WND EXCLUSIVE

MACY'S STOCK IN FREE FALL SINCE DISSING TRUMP

Retailer cut ties 1 year ago, now its value has seen huge change

Corporate America is learning a lesson: Don’t cross Donald Trump.

One year ago, Trump upended American politics when he declared he was a candidate for president.

Macy’s promptly declared it was cutting ties and dumping Trump’s clothing line because of “disparaging” remarks about Mexicans.

Trump fired back, declaring the company supports illegal immigration. His supporters even shredded their Macy’s credit cards and tens of thousands called to complain about the company’s cave to political correctness.

Trump himself also called for a boycott of the company.

From the vantage of June 2016, it appears Trump has had the last laugh.

The onetime reality television star is now the presumptive Republican candidate for president of the United States. Meanwhile, Macy’s stock price has plummeted.

When Trump first called for the boycott on July 1, 2015, Macy’s stock price stood at $67.82 per share. In less than a year, the stock has lost more than half its value, now standing at just over $31 a share.

And the company’s problems go beyond its stock price.

It reportedly is suffering a year-over-year operating income decline of 40 percent, a 4.4 percent drop in revenue, and a comparable-sales decline of 3.2 percent. Experts claim the company’s decline is as dire as anything suffered during the economic crisis of 2009.

Macy’s recently avoided a strike, though many of its issues with the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union remain to be settled.

And last week, Terry Lundgren, who has been CEO for 13 years, announced he will step down from the top job as Macy’s struggles to adjust.

His replacement as CEO, Jeff Gennette, is the current president of the company, leading to accusations from some critics that Macy’s is too cautious to make the kinds of adjustments it needs recover from its current decline.

The company also is struggling to compete with online retailer Amazon.com, which now controls 41.2 percent of the e-commerce market compared to Macy’s 1.5 percent.

Not coincidentally, Trump’s “Signature Collection” clothing line is now available for sale through Amazon.

Amazon itself has been pressured by some shareholders to dump Trump’s products because hosting the candidate’s clothing line “poses a risk to Amazon’s reputation.”

Even Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos has been publicly feuding with Trump through The Washington Post, which he also owns. The Post has an army of 20 staffersordered to dig up dirt on Trump in preparation for a book. Trump has accused Bezos of buying the Post to increase his political influence and effectively banned the newspaper from covering his rallies and events by revoking its press credentials.

However, Amazon has not dumped Trump’s products.

Donald Trump has a message for America – it’s time to get tough! Find out what the GOP nominee thinks America needs to do to become great again. “Time To Get Tough: Make America Great Again” by Donald Trump is available NOW at the WND Superstore.

Macy’s aims to respond to Amazon’s online challenge by renovating its stores and allowing customers to “experience” its products with larger display areas. The company recently unveiled a store in Columbus, Ohio, designed to serve as a “prototype” for the entire chain.

However, Amazon is not sitting still, unrolling new online content designed to facilitate its continuing takeover of the fashion market.

As for Trump’s business empire, his presidential run has proved a mixed blessing. A number of organizations have declared their intention to target his economic interests, including the Hispanic National Bar Association, an activist group linked to Judge Gonazalo Curiel. Curiel will preside in the upcoming fraud case against Trump University.

Even heads of states are pressuring Trump’s bottom line. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan recently called for Trump Towers Istanbul to drop the tycoon’s name. A new chain of properties owned by Trump Hotels will also uncharacteristically avoid using the “Trump” name. A recent survey found a majority of respondents were less likely to stay in a hotel they knew was owned by Trump, because of his political views.

On the other hand, the presidential campaign has also proven invaluable exposure for the Trump brand.

Even during the primary campaign, Trump found time to host a press conference at the Old Post Office in Washington, D.C., which Trump is turning into Trump International Hotel. And Trump recently held a press conference at the Trump Turnberry golf resort in Scotland, after a renovation personally overseen by the candidate’s son Eric.

While the appearance in Scotland gave Trump an opportunity to comment on the decision of United Kingdom voters to leave the European Union, it also allowed him to tout the “big success” of opening the golf resort.”

And whatever the results of surveys or warnings from activists, the Trump organization itself says business is booming.

While Macy’s struggles, Eric Trump commented Trump’s winery and hotel businesses have been “positively” affected by the campaign. While Macy’s revenue has declined, the BBC recently reported Trump’s businesses have garnered $190 million in additional revenue since Trump entered the presidential race.

And though some have criticized Trump for using his properties during his campaign, no one can accuse him of not standing behind his brand.

“I have the best properties,” Trump proclaimed during his press conference in Scotland. “Why should I use someone else’s properties?”

Donald Trump has a message for America – it’s time to get tough! Find out what the GOP nominee thinks America needs to do to become great again. “Time To Get Tough: Make America Great Again” by Donald Trump is available NOW at the WND Superstore.

Read more at http://www.wnd.com/2016/06/macys-stock-in-free-fall-since-dissing-trump/#WMOofvUjsjkC2WLT.99