As earnings season wraps up, there’s one word on the tip of every executive’s tongue: tariffs. And buried under their latest quarterly earning stats are some fascinating insights about how retailers are thinking about the looming trade restrictions.

However, don’t expect a single company line. Reactions to tariffs range from tentatively concerned to tentatively optimistic, depending on the retailer’s business model.

In some ways, the biggest deciding factor is the diversity of their manufacturing portfolio and how far along retailers are in finding suppliers outside of major markets such as China, according to Lauren Beitelspacher, associate professor of marketing at Babson College, who specializes in supply chains.

“Who this is going to hurt the most is smaller retailers who either don’t have the negotiating power to take on production capacity in these other countries or don’t have the financial capability to absorb the cost of the tariffs,” she said.

And yet raising prices is a tough sell in this economy, Beitelspacher added, putting the onus on retailers to find another way to deal with higher costs.

Keep reading here.—AV

Since December, rumors have floated around that Walgreens was going to be acquired by private equity (PE) firm Sycamore Partners. And while analysts told Healthcare Brew at the time that it was unlikely to happen, the tides appear to have turned in the PE company’s favor.

On March 6, Walgreens Boots Alliance announced in a press release that it had signed a definitive purchase agreement with Sycamore for up to $23.7 billion. However, when Walgreens’s debts and assets to be potentially divested are taken out, the total sale price is actually closer to around $10 billion, per the Wall Street Journal, turning the retailer into a private entity after nearly a century as a public company.

This is a far cry from its peak market cap of $106 billion in 2015, though up 29% from its lowest point last year. Walgreens’s stock jumped to $11.17 from $10.63 when news of the sale broke, following a 5% bump to $10.83 early last week when rumors started recirculating about the potential sale.

Keep reading here on Healthcare Brew.—NO

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Bhargav Patel is founder and CEO at Genuin, which helps retail brands create vertical video communities through their website and apps.

How would you describe your job to someone who doesn’t work in retail? I’d say my job is like hosting a never-ending dinner party, but instead of food, we serve up engaging conversations and content. I create spaces where brands and communities can connect through short videos and AI-driven interactions. It’s all about helping people feel seen and heard, whether they’re shopping for products, ideas, or just a sense of belonging.

One thing we can’t guess about your job from your LinkedIn profile? One thing you can’t guess from my LinkedIn profile is that a big part of my job involves playing “digital matchmaker” for brands and communities. I’m constantly connecting dots between people, products, and content to create spaces where they all thrive together. Oh, and I’ve also been known to brainstorm while pacing around my office pretending to be on a call—it’s where the best ideas happen!

What’s your favorite project you’ve worked on? Genuin, hands down! It’s like watching your idea for a community-driven internet grow up and make friends.

Which emerging retail trend are you most excited about right now, and why? I’m all about community-driven commerce right now, especially when it’s done in a way that benefits everyone involved.

Keep reading here.—EC

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