hat Macy’s leadership has changed the tone and energy across all of its banners. “There is now much more ambition, much more focus and much sharper operations,” he said. “The current version of Macy’s has come a long way in a relatively short space of time, and that change is helping to guarantee its future relevance in retail.” Overall, its Q1 2026 report revealed improved results across its namesake brand, Bloomingdale’s and Bluemercury. Compared with the same period a year earlier, Macy’s Inc.’s net sales, including store closures, increased 1.8 per cent to $4.7 billion, with comparable sales up 3 per cent. The increase was largely driven by Macy’s efforts to remodel 200 existing stores, which collectively recorded a 2.4 per cent year-on-year rise in comparable sales. Across Macy’s Inc.’s other brands, Bloomingdale’s and Bluemercury, comparable sales rose 10.2 per cent and 6.4 per cent, respectively, from the prior year. Tony Spring, Macy’s CEO, attributed the company’s positive performance to a focus on the fundamentals and continued optimisation of in-store and online operations, merchandising and brand curation. “We’re operating with discipline and focusing on what matters most – our customers,” he said. “With the power of our multi-brand, multi-category, multi-generational portfolio, we’re confident in our path to sustainable, profitable growth.” What Macy’s is getting right with its “Bold New Chapter” strategy Melissa Minkow, CI&T’s global director of retail strategy, credited Macy’s ongoing turnaround success to the company’s focus on the fundamentals. This includes streamlining its assortment, shutting down underperforming stores, improving staffing levels and strengthening the overall department store narrative. “Macy’s turnaround effectiveness proves that there is still room in the retail landscape for this model when done correctly,” she said. “Leaning into more of a marketplace operationally and ensuring all digital and physical channels are well-connected has been a large part of the retailer’s recent success as well.” Meanwhile, Saunders argued that, despite multiple store closures, Macy’s has been able to boost overall sales. “While there is some annualisation taking place as a result of the store shutdowns, the increase suggests the business is stabilising and building a stronger foundation for future growth,” he said.  “Macy’s is putting in considerably more effort across many dimensions of the shopping experience. There have been remodels of key departments, categories like home are displayed with more inspiration and flair and private labels have been strengthened and clarified.  “We see in our own data that these things are improving customer satisfaction scores, which, in turn, is helping to lift conversion and average spend. Pleasingly, the number of stores being invested in will increase over the year ahead.” However, he noted that more work remains to be done, both in terms of investment and the strategies needed to grow the business. Currently, the company is still focused on recovery and catching up before it can fully pursue peak profitability. To maintain momentum in the next quarter, Macy’s will need to focus on winning over more lapsed and new customers, especially in categories like home. “However, now that the basics are right, Macy’s can accomplish these things over time,” said Saunders. “Generally better standards also mean that Macy’s can be more ambitious in terms of its partnerships with brands and its development of own-label. All these things should serve to further strengthen and differentiate the business over the years ahead.” How Macy’s Inc.’s other brands boosted Q1 results Performance-wise, compared with Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s remains the star of the show, chalking up a highly impressive 10.2 per cent uplift in comparable sales for the quarter. Bloomingdale’s modern luxury positioning remains highly relevant, enabling the retailer to appeal to both luxury and premium shoppers. However, the care taken over the customer experience and service levels also plays a big role in securing loyalty, especially as those strengths now stand in direct contrast to some rivals in the space. “The fact that all of Macy’s brands are pulling in the right direction is of great benefit for the business,” said Saunders. Further reading: Why Victoria’s Secret’s comeback plan keeps on delivering