Once a mainstay in American shopping culture, the parent of Sears and Kmart stores took another step backward Thursday, announcing a surprising second-quarter loss that dimmed hopes about the ailing merchant's future. Although Sears Holdings Corp. is paying down debt and has a $1.3 billion ...

CRUEL CHRISTMAS: HOW MANY WILL FALL?

This holiday season, any retailer not named Wal-Mart has reason to worry. Paltry profits and debt-laden balance sheets mean some players are facing not just tough times, but potential extinction. With U.S. retail sales taking a record 2.8% dive last month and Deloitte Research's consumer spending index turning negative for the ...

Christmas shopping typically begins on Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, and nearly every year certain "must-have" toys emerge that spur parents to camp outside stores and then, at the crack of dawn, to stampede inside for a chance to snag the coveted plaything for the Christmas tree. Think Cabbage Patch Kids, Tickle Me Elmo, and Nintendo's Wii. This ...