Birdnow's Aviary

May 24, 2026

Good Retail News

Timothy Birdnow

So major retail chains, notably Target and Walmart, posted higher than expected sales figures despite tariffs and war-driven inflation.

FTA:

Retail giants Target and Walmart reported higher sales for the fiscal first quarter this week, but offered a cloudy outlook amid signs of strain in the low-income segment of the consumer market.

Target reported $25.4 billion in sales for the first quarter of fiscal 2026, which ended on May 2, up by 6.7 percent from a year earlier. Comparable sales rose 5.6 percent, led by a 4.4 percent rise in traffic and strong growth across all six core merchandise categories.

Gross margin came in at 29 percent, up by roughly 80 basis points year over year, driven by productivity and supply chain gains, higher-margin revenue, and lower price markdown rates.

How can this be? We've been told the economy is in tatters and that the public has it's pockets turned inside out in search of spare change. I guess they are panhandling "brother can you spare a dime" and spending those dimes at Walmart or Target then?

The author, seemingly determined to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, compares this first quarter of '26 with the better first quarter of '24 and so proclaims "trouble" as if a war that has skyrocketed gasoline prices and disrupted international supply chains isn't ongoing.

He quotes a Target spokesman (You know, the company that allowed men in women's changing rooms):

Management also noted that consumer sentiment has been declining and that the company is "keeping a close eye on their spending behavior,” with guidance pointing to "more challenging cost headwinds in the first half of the year that are expected to moderate in the second half.”

And how, pray tell, did they determine "consumer sentiment"? In other words they just assumed it based on their own personal feelings. Target has never been a fan of MAGA.

Anyway, this is good news; it shows the economy is still strong. Yes, different products are selling now, more affordable products. But so what? That is to be expected in wartime. The fact us the U.S. economy is doing just fine and is poised to do much finer in time.

We really ARE in a golden age!

Posted by: Timothy Birdnow at 10:48 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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