News Briefs

The retail industry is seeing an increase in its annual number cyberincidents as criminals are seeking a wider variety of data.

Verizon recorded 837 digital security incidents in the retail industry during 2024, including 419 with confirmed data disclosure. The annual 2025 Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report also reveals that the top patterns for retail cyberincidents were system intrusion, social engineering, and basic web application attacks, representing a combined 93% of all breaches.

Almost all recorded threat actors (96%) were external, with 3% internal and 1% working for partners of exposed retailers. All threat actors had a financial motive, with 9% also conducting some sort of espionage. There was a substantial year-over-year increase in the number of threat actors conducting espionage from only 1% in 2023.

The top three types of data (more than one type can be exposed in a single incident) compromised in retail breaches reported by Verizon - internal (65%), other (30%), and credentials (26%) – remained the same from 2023.

However, Verizon analysis indicates that retail breaches are less frequently focused on unlawfully obtaining payment card data (12% of all breaches) and shifting to other data types that are more accessible. 

The top three retail cyberattack patterns as tracked by Verizon were system intrusion (including ransomware), social engineering (such as phishing emails), and basic web application attacks (fraudulent use and reuse of legitimate credentials, such as exploiting password weaknesses).

[READ MORE: How common are consumer data breaches?]

Amazon beat Wall Street estimates for both its top and bottom line, but offered weaker than expected second-quarter guidance.

Publix reported mixed results for its first quarter.

The regional grocer posted net earnings of $1 billion, with earnings per share of $0.31, for the quarter ended March 29, compared to $1.4 billion, or $0.41 per share, in the year-ago period. Adjusted earnings were $0.36 per share, compared to $0.33 per share in 2024.

First-quarter sales rose 5.1% to $15.8 billion. Comparable store sales increased 4%. Publix said the increase in sales compared to the year-ago period was 1% lower due to the effect of the Easter holiday being in the second quarter in 2025 and in the first quarter in 2024.

Effective May 1, 2025, Publix’s stock price increased from $19.20 per share to $20.20 per share. Publix stock is not publicly traded and is made available for sale only to current Publix associates and members of its board of directors.

[READ MORE: Albertsons tops Street amid strong pharmacy growth; new CEO takes over on May 1]

Publix, the largest employee-owned company in the U.S., currently operates 1,403 stores in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia and Kentucky. 

Burlington Stores is capitalizing on the demise of bankrupt Joann to grow its footprint.

The off-price retailer won the lease assignments of 45 Joann store locations, according to a court filing. Burlington will take over the leases, which are for stores across the country, in May and June.   

Joann filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in January 2025, and subsequently said it would liquidate and close all its stores. In March, GA Group and A&G Real Estate Partners announced plans to auction 790 Joann store leases and five distribution centers in conjunction with the wind-down of operations at the fabric and crafts retailer.

Burlington has been investing in store expansion. In reporting its fourth-quarter results in March, Burlington said it planned to open approximately 100 net new stores in fiscal year 2025. The company opened 101 net new stores in 2024 and relocated 31 of its older oversized locations. It ended the year with 1,108 stores in 46 states.

[READ MORE: Ross details 2025 store expansion]

The available Joann leases cover a range of property types across 49 states, including freestanding stores, power centers, strip malls and urban retail corridors, ranging from 7,500 sq. ft. to 52,000 sq. ft.

Amazon is expanding its supply chain footprint in Missouri.

The online giant will build a new 65,000-square-foot last-mile facility in Sedalia, Mo. It will be built on 15 acres within the Thompson Meadows Industrial Park, a Missouri Certified Site designed for seamless development. 

Last-mile facilities support the last mile of Amazon's order process and are designed to help speed up deliveries. Packages are shipped to a delivery station from neighboring Amazon fulfillment and sortation centers, loaded into delivery vehicles, and delivered to customers.

[READ MORE: EXCLUSIVE: First Look at Amazon's new robotic fulfillment hub in Mass.]

According to Amazon, its last-mile facilities generally create more than 100 direct and indirect jobs.

"We're proud of the job creation we're bringing to Sedalia and this last-mile facility will allow us to better serve our growing customer base throughout west central Missouri with faster delivery speeds," said Jason Vangalis, Amazon economic development manager. "We're grateful for our collaboration with all of our area partners, along with the region's skilled workforce and strategic location, which were all positive factors in Amazon building a new site in Missouri."

Amazon said that launch plans for this delivery station, particularly those around when operations will start and hiring, are still in the very early stages, with construction getting underway.

Financing and tariffs are top-of-mind for small business owners, despite remaining optimistic about growth.

 More than half (53%) of small business owners say they need more financing now than they did a year ago, according to a survey of small business owners from WalletHub. More than eight-in-10 (83%) said that they have used a personal credit card for business expenses in the past.

A third (33%) of small business owners say that taxes are their biggest frustration, while 24% cite inflation and 14% cite borrowing. Two-thirds (66%) of those surveyed believe that tariffs are not good for small businesses.

Despite these challenges, more than three-in-five small business owners believe now is a good time for a small business to grow. Forty percent of owners believe that Small Business Week (May 4-10) helps their businesses grow.

[READ MORE: Fiserv: Small business sales see boost in March]

“You can classify the mood among the small business community as cautiously optimistic,” said WalletHub editor John Kiernan. “Businesses just need a bit of help. Most business owners say they need more financing now than they did a year ago. The good news is that some great options are available, as the best business credit cards can easily save you thousands of dollars.”

Additional survey insights from WalletHub include:

• Three-in-five respondents think it is unfair that small business owners get worse interest rates on bank accounts and credit cards than consumers.
• More than half of those surveyed believe Google doesn’t treat small businesses fairly.
• Roughly three-in-five respondents believe the Federal Reserve should cut interest rates.