Macy’s to Close 150 Stores After Sales Drop $21.3 Billion: Latest Closures and 2028 Update
Introduction About: Macy’s to Close 150 Stores After Sales Drop $21.3 Billion
Macy’s is continuing a major restructuring of its U.S. department-store footprint, with approximately 150 underperforming locations targeted for closure under its “Bold New Chapter” strategy.
But there is an important update for shoppers: the company is not rushing to finish all 150 closures by the end of 2026. Macy’s said in March 2026 that roughly 65 remaining stores are now expected to close through 2028, giving the retailer more flexibility to manage real-estate transactions and maximize the value of its properties.
The strategy comes even as Macy’s financial performance has begun showing improvement. Fiscal 2025 net sales were $21.8 billion, down 2.4% from the prior year, but comparable sales increased 1.5%. By September 2026, the company had also raised its fiscal 2026 sales outlook to between $21.675 billion and $21.825 billion.
Why Is Macy’s Closing 150 Stores?
The short answer is that Macy’s wants to move resources away from weaker stores and concentrate investment on locations with stronger growth potential.
In February 2024, Macy’s announced its Bold New Chapter strategy. The original plan called for closing approximately 150 underproductive Macy’s stores through fiscal 2026 while investing in roughly 350 “go-forward” locations.
The strategy is not simply about reducing the number of stores. Macy’s is attempting to create a smaller and more productive store network while improving its digital business and customer experience.
The company has identified several priorities:
- Closing underproductive stores
- Investing in stronger Macy’s locations
- Improving merchandise selection
- Modernizing stores
- Improving customer service
- Growing digital sales
- Expanding Bloomingdale’s and Bluemercury
- Using technology and AI across the organization
- Unlocking value from real estate
This means a Macy’s closure does not necessarily indicate that the entire company is failing. Instead, the retailer is attempting to shift its investment toward stores and businesses it believes have better long-term potential.
What Happened to Macy’s Sales?
Macy’s sales have faced pressure, but the latest results are more complicated than a simple collapse in revenue.
For fiscal 2025, Macy’s Inc. reported $21.8 billion in net sales, a 2.4% decline from fiscal 2024. However, comparable sales increased 1.5%, suggesting that the underlying performance of continuing parts of the business was better than the headline sales figure alone indicates.
Macy’s own department-store nameplate recorded a 3.8% decline in net sales for fiscal 2025, while its comparable sales increased 0.4%. The go-forward Macy’s business had comparable sales growth of 0.6%.
Other parts of the company performed better:
| Business | Fiscal 2025 comparable sales |
|---|---|
| Macy’s | +0.4% |
| Bloomingdale’s | +7.4% |
| Bluemercury | +1.6% |
| Macy’s Inc. total | +1.5% |
Bloomingdale’s was particularly strong, with net sales rising 6.3% during fiscal 2025.
So, while Macy’s has experienced declining overall sales, the company’s latest financial results show signs of improvement in several areas.
How Many Macy’s Stores Are Still Closing?
Macy’s originally planned to close approximately 150 underproductive stores by the end of 2026.
By March 2026, the company said approximately 65 locations remained to complete that original 150-store target. Instead of closing all of them immediately, Macy’s extended the expected timeline through 2028.
The change gives Macy’s more time to evaluate each property individually.
The company has said it does not provide a detailed advance closure schedule for all remaining locations. Therefore, shoppers should not assume that every remaining store will close at the same time or even during the same year.
Why Did Macy’s Extend Store Closures to 2028?
Macy’s says the extended timeline is primarily about maximizing the value of its remaining assets.
CFO Tom Edwards explained during the March 2026 earnings call that Macy’s has a strong balance sheet and cash flow generation, allowing it to be patient when deciding when to complete real-estate transactions.
That is an important distinction.
Rather than treating every remaining store as an emergency closure, Macy’s can potentially wait for more favorable real-estate conditions before selling or otherwise monetizing properties.
The company also increased its expected cash proceeds from its asset-monetization initiative from a previous range of $500 million to $650 million to $650 million to $700 million.
What Is Macy’s “Bold New Chapter” Strategy?
The Bold New Chapter is Macy’s long-term turnaround strategy.
Announced in 2024, it was designed to reposition the company by reducing its underproductive store footprint while investing in stronger locations and luxury businesses. Macy’s originally planned to invest in approximately 350 go-forward Macy’s stores through fiscal 2026.
The strategy has since evolved.
Macy’s expanded its store-improvement initiative from the original Reimagine 125 program to Reimagine 200, adding 75 stores to the initiative in 2026.
The idea is straightforward: instead of spreading investment evenly across the entire chain, Macy’s wants to put more money behind locations with the greatest potential.
Is Macy’s Still Profitable?
Yes. Macy’s remains profitable based on its latest reported financial results.
For fiscal 2025, Macy’s Inc. reported GAAP net income of $642 million and adjusted net income of $643 million. The company also generated $1.4 billion in operating cash flow and ended the year with $1.2 billion in cash and cash equivalents.
The second quarter of fiscal 2026 also showed continued improvement. Macy’s reported $4.9 billion in quarterly net sales, up 1.1% year over year, while comparable sales increased 2.7%.
GAAP diluted EPS was $0.62, while adjusted diluted EPS was $0.63.
These numbers matter because they show that store closures are occurring as part of a restructuring strategy rather than because Macy’s has stopped generating profits.
What Is Macy’s Doing With Its Remaining Stores?
Macy’s is investing more heavily in stores that remain part of its go-forward fleet.
The company is focusing on:
- Better merchandise assortments
- More relevant brands
- Improved store environments
- Customer-service improvements
- Digital integration
- Local events and experiences
- More effective visual merchandising
- Technology and AI
- Luxury growth
In its 2026 results, Macy’s said its Reimagine 200 locations continued to outperform, with comparable sales at those stores increasing 1.9% in the second quarter.
This creates a clear two-part retail strategy: close weaker locations while making stronger locations more competitive.
How Is Bloomingdale’s Performing?
Bloomingdale’s has become an important part of Macy’s retail transformation.
During fiscal 2025, Bloomingdale’s comparable sales increased 7.4%. In the second quarter of fiscal 2026, comparable sales increased another 11.3%, which Macy’s described as the brand’s highest second-quarter sales volume in its history.
This stronger performance helps explain why Macy’s is not applying the same strategy to every part of its portfolio.
The parent company is simultaneously reducing weaker Macy’s locations while investing in higher-performing Macy’s stores and expanding luxury-oriented businesses.
Is Macy’s Shifting Toward Online Shopping?
Yes, but Macy’s strategy is not simply “stores versus online.”
The company describes its business as an omnichannel operation, meaning physical stores and digital channels are intended to work together.
Macy’s has invested in improving delivery times, supply-chain capabilities and digital customer experiences. It is also exploring AI applications across areas such as supply chain, merchandising, marketing, call centers and customer-facing operations.
That makes the remaining physical stores strategically important rather than obsolete.
A smaller store network can potentially work alongside a larger digital footprint if the remaining locations provide strong customer experiences and support online fulfillment.
Which Macy’s Stores Are Closing?
Macy’s has confirmed individual closure lists over the course of its restructuring.
In January 2025, for example, the company confirmed 66 Macy’s non-go-forward locations as part of the 150-store strategy.
However, there is currently no single public schedule showing exactly when every remaining store will close through 2028.
Macy’s has specifically indicated that it does not provide advance closure guidance for the remaining locations. Therefore, articles or social-media posts claiming that every remaining store has a confirmed 2026, 2027 or 2028 closure date should be checked against official Macy’s announcements.
Is Macy’s Herald Square Closing?
No. There is no indication in Macy’s current official store information that the iconic Herald Square location in New York City is scheduled to close.
The store remains an active Macy’s location at 151 West 34th Street, and Macy’s continued to promote events and major retail experiences there during 2026. Its official store page continues to list departments and operating hours.
Herald Square is therefore very different from the underperforming locations targeted by the closure program.
What Happens to Macy’s Employees?
Store closures can affect employees through transfers, severance and other workforce changes.
Macy’s has said that affected employees are communicated with directly and that support can include transfer opportunities, severance and outplacement resources where applicable.
The extended closure schedule could also mean that some employees remain in their current locations longer than previously expected, although individual employment outcomes depend on each store and transaction.
What Should Macy’s Customers Expect?
For customers, the biggest change is that some local stores may eventually disappear, while other Macy’s locations receive more investment.
Customers should expect:
- Some underperforming stores to close through 2028.
- More investment in selected Macy’s stores.
- Continued growth of online shopping.
- More emphasis on customer experiences.
- Greater integration between stores and digital channels.
- Continued expansion of stronger businesses such as Bloomingdale’s and Bluemercury.
The extended timeline also means customers should avoid assuming that a store announced as part of the 150-store strategy will necessarily close immediately.
Macy’s Store Closure Timeline
2024
Macy’s announced the Bold New Chapter strategy and its plan to close approximately 150 underproductive stores while investing in about 350 go-forward locations.
2025
Macy’s confirmed 66 store closures as part of the broader plan.
2026
Macy’s reported improving comparable sales and expanded its Reimagine program to 200 locations. The company also confirmed that approximately 65 additional stores remained in the original 150-store target.
2027–2028
The remaining closures are now expected to occur over this extended period, although Macy’s has not provided a fixed public closure date for every location.
The Bottom Line
Macy’s is closing approximately 150 underperforming stores, but the story is more nuanced than a simple retail collapse.
The company reported $21.8 billion in fiscal 2025 net sales, while comparable sales returned to growth. Macy’s remained profitable, generated substantial operating cash flow and continued investing in stronger stores.
The biggest 2026 update is the timeline: the remaining approximately 65 closures have been pushed beyond the original 2026 deadline and are now expected through 2028.
For shoppers, that means Macy’s is becoming a smaller but more selectively invested physical retailer. For investors, the key question is whether stronger stores, digital sales, Bloomingdale’s growth and real-estate monetization can offset the lost revenue from weaker locations.
Frequently Asked Questions About Macy’s Closures
Macy’s closing stores 2025
Yes. Macy’s confirmed 66 store closures in January 2025 as part of its broader plan to close approximately 150 underproductive stores.
Macy’s closing stores 2026
Yes. Macy’s continued its closure program in 2026, but the company changed the overall timeline. Approximately 65 remaining stores are now expected to close through 2028 rather than all being closed by the end of 2026.
Which stores is Macy’s closing?
Macy’s has published lists of individual stores being closed, including the 66 locations confirmed in January 2025. However, the company does not provide a complete advance schedule for all remaining closures through 2028.
Macy’s closing stores 2026 Reddit
Reddit discussions can contain customer reports and rumors about Macy’s closing locations, but they should not be treated as an official closure list. The most reliable source is Macy’s corporate newsroom and store-location information.
Macy’s closing time
Macy’s closing time varies by location and day of the week. It is different from the company’s store-closure program. Customers should check the official Macy’s store page for the specific location they plan to visit.
What Macy’s stores are closing in the next 3 years?
Macy’s expects the remaining approximately 65 stores in its 150-store closure program to be completed through 2028. However, the company has not published a complete three-year advance schedule identifying every location and its exact closing date.
Is Macy’s closing Herald Square?
No. Macy’s Herald Square remains an operating store at 151 West 34th Street in New York City. Macy’s continued to list the flagship location and promote events there during 2026.
Is Macy’s profitable?
Yes. Macy’s Inc. reported $642 million in GAAP net income for fiscal 2025. The company also generated $1.4 billion in operating cash flow and ended the fiscal year with $1.2 billion in cash and cash equivalents.
About the Author: Hamid Ali is a business and retail writer covering U.S. companies, retail trends, financial news, and major store closures. He turns reliable business reports and company updates into clear, engaging explainers for readers.
Author Name: Hamid Ali
Email: johanharwen314@gmail.com
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