Author: Michael Gunther

Michael Gunther

Sep 3, 2026 | 5 minutes read | Insight Flash

Shein made its long-awaited public market debut in Hong Kong this week, coming as the company faces a more challenging growth environment, with Consu...

Michael Gunther

Aug 27, 2026 | 5 minutes read | Insight Flash

Chipotle’s School Spirit BOGO delivered record-breaking results on August 20, becoming the company’s #1 BOGO of all time, with more than 25% more...

Michael Gunther

Aug 24, 2026 | 5 minutes read | Insights

Taco Bell entered the second half of July with a parasite outbreak interrupting more than two years of momentum. On July 28th, it offered its Mexican...

Michael Gunther

Aug 21, 2026 | 5 minutes read | Insight Flash

Is Target’s refreshed back-to-school strategy resonating with families? Our data suggests it may be....

Michael Gunther

Aug 20, 2026 | 5 minutes read | Insight Flash

Results from The Home Depot and Lowe’s Companies, Inc. reinforce a theme we’ve been seeing in the data for some time: the housing market remains ...

Michael Gunther

Aug 18, 2026 | 5 minutes read | Insight Flash

In January we wrote that TikTok Shop had reached a meaningful share of U.S. retail spend at roughly 1.5% of online retail spend in Q4 2025. Seven mon...

Michael Gunther

Aug 5, 2026 | 5 minutes read | Insight Flash

Wayfair has outperformed the broader U.S. home furnishings industry for six consecutive quarters....

Michael Gunther

Aug 5, 2026 | 5 minutes read | Insight Flash

McDonald’s earnings reinforced trends we’ve been seeing in our consumer spending data. Holiday promotions drove broad-based and robust share gain...

Michael Gunther

Jul 30, 2026 | 5 minutes read | Insight Flash

Taco Bell's sales slowed sharply in mid-July as the brand became the subject of Cyclospora-related headlines. It's important to view that slowdown in...

Michael Gunther

Jul 27, 2026 | 5 minutes read | Insight Flash

Shein's share of UK apparel, accessories, and footwear spending has climbed from 1.8% in 2022Q1 to 7.6% in 2026Q2, well above its 5.0% share in the U...

Michael Gunther

Jul 27, 2026 | 5 minutes read | Insight Flash

Cracker Barrel CEO Julie Felss Masino is stepping down, less than a year after the rebrand that sent the chain’s most loyal customers elsewhere. As...

Michael Gunther

Jul 24, 2026 | 5 minutes read | Insight Flash

Shein's share of U.S. apparel, accessories, and footwear spending has turned negative year over year for three consecutive quarters, after climbing s...

Michael Gunther

Jul 24, 2026 | 5 minutes read | Insight Flash

Gas prices crossed $4 per gallon last week for the first time in more than a month, and Brent crude briefly topped $90 as the conflict with Iran esca...

Michael Gunther

Jul 10, 2026 | 5 minutes read | Insight Flash

Prime Day 2026 delivered another record event, with Adobe estimating U.S. online spending reached $26.4 billion, topping expectations and growing mor...

Michael Gunther

Jul 7, 2026 | 5 minutes read | Insight Flash

The first World Cup on US soil has arrived at a fascinating moment for American sports betting. Consumer Edge US Transaction Data shows a market that...

Michael Gunther

Jun 25, 2026 | 5 minutes read | Insight Flash

Consumer Edge data shows that adoption of paid AI subscriptions among consumers is growing rapidly across all income and age groups, with the percent...

Michael Gunther

Jun 17, 2026 | 5 minutes read | Insight Flash

Gas prices have risen sharply since the start of the Iran war, raising concerns about discretionary spending as consumers have less money left over a...

Michael Gunther

Jun 11, 2026 | 5 minutes read | Insight Flash

The airline pricing shift Consumer Edge data began to reflect in March has accelerated in recent weeks. Jet fuel roughly doubled in under three month...

Michael Gunther

Jun 11, 2026 | 5 minutes read | Insight Flash

Spirit Airlines ceased operations on May 2, shaking up the industry and leaving some travelers either stranded or looking for new carriers to fly. Ce...

Michael Gunther

Jun 11, 2026 | 5 minutes read | Insight Flash

Cracker Barrel reported better than expected fiscal Q3 results, with total revenue down -2.9%, a meaningful improvement vs. the prior quarter. Consum...

Michael Gunther

Jun 8, 2026 | 5 minutes read | Data Bite

LaserAway is exploring a sale that could value the chain north of $2 billion. Consumer Edge consumer transaction data points to why a buyer would loo...

Michael Gunther

May 22, 2026 | 5 minutes read | Insight Flash

Ross Stores reported sales growth of +21%, consistent with CE implied reported growth rate of +21% and well above consensus of +13%. CEO Jim Conroy n...

Michael Gunther

May 22, 2026 | 5 minutes read | Insight Flash

Target reported Q1 this morning and posted its first positive comp in five quarters, with comparable sales up 5.6%. The company raised its full-year ...

Michael Gunther

May 15, 2026 | 5 minutes read | Insight Flash

The U.S.-Iran war that began February 28 has pushed pump prices up roughly 50%, with the national average hitting $4.45 per gallon last week, the hig...

Michael Gunther

May 15, 2026 | 5 minutes read | Insight Flash

Since the U.S.–Iran conflict escalated in late February, consumers have faced a more challenging macro backdrop, including higher gas prices, firme...

Michael Gunther

May 14, 2026 | 5 minutes read | Insights

A continuous view of what investors and operators would and wouldn't see in a semiannual reporting world....

Michael Gunther

May 13, 2026 | 5 minutes read | Insight Flash

The gap in retiree spending by wealth is widening in key states, even as it remains muted at the national level.The macro story on Florida is startin...

Michael Gunther

May 11, 2026 | 5 minutes read | Insight Flash

Since the U.S.-Iran war began on February 28, consumers have faced mounting macro headwinds, including a sharp rise in gas prices and firmer inflatio...

Michael Gunther

May 6, 2026 | 5 minutes read | Insights

Spirit Airlines halted all flights at 3am ET Saturday, the first major U.S. carrier to shut down in nearly 25 years. Tens of thousands of passengers...