February
JB Hi-Fi shares hit record as retailer tops first-half expectations
Chief executive Terry Smart says it is vital for the retailer to keep improving productivity given the rising cost of wages and utilities.
- Updated
- Carrie LaFrenz
January
How retailers adapt to the crunch
Charles-Eddy Vitry shut down his record store’s physical shopfront in December to go online only after sales plummeted and his rent increased by 20 per cent.
- Gus McCubbing
Retail sales plunge, Godfreys goes bust
Shoppers slashed retail spending in the run-up to Christmas by the most since the pandemic lockdowns, by cutting back on household goods, clothes and footwear.
- Updated
- John Kehoe
Supercheap Auto, BCF sales jump as Rebel slows
Black Friday and Christmas trading was good for Super Retail Group, but higher wages, rent and electricity will dent margins in the first half.
- Carrie LaFrenz
December 2023
KMD dives to lowest since 2020 after sales drop 12.5pc
The owner of Rip Curl and Kathmandu says orders from its wholesale customers have dried up, while sales of rainwear and puffer jackets were weak due to warmer weather in Australia.
- Carrie LaFrenz
- Exclusive
- Retail
The six locations where AusPost is testing the end of daily letters
The government is expected to sign off on dropping such deliveries potentially as early as this week, as part of a restructure of Australia Post.
- Patrick Durkin
Lew’s Premier Investments posts record Black Friday sales
The billionaire told Premier’s AGM a review into a possible demerger confirmed “significant” future growth options available to each of its brands.
- Carrie LaFrenz
November 2023
Temple & Webster bucks retail downturn, posts 27pc surge in sales
The furniture store’s chief executive, Mark Coulter, says that “demographic shift trumps any of those macro trends” with more shoppers heading online.
- Simon Evans
- Updated
- Interest rates
Bullock says households are coping as Lowe issues warning
The RBA governor says household finances are holding up despite the “political noise” around 13 interest rate rises as her predecessor Philip Lowe warns inflation may be hard to tame.
- Michael Read
Black Friday sales sizzle, set to be bigger than Christmas
Shoppers are tipped to spend over $6.3 billion over the four-day shop-a-thon, up 3 per cent on last year. But budgets are under pressure, and sales have come early.
- Carrie LaFrenz
- Opinion
- Retail
Why Black Friday discounts could come back to bite retailers
In a desperate attempt to boost lacklustre sales, retailers have turned what was originally a short, sharp shopping promotion into an extended margin-sapping clearance sale.
- Sue Mitchell
Is the US heading for a recession? Watch the rich on Black Friday
The upper middle class powered a spending boom that kept the economy afloat, but there are increasing signs of a slowdown.
- Leslie Patton
Myer CEO predicts Black Friday to beat Christmas
First-quarter same-store sales fell 0.9 per cent, but the trend in the last seven weeks improved as the retailer heads into its key trading period.
- Carrie LaFrenz
- Opinion
- Retail
Cup Day rate rise casts pall over Black Friday, Christmas spending
Retailers are counting on Black Friday to save Christmas, but the latest rate rise could dent confidence and force retailers to discount more deeply.
- Sue Mitchell
March 2023
Consumers hit pause on retail spending
Higher interest rates are forcing households to ease up on non-essential spending, with new data showing retail sales have not grown at all since September.
- Michael Read
January 2023
Why this fashion boss says spending is back, inflation or not
The return of social events after pandemic restrictions has the head of Cue Clothing Co, Justin Levis, optimistic about the year, even as higher interest rates threaten to crimp household spending.
- Updated
- Carrie LaFrenz
December 2022
- Analysis
- Retail
City Chic’s big mess is going to get worse
The stock is down over 90 per cent for the year. And more pain is likely with discounting set to continue.
- Carrie LaFrenz
- Exclusive
- Retail
Oroton swings back to black in 2022
The leather good and fashion retailer posted strong double-digit sales growth over the year, but is bracing for a slowdown in 2023.
- Carrie LaFrenz
November 2022
Black Friday sales come early in fight for shopper wallets
The Black Friday event is set to provide retailers with strong results in the lead up to Christmas with sales forecasts of a record $6.2 billion.
- Carrie LaFrenz
- Inflation
- Investing
Ahead of Black Friday, investors look to US consumer stocks
Ahead of Black Friday, US investors are betting shares of beaten-down consumer stocks will benefit if inflation keeps falling and retail sales stay strong.
- Reuters
