When Ulta Beauty CEO Kecia Steelman revealed on April 3 the retailer would halt plans to expand the number of its store-in-stores in Target, it may have come as a surprise. After all, the partnership between Ulta and Target was widely lauded as symbiotic when it was first announced in 2020, and when the first shop-in-shops opened in 2021.

Steelman, who was speaking at a JPMorgan retail conference, said that the expansion was on hold—both retailers had set a goal of opening 800 Ulta Beauty at Target mini-stores; they’ve stopped at 610—and that the decision was mutual.

“We’ve made the decision to really lean into the 600-plus stores that are open this next year and really look at, ‘How do we continue to drive efficiencies and leverage the learnings that we’ve had to really unlock value for both of us collectively together?’” Steelman said.

But weeks before the analysts learned that Ulta and Target were hitting pause, some Target employees were reportedly claiming that the partnership had grown contentious—and why.

Beauty secrets: The 1,000-square-foot stores are situated in Target’s beauty section with distinct Ulta branding. They’re staffed by dedicated employees who are hired by Target and sport black Ulta Beauty at Target aprons.

Many have opinions about the partnership.

Keep reading here.—EC, AAN

As the Trump administration’s worldwide tariffs took effect on Wednesday, Walmart CEO Doug McMillon told investors that it sees the situation as an opportunity to gain market share.

“We see opportunities to accelerate share gains and are maintaining flexibility to invest in price as tariffs are applied to incoming goods,” he said.

Amid reports that Walmart is haggling with its suppliers over price, McMillon also stressed that the company has been doing business with many of its partners for a long time and wants to see them navigate successfully through this environment.

“We want them to be successful,” he said. “We need them to be here. We want them to be able to invest in new product development.”

He added that two-thirds of what Walmart sells in the US is already “made, grown, or assembled here,” and the retailer plans to do its best to keep prices low.

Keep reading here.—AV

CVS named two new executives to its leadership team as the company tries to bounce back from a year that saw its net income cut nearly in half.

The retail pharmacy giant named UPS veteran Brian Newman as its new EVP and CFO and Press Ganey expert Amy Compton-Phillips as its new EVP and chief medical officer. Newman will take over the role on April 21 and Compton-Phillips starts on May 19, CVS announced on April 8.

“As I continue to build out my leadership team, I am confident that Brian and Amy will help us continue the momentum we have built over the past several months,” CVS Health President and CEO David Joyner said in a statement.

Keep reading here.—MA

Retail’s future is personal—and powered by data. On April 29, tune in as experts unpack how to apply AI and real-time analytics to optimize the full shopper journey. Topics include first-party data strategies, AI-driven insights, and the tech tools helping brands pivot quickly, stay competitive, and convert smarter. Register now.