Retail Brew // Morning Brew // Update

March 17, 2026

It’s St. Paddy’s Day, and despite landing on a Tuesday—decidedly not a day many people associate with partying—the National Retail Federation is expecting record spending this year as many revelers bring the party home.

In today’s edition:

—Alex Vuocolo, Andrew Adam Newman, Brendan Cosgrove

STORES

Closing thoughts

Andriy Onufriyenko/Getty Images

The snow has melted. The weather is warming. The Oscars were Sunday, and for most people, 2025 has just about disappeared in the rearview mirror. But there was one last bit of business to attend to before we could fully put the year to rest, and that was the Q4 earnings season. Most of the major retailers have turned in their results, and we’re picking through the data, earnings calls, and analyses to better understand the state of the industry and where it might be headed in the year ahead.

10,000-foot view: Despite the uncertainty in the broader economy last year, RJ Hottovy, head of analytical research at Placer.ai, told Retail Brew, “There’s a sense of cautious optimism and a sense that the US consumer is holding up relatively well.”

He added that while consumers are still “stretched from a household budget standpoint,” they are still finding reasons to go out and shop. In terms of earnings, this trend continues to benefit retailers that offer value, including off-price retailers such as TJX Companies, dollar stores such as Five Below, and mass retailers such as Walmart.

Taken together, the sector outperformed expectations. Zacks Retail sector scorecard found that as of February 25—when 22 of the 30 retailers in the S&P 500 index had reported—total earnings were up 6.9% from the same period last year, with 50% outperforming EPS estimates and 77.3% outperforming revenue estimates.

Keep reading here.—AV

From The Crew

How retailers are pivoting their way through chaos

Retail in 2026 is anything but predictable. Faced with global trade disruptions, shifting consumer behavior, and economic uncertainty, brands are being forced to adapt fast—or fall behind.

From Oura’s rapid expansion into dozens of international retail partnerships to Build-A-Bear’s evolution into a global IP brand, retailers are rethinking where they compete and how they grow. Others, like Dibs Beauty, are taking unconventional approaches to gathering customer insights beyond digital channels. This deep dive explores how leading brands are tackling inventory challenges, refining omnichannel strategies, and using creativity, data, and agility to stay competitive.

If you want to understand how modern retailers are pivoting through uncertainty, this is a must-read.

GROCERY

Super markets

Trader Joe’s

You may wonder why cashiers at Trader Joe’s are always ringing bells, but here’s something that’s not a mystery: The supermarket chain itself is a ringer when it comes to customer satisfaction.

Trader Joe’s earned a score of 86 out of—duh!—100 in the 2026 Retail and Consumer Shipping Study calculated by the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI), founded at the University of Michigan in 1994. That’s up from 84 in 2025, when Trader Joe’s tied for the highest rating with Publix. This year Publix—holding steady at 84—placed second, followed by H-E-B (83), and Sam’s Club (82).

If you’re someone who always got only the Most Improved trophy at the team banquet, please know that we see you, and that among supermarkets that trophy goes to Save A Lot, which notched up 3 points this year to 78 (which also happens to be the average rating this year, down from 79 in 2025).

Keep reading here.—AAN

RETAIL

Animated sport

Blake Callahan/Getty Images

Dick’s Sporting Goods has looked like Dick’s Sporting Greats lately, roughly doubling its sales in the past 10 years. That’s in part due to the youth sports market, which has turned into an absolute juggernaut. According to the Aspen Institute:

Youth sports are a $40 billion annual market in the US.
In 2024, the average US sports family spent more than $1,000 on their child’s primary sport.
That’s a 46% increase from 2019.

Diamonds are a sports retailer’s best friend: If you’re searching for a magical spring, look no further than the fountain of youth baseball. Per Aspen, the average family’s annual spending on the sport jumped nearly 70% from 2019 to 2024. Dick’s positioned itself right in the middle of the action, selling young ballplayers everything but the grass stains.

It’s not just luck. Dick’s has been investing in technology.

Keep reading here on Morning Brew.—BC

Together With Acoustic

No carts left behind. Most brands don’t discover cart abandonment until the next morning, when it’s too late. Acoustic’s guide shows you how to build a real-time, omnichannel cart abandonment journey and have it live in under 10 minutes, so you never miss another revenue opportunity. Download and see how.

SWAPPING SKUS

Today’s top retail reads.

Hitting the gym: In a push to expand beyond at-home offerings, Peloton is launching a series of commercial products for high-traffic gyms. (CNBC)

A bigger box: Public Storage has proposed a $10.5 billion deal to purchase National Storage Affiliates, which would create a $57 billion self-storage giant. (the Associated Press)

Beefing: Unionized workers at a JBS-owned beef processing plant in Colorado are going on strike after failing to reach an agreement on a new contract. (the Wall Street Journal)

JOBS

Tired of one-size-fits-all job boards? CollabWORK highlights roles that reflect your interests and goals—delivered through communities like Retail Brew. Click here to explore the full job board.

SHARE THE BREW

Share the Brew, watch your referral count climb, and unlock brag-worthy swag.

Your friends get smarter. You get rewarded. Win-win.

Your referral count: 0

Click to Share

Or copy & paste your referral link to others:
retailbrew.com/r/?kid=6b35f7e7

ADVERTISE // CAREERS // SHOP // FAQ

Update your email preferences or unsubscribe .
View our privacy policy .

Copyright © 2026 Morning Brew Inc. All rights reserved.
22 W 19th St, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10011

☕ Fourth and goal