Investments and Business

Target CEO Brian Cornell firmly rejected accusations of price gouging in the hypercompetitive retail industry during an interview Wednesday on CNBC's "Squawk Box." During the discussion, Cornell was confronted with remarks from Democratic presidential candidate Vice President Kamala Harris, who recently supported a federal ban on "corporate price gouging" in the food and grocery industry. Harris cited concerns about companies overcharging consumers and contributing to higher household costs. In response, Cornell pointed to the slim profit margins typical of retail, saying, “We operate on a shoestring profit.” He also highlighted the many options consumers have for finding competitive prices, from…

Macy's on Wednesday announced a downward revision to its annual sales forecast, acknowledging difficulties in attracting discerning shoppers and the need for more promotions. Despite beating Wall Street expectations for earnings, the popular department store chain reported lower-than-expected revenue for the quarter. The company now expects its net sales to be between $22.1 billion and $22.4 billion, down from the previously estimated range of $22.3 billion to $22.9 billion. This change also signals a potential year-over-year decline from the $23.09 billion reported in fiscal 2023. Macy's forecasts a decline in comparable sales, which measures performance excluding new or closed stores,…

Explore noteworthy changes in the stock market after the close of trading: Cava Group — The fast-casual restaurant chain saw its stock price rise nearly 6% after hours as its earnings beat projections. Cava’s earnings came in at 17 cents a share, beating LSEG forecasts by 4 cents, with revenue also beating expectations. Uber — Shares of the ride-sharing giant fell about 3% after announcing a long-term partnership with General Motors’ Cruise for autonomous vehicle services. The partnership aims to introduce driverless ride options to Uber’s service offerings by next year. Meanwhile, General Motors enjoyed a slight boost, with its…

Edgar Bronfman Jr. has made a major offer to acquire a major stake in Global Paramount, potentially ensuring that Shari Redstone remains a key figure within the organization. A source familiar with the negotiations said Bronfman's offer includes a clause that Redstone, who currently serves as Paramount's non-executive chairman, will continue his involvement with the company. This condition is contingent on his offer being accepted by Paramount's special committee by National Amusements, the major shareholder. Bronfman reportedly secured $6 billion to outbid Skydance Media for control of National Amusements, a company originally founded by Sumner Redstone. Both Bronfman and Skydance's…