This Week in Retail: Presidents Day sales and Walmart earnings

It’s Presidents Day, and the federal holiday marks the first major sales event of the year. Amazon, Apple, Wayfair, and The Home Depot, to name just a few, are participating with steep discounts on a range of products. They are continuing a tradition going back to 1971 when Congress passed a law moving the holiday to a Monday on the basis that it would, among other things, create economic benefits such as increased sales.

Here’s what else is going on in retail this week:

In earnings: In arguably the biggest earnings event of the week, Walmart is reporting Q4 results on Thursday. The retail giant is notably in the midst of some big changes and milestones, including John Furner taking over as CEO and its market cap crossing the $1 trillion threshold. Investor confidence in the company is often attributed to its growing e-commerce business, which grew 27% globally in Q3. Other retail-related earnings this week include DoorDash on Wednesday and Wayfair on Thursday.

In conferences: The New York Toy Fair began at the Javits Center in Manhattan on Saturday and is sticking around through Tuesday. The global event brings together a mix of brands and retailers to share strategies and unveil new products. There will also be events to discuss the hottest toys in the highly trends-driven category. Session topics include how to capture the market for adult collectors, a guide for licensing and collaborations, and the importance of “cutting-edge platforms” for the next generation of toys.

In transitions: Starting on Thursday, as part of Saks Global’s bankruptcy, online customers of luxury furniture brand Horchow will be directed to the home category on NeimenMarcus.com. The bankruptcy has led to a complete reshuffling of the company’s digital footprint, including closing out its e-commerce partnership with Amazon.