Industry News
All Matthew Shay News
Top stories summarized by our editors
Top stories summarized by our editors

Target's CEO on navigating crisis in 2020

6/24/2020
SmartBrief Original

How has Target cared for employees, customers and communities during the pandemic and responded forcefully to racial inequality? Target CEO Brian Cornell recently talked about leading the company through crisis.

NRF survey: Social media to inspire Halloween purchases

9/26/2019

About 172 million US consumers plan to celebrate Halloween this year, spending an average of $86.27 per person on candy, costumes, cards and decorations for a total of $8.8 billion, according to a survey from NRF and Prosper Insights & Analytics. "Spending hasn't changed much over the past few years, but we are seeing a noticeable increase in consumers whose Halloween purchases are inspired by their friends, neighbors and even celebrities on social media," NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said.

NRF CEO: Tariffs won't fix US-China trade relationship

9/20/2019

Stocks rose Thursday after President Donald Trump tweeted a plan to delay tariff increases on $250 billion in Chinese imports from Oct. 1 to Oct. 15, but other recent economic data shows the ongoing US-China trade war is taking a toll on US businesses and jobs. NRF and other business groups agree with the goal of restructuring the US-China trade relationship, but they don't support tariffs as an effective tactic, NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said.

Changing retail scene calls for new performance measurements

9/16/2019

Traditional methods of measuring retail performance and success don't hold up as the industry continues to change rapidly, and new standards are needed to show the true picture, NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said. Deloitte has proposed a new set of retail benchmarks focused on measuring and reporting the ways retailers create value for both customers and shareholders.

NRF CEO: Tariffs won't fix US-China trade relationship

9/13/2019

Stocks rose Thursday after President Donald Trump tweeted a plan to delay tariff increases on $250 billion in Chinese imports from Oct. 1 to Oct. 15, but other recent economic data shows the ongoing US-China trade war is taking a toll on US businesses and jobs. NRF and other business groups agree with the goal of restructuring the US-China trade relationship, but they don't support tariffs as an effective tactic, NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said.

NRF CEO: Tariffs aren't the way to fix trade with China

8/19/2019

The Trump administration's decision to delay tariffs on some Chinese imports until Dec. 15 pleased retailers, but tariffs on other goods still set to take effect on Sept. 1 will result in higher consumer prices, NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said in a CNBC interview. "I think the administration recognizes the potential danger of pursuing additional tariffs on these consumer goods and there's no point in threatening the economy, which is very, very strong right now," he said.

Latest tariff escalation harms US consumers

8/9/2019

The Trump administration announced last week that it will consider a 10% tariff on $300 billion in goods from China. "The tariffs imposed over the past year haven't worked, and there's no evidence another tax increase on American businesses and consumers will yield new results. We urge the administration to bring our allies to the table and find new tools beyond tariffs to achieve better trade relations," NRF's President and CEO Matthew Shay said. Learn more.

NRF lauds Kohl's CEO with "The Visionary" award

7/11/2019

NRF has named Kohl's CEO Michelle Gass as the next recipient of its annual award "The Visionary." "Michelle has cultivated an environment at Kohl's where risk-taking is encouraged, which has never been more important than in today's dynamic retail environment," NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said.

NRF urges US, China to get back to serious trade talks

5/15/2019

Retailers believe working with international allies and returning to the Trans Pacific Partnership could help achieve meaningful trade reform with China but that more tariffs will only cost US consumers, NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said. "We urge the US and China to get these critical negotiations back on track. Both sides will lose in a full-blown trade war, and the global economy will suffer," he said.

NRF: US consumers prepare to set Mother's Day spending record

4/25/2019

Americans are expected to spend a record $25 billion on flowers, cards, outings and other gifts for Mother's Day this year, compared to $23.1 billion last year, according to NRF's annual survey. "Consumers are excited to celebrate all the moms in their lives, and retailers are ready to inspire consumers with unique gift options," NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said.