Foot Locker’s stock plunges 28% as sneaker retailer blames dismal results on ‘consumer softness’

Published

2 years ago

September 1, 2023

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Foot Locker’s stock plunged by nearly a third after the sneaker retailer reported dismal earnings in the second quarter that it blamed on “ongoing consumer softness.”

In the latest quarter, Foot Locker’s sales fell 9.9% to $1.8 billion — a sharp drop from the $2.1 billion a year earlier, the company said in its earnings report Wednesday

Foot Locker’s share price tumbled 28% to close at $16.64.

The New York-based retailer, which has nearly 900 outposts across the US, slashed its yearly forecast due to “the still-tough consumer backdrop,” and now expects sales to decline 8% to 9% for the year. It originally predicted sales would be down 6.5% to 8%.

“We did see a softening in trends in July and are adjusting our 2023 outlook to allow us to best compete for price-sensitive consumer,” Foot Locker chief Mary Dillon said in a statement.

The footwear chain slashed its yearly earnings outlook to between $2 and $2.25 per share — down from the $3.35 to $3.65 a share it originally predicted and well below the $3.47 analysts were expecting.

A day earlier, Macy’s shares dropped after it posted declining sales in its second-quarter earnings, which it attributed to declining consumer spending and increased credit card delinquencies

Macy’s net sales fell to $5.1 billion in the 13-week period ended July 29 — down from the $5.6 billion reported in the same period last year.

In-store sales at Macy’s 500-plus locations also dropped 8% and digital sales declined 10% compared with the year-ago period, sending Macy’s share price tumbling over 14%, to $12.57 on Tuesday.

Macy’s said there were particular challenges in the active, casual and sleepwear categories, while beauty products and fragrances performed better.

In addition, other revenues — such as earnings from credit interest and other non-operating revenues — decreased $84 million from the prior year period, to $150 million.

The New York City-based department store chain attributed the losses to “credit card revenues which were negatively impacted by an increased rate of delinquencies.”

Customers paying their credit card bills on time is viewed as a proxy for consumer health, and an increased number of defaulted payments is an indicator that consumers will have to prioritize bills over shopping.

“In light of ongoing macroeconomic pressures and uncertainty on when those will abate, the company continues to take a cautious approach on the consumer,” Macy’s earnings report said.

The department store’s chairman and chief executive, Jeff Gennette, reaffirmed the retailer’s cautious outlook on consumer spending in an earnings call with investors on Tuesday, “especially at Macy’s where roughly 50% of the identified customers have an average household income of $75,000 or under,” he said.

“We have seen the Macy’s customer more aggressively pull back on spend in our discretionary categories. They are not converting as easily and becoming more intentional on the allocation of their disposable income with an ongoing shift to services and experiences,” he added.

Macy’s has been underperforming in the stock market this year. Its stock has fallen more than 37% year to date.

In yet another example of softening consumer spend, Target said its quarterly sales fell for the first time in six years.

Sales at stores and digital channels open for at least a year were off 5.4% from a year earlier, according to Targets earnings report released last week, while digital sales slipped 10.5%.

Though Target’s longtime CEO Brian Cornell attributed part of the losses to “the impact of inflation,” CFO Michael Fiddelke added that boycotts of the retailer’s controversial “Pride” collection also contributed to the quarter’s results.

Dick’s Sporting Goods also missed analyst forecasts for the second quarter, reporting a 23% drop in profits across its more than 700 stores nationwide — despite sales rising 3.6%.

Dicks attributed the losses to organized retail crime and our ability to effectively manage inventory shrink, an industry term used to describe stolen or lost merchandise.

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Post Office scandal: Daughter has had ‘panic attacks’ since mum was accused of stealing

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2 hours ago

July 8, 2025

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Post Office scandal: Daughter has had 'panic attacks' since mum was accused of stealing

The daughter of a Post Office victim has told Sky News she suffered “dark thoughts of suicide” in the years after her mother was accused of stealing.

Kate Burrows was 14 years old when her mother, Elaine Hood, was prosecuted and subsequently convicted in 2003.

The first public inquiry report on the Post Office – examining redress and the “human impact” of the scandal – is due to be published today.

“I’ve suffered with panic attacks from about 14, 15 years old, and I still have them to this day,” Kate said.

“I’ve been in and out of therapy for what feels like most of my adult life and it absolutely categorically goes back to [what happened].”

Kate, along with others, helped set up the charity Lost Chances, supporting the children of Post Office victims. She hopes the inquiry will recognise their suffering.

“It’s important that our voices are heard,” she said. “Not only within the report, but in law actually.

“And then maybe that would be a deterrent for any future cover-ups, that it’s not just the one person it’s the whole family [affected].”

Her sister, Rebecca Richards, who was 18 when their mother was accused, described how an eating disorder “escalated” after what happened.

“When my mum was going through everything, my only control of that situation was what food I put in my body,” she said.

She also said that seeing her mother at court when she was convicted, would “stay with me forever”.

“The two investigators were sat in front of my dad and I, sniggering and saying ‘we’ve got this one’.

“To watch my mum in the docks handcuffed to a guard… not knowing if she was going to be coming home… that is the most standout memory for me.”

The sisters are hoping the inquiry findings will push Fujitsu into fulfilling a promise they made nearly a year ago – to try and help the children of victims.

Last summer, Kate met with the European boss of the company, Paul Patterson, who said he would look at ways they could support Lost Chances.

Despite appearing at the inquiry in November last year and saying he would not “stay silent” on the issue, Kate said there has been little movement in terms of support.

“It’s very much a line of ‘we’re going to wait until the end of the inquiry report to decide’,” she said.

“But Mr Patterson met us in person, looked us in the eye, and we shared the most deeply personal stories and he said we will do something… they need to make a difference.”

Fujitsu, who developed the faulty Horizon software, has said it is in discussions with the government regarding a contribution to compensation.

The inquiry will delve in detail into redress schemes, of which four exist, three controlled by the government and one by the Post Office.

Victims of the scandal say they are hoping Sir Wyn Williams, chair of the inquiry, will recommend that the government and the Post Office are removed from the redress schemes as thousands still wait for full and fair redress.

A Department for Business and Trade spokesperson said they were “grateful” for the inquiry’s work, describing “the immeasurable suffering” victims endured and saying the government has “quadrupled the total amount paid to affected postmasters”, with more than £1bn having now been paid to thousands of claimants.

Anyone feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for help on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org in the UK. In the US, call the Samaritans branch in your area or 1 (800) 273-TALK

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