GameStop Closing 150 Stores in 2017

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GameStop Corp. (NYSE:GME) announced late last week that it is planning to close between 2% and 3% of its stores in 2017.

GameStop Closing 150 Stores in 2017GameStop Corp. currently operates 7,500 stores across 14 countries. This means that the GameStop closing will include anywhere from 150 to 225 stores in 2017. The decision to close stores comes after GME reported poor sales for its fourth quarter of 2016.

GameStop Corp. saw global sales decrease by 13.6% during the quarter. The video game retailer also saw consolidated comparable store sales drop by 16.3% during this period. GME contributes this to poor sales of AAA video games and strong promotions for hardware from other retailers on Black Friday and Thanksgiving Day 2016.

Despite the GameStop closing plans, the retailer is also looking to open new stores in 2017. The company says that it plans to open 35 new collectibles stores and 65 new technology brand stores in 2017.

The company says that its GameStop closing plans are part of its annual strategy to shutter locations that aren’t turning in profit. It also notes that these store closures will be taking place throughout the year, reports Fortune.

“As we continue our transformation plan, we will also be focused on managing SG&A spend, rationalizing our global store portfolio, and maximizing free cash flow generation to drive shareholder value,” Paul Raines, CEO of GameStop Corp., said in a statement.

GameStop Corp.’s poor sales in 2016 may also be attributable to the lack of a new video game console cycle. However, the company’s desire to switch focus from video game sales to collectibles may be a sign that this isn’t the case.

A list of stores that will be affected by the GameStop closing plans has yet to be released.

GME stock was up 1% as of Monday morning, but is down 17% year-to-date.


Article printed from InvestorPlace Media, https://investorplace.com/2017/03/gamestop-closing-gme/.

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