American retailer closes 25 stores as it pares back footprint to boost profits

close video FOX Business Flash top headlines for September 8 Check out what's clicking on FoxBusiness.com. Retail footwear veteran Genesco Inc. is shuttering more than two dozen underperforming stores as part of a broader push to reduce its physical footprint, cut overhead and boost overall profitability. The Nashville-based parent company of Journeys, Johnston & Murphy and U.K.-based Schuh closed 25 retail stores during its second quarter of fiscal 2027.  With three new openings, the net reduction brought its total store fleet down to 1,186 – a 5% drop in total retail space from the same period last year. The quarterly cuts were led by teen retailer Journeys, Schuh and Johnston & Murphy, with 17, six and two closures, respectively.  LULULEMON BILLIONAIRE CHIP WILSON, WIFE DIVORCING AFTER 20-PLUS YEARS WITHOUT PRENUP: REPORT Mimi Vaughn, president and chief executive officer of Genesco Inc., stands for a photograph in Nashville, Tennessee, U.S., on Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2020. (Eilon Paz/Bloomberg via Getty Images) Genesco says its reduced square footage is part of a deliberate operational pivot. Net sales dropped 3% to $530 million, but management cited store closures, reduced promotional discounting and license transitions as intentional moves that sacrificed top-line revenue to secure healthier margins. Genesco is the parent company of Journeys, Johnston & Murphy and U.K.-based Schuh. (Eilon Paz/Bloomberg via Getty Images) The lower store count and a disciplined pull-back on price cuts helped adjusted gross margins expand 140 basis points to 47.2%. WALMART MAKES CHANGES TO HOW MILLIONS OF CUSTOMERS CAN PAY AT CHECKOUT Ticker Security Last Change Change % GCO GENESCO INC. 35.81 +1.37 +3.98% Meanwhile, flagship brand Journeys posted a 2% gain in comparable sales, marking its eighth consecutive quarter of growth, while Johnston & Murphy comparable sales grew 4%. Genesco also significantly cleaned up its balance sheet, slashing total debt from $71 million a year ago to $15.8 million. BUC-EE’S CEO SIGNALS EXPANSION SHIFT AWAY FROM BLUE STATES THAT ‘DON’T APPRECIATE’ CHAIN Genesco says its reduced square footage is part of a deliberate operational pivot. (Eilon Paz/Bloomberg via Getty Images) Beyond shutting doors, the retailer is aggressively targeting operational costs. A company-wide efficiency push – fueled by store remodeling, automation, and AI integration – is projected to save between $40 million and $50 million through fiscal 2029. CLICK HERE TO GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO With strong back-to-school demand lifting Journeys' sales to mid-single-digit growth in August, Genesco raised its full-year adjusted earnings guidance to the high end of its $2 to $2.40 per share range. For investors, the company's 25 store closures represent a tactical trim, exchanging sheer size for a leaner, higher-margin operation.