Retail news, week of September 21, 2026

Machine summary Peloton's first foldable, $2,195 Tread Flex arrives as the brand pivots to capture North America's forecast $5.6B at-home treadmill market by 2030. The space-saving design and lower price point aim to expand addressable consumers beyond current bike owners.

1. The Tread Flex is Peloton's first foldable treadmill, contracting to roughly half its size to target apartments and smaller homes.
2. Peloton's stock has fallen 42% since its last product unveiling in October 2025.
3. CEO Peter Stern said doubling down on treadmills will help connect with a wider audience and win the multibillion-dollar at-home treadmill market.

Reported by 10news.com and kxly.com.

• Tread Flex
• Peloton

Machine summary AutoZone's Q4 revenue rose 5.6% to $6.59 billion and missed estimates, while same-store sales grew 1.5%. EPS beat at $56.05 thanks to a one-time tariff refund, and the company is accelerating store openings into fiscal 2027.

1. Q4 revenue rose 5.6% year over year to $6.59 billion, below the $6.7 billion consensus estimate.
2. Q4 earnings per share jumped 15.1% to $56.05, beating analyst expectations of $53.84.
3. Same-store sales increased 1.5% on a constant-currency basis during the quarter.
4. The stock finished up more than 3% after the report but remains down nearly 40% from its peak over the last year and up nearly 300% over the past decade.
5. AutoZone expects modest comparable sales growth to continue into fiscal 2027 and is accelerating new store openings.

Reported by fool.com and aol.com.

• AutoZone

Machine summary Lowe's is piloting drone delivery for over 100 products in North Carolina with Wing and DoorDash.

1. Lowe's announced a drone delivery pilot at one North Carolina store with more than 100 eligible SKUs, with possible expansion to additional locations.
2. Lowe's also offers curbside pickup and same-day delivery in select ZIP codes as part of its existing fast-fulfillment portfolio.
3. Walmart uses Wing drones and Amazon has also announced major drone program expansions this year.
4. Seemantini Godbole, Lowe's CIO and AI officer, said the pilot addresses a 'real project pain point' by integrating drone delivery into the retail journey.

Reported by Supply Chain Dive and Retail Dive.

• Amazon
• Walmart
• DoorDash
• Lowe's
• Wing
• Drone delivery

Machine summary Starbucks is closing 250 North American stores, about 1% of its 18,000 locations, and will take $300 million in charges. The chain is lowering its new-store forecast to roughly 440 this fiscal year even as US same-store sales rose 7.9% last quarter.

1. Starbucks will close approximately 250 North American locations in the coming days, about 1% of its roughly 18,000-store North American footprint.
2. For this fiscal year, the projection for fresh global store launches is about 440, a reduction from the 600 to 650 that had been announced before.
3. US same-store sales rose 7.9% in the most recent quarter, and the company's sales returned to growth about a year ago.
4. CEO Brian Niccol announced a similar round of closures and corporate layoffs a year ago as part of a $1 billion restructuring effort.
5. Beginning this weekend, signage will be visible to customers at cafés that are affected, and the Starbucks app will show the closures.

Reported by wpsdlocal6.com and kitv.com.

• Starbucks

Machine summary Lululemon Athletica shares traded 80% below their all-time high as of Sept. 24, according to a report, which said the stock carries a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.3. The report said the company reported a 4% year-over-year revenue decline in its most recent fiscal quarter, ended Aug. 2.

1. The stock traded 80% below its all-time high as of Sept. 24, the report said.
2. Shares trade at a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.3, a 64% discount to the S&P 500 index, according to the report.
3. According to the report, the present P/E multiple sits close to the lowest point seen during the company's nearly 20 years as a public entity, and it is under the 10-year trailing average of 41.3.
4. Lululemon reported a 4% year-over-year revenue dip in its most recent fiscal quarter, ended Aug. 2, the report said.

Reported by fool.com and aol.com.

• Lululemon Athletica