Walmart's earnings beat, Target's miss, Costco's membership deal: Retail news

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Image for article titled Walmart's big win, Target's big miss, and Costco's membership deal: Retail news roundup — Graphic: Images: THOMAS SAMSON, Justin Sullivan, Sundry Photography, MicroStockHub

Walmart is hitting the sweet spot with both high- and low-income shoppers. However, the retail giant is feeling the pressure from the rise of popular GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic, and warns prices may increase if President-elect Trump’s tariffs are enacted. Meanwhile, Target is struggling to balance consumer demand and pricing sensitivity, so much so that it blamed the U.S. port strike. That, however, may not fully capture the underlying issues. At Costco (COST), a Gold Star membership is being offered at a price that could be hard to resist. Check out those stories and more retail news highlights from this week.

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Amazon, Walmart, and Target’s top 10 Black Friday deals

Amazon (AMZN), Walmart (WMT), and Target (TGT) are racing to capture the attention – and wallets – of budget-conscious shoppers as Black Friday and Cyber Monday quickly approach.

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Costco is basically giving away a membership with this Black Friday deal

In an aerial view, a Costco on July 11, 2024 in Richmond, California.

Black Friday is nearly here, and Costco’s (COST) latest membership deal could be hard to pass up.

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Walmart just keeps winning

People shopping at a Walmart store in south San Francisco bay area.

Walmart (WMT) is hitting the sweet spot with both high- and low-income shoppers.

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Target’s earnings miss isn’t about the U.S. port strike. Here’s what happened

When Target’s (TGT) earnings fell drastically short of expectations on Wednesday, executives pointed to the U.S. port strike as a key factor. However, the retailer’s troubles – which pushed its stock down 21% to a one-year low – go much deeper than shipping costs and an inventory glut.

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McDonald’s is bringing back the McRib

McDonald’s (MCD) is ending its McRib hiatus.

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Target just had its biggest earnings miss in years — and the stock plummeted 21% to a 1-year-low

Target’s (TGT) price cuts and early holiday promotions aren’t yet delivering the expected results. Its stock plummeted by more than 21% on Wednesday morning after reporting disappointing third-quarter earnings. Despite slashing prices on thousands of items and seeing a slight uptick in customer traffic, inflation-weary shoppers are holding back on purchases.

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Walmart says Trump’s tariffs could mean higher prices

A line forms outside of the Walmart in Quincy, MA on April 4, 2020.

Walmart (WMT) may raise prices on certain items if proposed tariffs on imports are enacted under President-elect Donald Trump’s administration, according to a company executive.

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Even Walmart is afraid of the weight-loss drug boom

The weight-loss drug boom is here, and even Walmart is starting to feel the pressure to compete.

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McDonald’s is spending $100 million to recover from E.coli scare

McDonald’s is committing $100 million to recover from a damaging onion E. Coli outbreak that led to hundreds of illnesses and sent customer traffic tumbling.

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Walmart, Target, and Aldi’s Thanksgiving deals

There’s some good news for Thanksgiving hosts: The cost of a traditional Thanksgiving dinner is down for the second year in a row, according to industry group the American Farm Bureau’s annual survey.

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McDonald’s is planning a 2025 ‘McValue’ push

McDonald’s is preparing for a fresh wave of value offerings in 2025, with hopes it can win back customers feeling the pinch of rising restaurant prices.

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Red Lobster wants to restore its former glory. $70 million could help

Red Lobster is open for business – and its CEO Damola Adamolekun is determined to steer the iconic seafood chain back to profitability and growth.

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Starbucks wants its coffeehouse crown back. It won’t be easy

Starbucks (SBUX) is embarking on a bold turnaround plan under new CEO Brian Niccol. The coffee giant hopes to reclaim its coffeehouse crown by focusing on speed, service, and operational efficiency. Whether these sweeping changes will be enough to turn the tide remains a point of debate among experts.

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McDonald’s, Wendy’s, and 8 more fast food chains ranked by actually getting your order right

When it comes to fast food, speed is crucial, but accuracy is just as important.

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McDonald’s, Chick-fil-A, Taco Bell, and 7 more fast food chains ranked by speed

Speed is still king in fast food – but accuracy and friendliness aren’t too far behind.

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Walmart posted earnings Tuesday. Here’s what analysts were watching

A Walmart in Prince Frederick, Maryland on Dec 1, 2023.

Walmart (WMT) has figured out how to attract high- and low-income consumers, even amid economic uncertainty.

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Target released earnings Wednesday. Here’s what analysts were watching

Target (TGT) has found a way to remain competitive against retail giants like Walmart (WMT) and Amazon (AMZN), proving it can balance affordability with quality even in the face of rising costs and shifting shopping habits. But its latest earnings revealed whether its recent strategies for doing so have been paying off financially.

Walmart's big win, Target's big miss, and Costco's membership deal: Retail news roundup

Plus: Amazon, Walmart, and Target's top 10 Black Friday deals