Vice President Licensing

161-year-old kids clothing giant closes 29 more stores. As parents continue to feel pressures on their household budgets, increasingly skipping specialty clothing stores in favor of one-stop shopping at big-box giants like Target and Walmart, another children's apparel retailer is closing stores. Industry data confirms this shift, revealing that mass merchants now capture 80% of planned spending in the back-to-school category, according to Deloitte. This shift in consumer spending habits, paired with the shrinking malls data, including projection from Capital One Shopping suggesting that up to 87% of traditional shopping malls could close over the next decade, has forced a number of mall clothing retailers to shut a number of underperforming locations. A mall staple The Children's Place has shuttered hundreds of locations in recent years as part of a major restructuring plan to shed costly real estate, and legacy specialty chain, Carter's, has started its wave of planned closures in 2025. Carter's closes 29 stores in the first two quarters of 2026. Founded in 1865, Carter's grew from a modest Massachusetts knitting mill into North America's largest children's clothing maker by continually expanding its footprint and acquiring legacy brands like OshKosh B'gosh. Over 161 years of its existence, Carter's nurtured generations of parent loyalty with its offering and prices. Now, the kids' clothing giant is strategically closing certain locations in an effort to stay at the top of its game. During the first two quarters of fiscal 2026, Carter's opened 4 stores and closed 29 stores in the United States, according to its Form 10-Q filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). As of July 4, 2026, Carter's had 1,042 company-operated retail stores in North America. Carter's is closing stores, but shoppers are still buying. Carter's shrinking store footprint does not necessarily mean shoppers are abandoning the brand. The company reported a 5.1% increase in comparable U.S. sales in the second quarter of 2026, marking its fifth consecutive quarter of positive comparable-sales growth. However, the latest results came with important caveats. Nearly all of Carter's operating income jump came from a one-time $128 million government refund of previously paid tariffs, not from stronger underlying profitability; stripped of that refund, adjusted operating income rose to $18.1 million from $11.8 million in the same period of 2025. The company also narrowed its full-year outlook, and its stock fell more than 8% on the news as investors looked past the refund.

DoorDash makes back-to-school shopping easier with Barnes & Noble, Carter's, and Kohl's. MWN-AI** Summary. DoorDash has enhanced its back-to-school shopping experience by partnering with major retailers like Barnes & Noble, Carter's, and Kohl's, offering parents a much-needed solution to the time-consuming process of preparing for a new school year. As families juggle new class schedules, sports practices, and the search for essential gear like backpacks and outfits, DoorDash aims to facilitate on-demand delivery that saves both time and effort. With this collaboration, DoorDash provides over half a million products eligible for delivery in under an hour across various categories, including apparel, books, and kids' essentials. Barnes & Noble has expanded its offerings on the platform, allowing consumers to order required reading lists, study guides, and school supplies directly from their local store. Additionally, the store features an extensive selection of toys and stationery, marking DoorDash's foray into large-scale book delivery. Carter's contributes the largest variety of children's apparel, catering to the diverse needs of families with easy, on-demand access to wardrobe essentials. Meanwhile, Kohl's extends its portfolio to include first-day outfits, sneakers, and dorm room essentials from over 1,100 stores nationwide, solidifying its role as a comprehensive destination for back-to-school supplies. Mike Goldblatt, DoorDash's Vice President of Enterprise Partnerships, emphasized that parents can benefit from immediate access to necessary items, mitigating last-minute scrambles by ensuring that essential items can be delivered straight to their doors. As DoorDash updates its retail selection, the platform underscores its commitment to serving busy families during one of the most hectic shopping seasons of the year. MWN-AI** Analysis. As the back-to-school season approaches, DoorDash's strategic partnership with major retailers like Barnes & Noble, Carter's, and Kohl's presents a compelling market opportunity. This expansion diversifies DoorDash's offerings and taps into the busy consumer demographic of parents juggling multiple responsibilities during the transitional back-to-school period. For investors, this development signals DoorDash's commitment to capturing a larger share of the retail delivery market. With a reported inventory of over half a million products available for quick delivery, the potential for growth is significant. Particularly noteworthy is DoorDash's entry into book delivery, a segment that can increase engagement among families seeking educational materials - an important consideration as educational spending rises. The competition landscape remains fierce, but the convenience factor provided by DoorDash enhances customer loyalty and repeat purchases. Parents, facing the stress of last-minute back-to-school shopping, are likely to turn to a platform that facilitates quick access to essential items. This trend aligns with evolving consumer behavior that increasingly favors on-demand services over in-person shopping. Moreover, DoorDash's promise of delivery times averaging 30 minutes or less positions it favorably against traditional retailers that struggle with offering similar convenience. This capability not only helps DoorDash build a robust delivery infrastructure but positions it as a critical player in the e-commerce ecosystem. In conclusion, for those interested in investing in retail tech, DoorDash's latest moves reflect a forward-thinking strategy to enhance customer experience through partnerships with established brands. As the school year nears, tracking DoorDash's performance and consumer uptake during this peak shopping season will be crucial. Investors should monitor the customer adoption rates and impact on stock performance, as success in this venture may indicate a strong growth trajectory for the company. **MWN-AI Summary and Analysis is based on asking OpenAI to summarize and analyze this news release. August 18, 2026 09:00:00 am New retailers join DoorDash, giving parents time back with on-demand delivery of everything on their back-to-school list, from backpacks and books to apparel and more Between new class schedules, sports practices, and the scramble to find the right size backpack and outfits, back-to-school season is one of the busiest shopping moments of the year and one of the most time-consuming. Today, Market Wire News is excited to welcome Barnes & Noble, Carter's, and Kohl's to the Marketplace, giving parents and students back the time they'd otherwise spend running between stores, with school clothes, supplies, classic and new reads, and everyday kids' essentials all delivered to their door. Shop back to school on DoorDash with Barnes & Noble, Carter's, and Kohl's. With over half a million products eligible for delivery in under an hour across categories like Apparel, Books, Baby & Kids, Household, and more*, DoorDash has become a go-to destination for everyday essentials. New back-to-school retailers on DoorDash include: * Barnes & Noble - Consumers can now get everything on this year's required reading lists, along with reference books, study guides, workbooks, notebooks, planners and pens, delivered from their local Barnes & Noble. In addition, consumers can shop an expansive selection of toys, games, stationery, gifts, movies and music - including trending and hot items like squishy toys and building blocks - all through DoorDash. This marks DoorDash's first large-scale books offering, spanning everything from classics to light, summer reads. * Carter's - Carter's is DoorDash's largest assortment for kids' apparel and essentials. From daycare spills to forgotten picture day outfits, on-demand delivery with DoorDash means being prepared for back-to-school is faster and easier than ever. * Kohl's - From first-day outfits to sneakers and dorm room essentials, consumers now have access to products across Kohl's more than 1,100 stores nationwide. The partnership marks DoorDash's first department store selection spanning apparel to home goods. "Back-to-school is one of those seasons where there's just no time to plan every trip. As a dad, I know how this goes. It's the sports uniform you realize is missing the night before practice, or the notebook nobody remembers until they're already out the door," said Mike Goldblatt, Vice President of Enterprise Partnerships at DoorDash. "Bringing Barnes & Noble, Carter's, and Kohl's onto DoorDash means parents can get what they need in minutes instead of making another stop. For our retail partners, it means getting in front of consumers exactly when they need them most." In Q1 2026, DoorDash brought fast third-party convenience delivery within reach for over 60% of the U.S. population, with a median delivery time of 30 minutes or less** and fulfilled tens of millions of grocery and retail deliveries in under 30 minutes across more than 22,000 ZIP codes. As families juggle packed schedules this fall, DoorDash's growing retail selection reflects the platform's continued push to be the fastest way to get what you need, when you need it. *Based on average availability of retail items for U.S. consumers as of March 2026. Availability may vary and is not guaranteed. **Median delivery time calculated based on orders during the period. FAQ**. How do the partnerships with Barnes & Noble, Carter's, and Kohl's align with DoorDash Inc. DASH's strategy to enhance their retail offerings and cater to the back-to-school market? DoorDash's partnerships with Barnes & Noble, Carter's, and Kohl's strategically enhance its retail offerings by expanding product accessibility and convenience for parents during the back-to-school market, driving orders while leveraging established brands to attract families. What impact do you anticipate the new partnerships will have on consumer engagement and sales for DoorDash Inc. DASH during the back-to-school season? New partnerships are expected to significantly enhance consumer engagement and drive sales for DoorDash Inc. during the back-to-school season by expanding their service offerings and leveraging targeted marketing strategies. How does DoorDash Inc. DASH plan to maintain competitive delivery times as it expands its retail partnerships and product offerings? DoorDash Inc. plans to maintain competitive delivery times by leveraging advanced logistics technology, optimizing delivery routes, and expanding its network of Dashers while enhancing partnerships with retailers to streamline operations and improve efficiency. Can you provide insights into how DoorDash Inc. DASH evaluates the success of its new retailer partnerships in terms of delivery performance and customer satisfaction? As of 2026, DoorDash Inc. evaluates the success of its new retailer partnerships by analyzing key performance indicators like delivery speed, order accuracy, customer feedback scores, and retention rates to gauge delivery performance and customer satisfaction. **MWN-AI FAQ is based on asking OpenAI questions about DoorDash Inc. (NASDAQ: DASH).

Carter's adjusted profit rises 54% in Q2, but full-year EPS still faces pressure. 31 July 2026, 7:53 AM Q2 2026 adjusted operating profit jumps 54% as productivity initiatives take hold. Carter's Inc. delivered an impressive 54% increase in adjusted operating income in its fiscal second quarter, climbing to $18.1 million from $11.8 million a year ago. The company's net sales reached $615.5 million, up 5% from Q2 2025, with broad-based growth across US Retail, US Wholesale, and International segments. Comparable US Retail sales rose 5.1%, highlighting continued momentum in Carter's core market for baby and young children's apparel. Tariff refund drives GAAP results to unusually high levels. A one-time $132 million refund of previously paid import duties and related interest was a major contributor to GAAP operating income, which soared to $139.8 million (22.7% operating margin). Excluding this benefit and other adjustments, Carter's adjusted operating margin was a modest 2.9% - up from 2.0% last year, but still highlighting tight underlying margins. Adjusted diluted EPS for the quarter reached $0.26, up 53% from $0.17 last year, while GAAP diluted EPS hit $2.87 thanks to the sizable refund. | Q2 2026 | Q2 2025 | % Change | | Net Sales ($M) | 615.5 | 585.3 | +5.2% | | Adj. Operating Income ($M) | 18.1 | 11.8 | +54% | | Adj. Operating Margin | 2.9% | 2.0% | +0.9 pts | | Adj. Diluted EPS | 0.26 | 0.17 | +53% | Mixed performance over the first half: sales up, but underlying earnings dip. For the first six months of 2026, Carter's net sales increased 6.7% to $1.30 billion. However, adjusted operating income slipped 1.3% year-over-year to $46.5 million and adjusted operating margin shrank to 3.6%. Higher tariff costs, ongoing investments in marketing and tech, and general inflationary pressures have offset productivity gains. Adjusted diluted EPS for the first half was $0.65, down from $0.83 a year earlier. | H1 2026 | H1 2025 | % Change | | Net Sales ($M) | 1,296.6 | 1,215.1 | +6.7% | | Adj. Operating Income ($M) | 46.5 | 47.1 | -1.3% | | Adj. Operating Margin | 3.6% | 3.9% | -0.3 pts | | Adj. Diluted EPS | 0.65 | 0.83 | -22% | Cash flow rebounds, but full-year EPS guidance signals pressure ahead. The rebound in operating cash flow stands out: Carter's generated $202.3 million in operating cash flow in the first half of 2026, largely due to the tariff refund and improved working capital, compared to net cash used of $8.3 million last year. Despite this, management's full-year outlook points to continued headwinds. Carter's expects only 2%-3% net sales growth for the full year and projects a high single-digit to low double-digit percentage decline in adjusted diluted EPS compared to 2025. Margins are expected to remain under pressure due to tariff costs and further investment spend, despite productivity and some pricing gains. Segment summary: broad-based growth, narrower margins. All three operating segments (US Retail, US Wholesale, International) posted year-on-year revenue growth in both Q2 and H1. US Wholesale led Q2 segment growth, up 11.7%, with International net sales growth slowing to 2.7% (or just 0.1% in constant currency). Segment operating margins remain thin - especially in retail, which posted Q2 operating margins of 1.4%. | Q2 2026 Net Sales ($M) | Growth vs. Q2 2025 | Q2 2026 Segment Op. Margin | | US Retail | 304.7 | +1.7% | 1.4% | | US Wholesale | 215.6 | +11.7% | 13.8% | | International | 95.3 | +2.7% | 5.7% | 2026 guidance: cautiously optimistic but margin pressures persist. Looking to the third quarter, Carter's expects about $750 million in net sales and projects adjusted operating income of ~$50 million. The company anticipates higher gross margin rates for Q3, in part due to anniversarying higher tariff costs in the prior year and a greater retail mix. Still, full-year guidance signals that overall earnings will remain challenged by costs outside the company's control. The company is also planning $50 million in capital expenditures, and expects operating cash flow in the range of $230-$240 million. Key takeaway: efficiency gains offset by macro and cost headwinds. For investors, the headline is clear: Carter's is showing real progress on productivity and retail execution, but faces continued pressure from tariffs, inflation, and investment needs. The underlying business is healthy given sales growth and robust cash generation, but margin recovery will likely require further productivity, effective price actions, or relief from trade headwinds. Watch carefully how adjusted earnings and margins track relative to these macro factors in the remainder of 2026. 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