state’s Northeast Kingdom from a federal receiver, which had operated it following a major fraud scandal.  Bear Den also has ties to two Western Massachusetts mountains. Jon Schaefer, the group’s CEO, owns Berkshire East Mountain Resort and Catamount Mountain Resort, which straddles the Massachusetts-New York border. Bear Den’s chairman, Ken Graham, is a lifelong Burke skier who runs a private equity firm.

Technology & Internet

Amazon’s Ring cancels Flock partnership amid Super Bowl ad backlash

Ring is terminating its partnership with police tech provider Flock Safety, the Amazon-owned company announced Thursday. The partnership between Flock and Ring came under scrutiny after the Amazon doorbell company ran an ad during the Super Bowl that touted a “Search Party” feature that uses AI to help locate lost pets. When a user initiates the feature, it activates a network of participating Ring cameras, which scan footage for images resembling the missing dog. The Electronic Frontier Foundation called the feature a “surveillance nightmare.” Flock, meanwhile, operates a network of automated license plate readers, and sells access to that software to customers that include law enforcement agencies. Ring’s decision to cancel its partnership with Flock comes as tech companies face growing pressure to reexamine their work with federal agencies.

Apple has worst day since April on FTC scrutiny, Siri delay reports

Apple just wrapped up its worst day on the stock market since April after reports surfaced about delays with Siri and as the company’s news app faced regulatory scrutiny. The stock dropped 5% on Thursday, wiping out its gain for the year and leaving it down almost 4% in 2026. The long-awaited artificial intelligence update to the iPhone maker’s Siri personal assistant has been internally pushed back to May and potentially later, Bloomberg reported Wednesday. On Wednesday, Federal Trade Commission Chair Andrew Ferguson told Apple CEO Tim Cook to review the terms of service and curation policies on Apple News. Ferguson cited recent “reports” that Apple News was promoting left-leaning news outlets while suppressing conservative content.

Shopify Stock Drops Despite Revenue Beat, $2 Billion Buyback

Shopify on Wednesday reported fourth-quarter results that beat on the top line and gave strong guidance to start the year. The stock closed down 6%. The Canadian e-commerce company said it expects first-quarter revenue to expand at a “low-thirties percentage rate” year over year, which is higher than the 25.1% growth forecast by analysts, according to FactSet. Shopify projected its free-cash-flow margin to be in the “low-to-mid teens” in the first quarter, which is slightly lower than a year ago. CFO Jeff Hoffmeister told analysts that it reflects the company’s continued investment in AI tools. Shares of software companies have sold off heavily in recent weeks as investors grew increasingly concerned about the potential threat of artificial intelligence tools. Shopify, which sells software to help businesses launch and run their online storefronts, has tried to position itself at the forefront of emerging AI shopping tools. The company was an early partner of OpenAI when it launched its Instant Checkout feature, and it helped Google develop a protocol for AI shopping bots to facilitate transactions across the web. The company’s revenues were lifted by the key holiday shopping period, which saw “record” spending in 2025, according to Adobe Analytics. Shopify’s gross merchandise volume, or the total volume of merchandise sold on the platform, came in higher than expected. GMV surged 29% year over year to $123.8 billion, surpassing analysts’ estimated $121.3 billion, according to FactSet.

Finance & Economy

Consumer prices rose 2.4% annually in January, less than expected

The cost of goods and services rose at a slower annual rate than expected in January, providing hope that the nagging U.S. inflation problem could be starting to ease. The consumer price index for January accelerated 2.4% from the same time a year ago, down 0.3 percentage point from the prior month, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported February 13. That pulled the inflation rate down to where it was the month after President Donald Trump announced aggressive tariffs on U.S. imports in April 2025. Excluding food and energy, the core CPI was up 2.5%. Economists surveyed by Dow Jones had been looking for an annual rate of 2.5% for both readings.

Disappointing holiday season: December retail sales were flat, falling well short of estimate

Consumer activity slowed sharply for the December holiday shopping season amid a spate of rough weather, tariff impact, and persistently higher inflation, the Commerce Department reported February 10. Retail sales were flat on the month following a 0.6% increase in November, according to numbers adjusted for seasonality but not inflation. Economists surveyed by Dow Jones had expected an increase of 0.4%. Excluding autos, sales also were unchanged, against the estimate for a 0.3% increase. On an annual basis, sales rose 2.4%, a considerable step down from the 3.3% pace in November. Sales ex-autos were up 3.3% annually in December. A measure known as the “control group” of sales that excludes a number of items and feeds directly into gross domestic product calculations showed a 0.1% drop for the month.

U.S. payrolls rose by 130,000 in January, more than expected; unemployment down to 4.3%

Nonfarm payrolls increased by 130,000 for January, above the Dow Jones consensus estimate for 55,000. The unemployment rate edged lower to 4.3%. A more encompassing measure slipped to 8%, down 0.4 percentage points from December. As has often been the case for the U.S. labor market, health care led job gains in January, adding 82,000 positions. Social assistance also rose, up 42,000, while construction added 33,000. The BLS also released final benchmark revisions for the year prior to March 2025. Those numbers saw the initial counts revised lower by a total of 898,000, about in line with expectations.