In our final installment of our three-part blog series, RSM’s senior industry analysts recap back-to-school shopping trends and the impact on consumer businesses. As summer draws to a close, families across the country prepared for the back-to-school season, a critical time for retailers as it set the ... READ MORE >
Consumer products
Consumer sentiment rebounds in August
Consumer sentiment rose for the first time in five months, according to the University of Michigan’s survey in August. The increase is driven by the jump in expectations as consumer sentiment about the next 12 months look better. The topline sentiment index is up to 67.8 from 66.4 in July, with the ... READ MORE >
Robust July retail sales defy growth scare
While robust July retail sales numbers might come as a surprise given the various pressures on American consumers, the data was very well in line with our forecasts ahead of the Thursday data release from the Commerce Department. Further disinflation and 15 consecutive months of positive real wage growth ... READ MORE >
Consumer products M&A: Cautious buyers limit activity
The first half of 2024 continued the downward trajectory of consumer products deal volumes. Cautious buyers weighed economic and political uncertainty, a softening consumer, and the lack of clarity on the timing and extent of interest rates against continued high seller expectations and limited ... READ MORE >
Back-to-school outlook: Price sensitivity creates consumer spending shifts
In our second installment of our three-part blog series, RSM’s senior industry analyst explores back-to-school shopping trends and the impact on consumer businesses. Even as inflation has moderated, consumers have indicated price hikes and affordability constraints have remained important ... READ MORE >
Back-to-school outlook: Blurring the lines of digital and physical store sales
In our three-part blog series, RSM’s senior industry analysts explore back-to-school shopping trends and the impact on consumer businesses. In the not-too-distant past, companies rigidly divided their operations into digital and physical retail segments. This separation extended to sales teams, ... READ MORE >
Strong employment enables consumers to maintain spending
Strong employment has sustained consumer spending levels, Commerce Department data for June released on Tuesday shows. Retail sales rose 0.3% to 0.4% in the month, after adjusting for inflation, driven by robust employment despite consumers’ depleted savings and high interest rates. As retailers look ... READ MORE >
Retail demand shows weakness, leading to first inflation dip in 6 months
In a noteworthy turn, core goods prices have experienced a continued decline, contributing to the first dip in inflation in six months, according to April’s consumer price index. April's retail sales data paints a picture of stagnation, hinting at a weakening consumer base grappling with high interest ... READ MORE >
Senior Loan Officer Survey: Progress halts as inflation rebounds in Q1
Progress toward normalization in lending practices generally halted in the first quarter as the Federal Reserve turned more hawkish amid the rebound in inflation, according to data in a Fed report released on Monday. The Senior Loan Officer Opinion Survey on Bank Lending Practices showed that demand ... READ MORE >
Maintaining margins amid California’s minimum wage increase: Strategies for fast food operators
California’s minimum wage for fast food workers has been raised to $20 per hour, as of April 1, marking a 23% increase from the previous average minimum wage of $16.20 per hour. Fast-food operators, ranging from large chains to individual franchises and private businesses, have been analyzing their ... READ MORE >