Sears, Kmart parent expresses doubt about future
The company that operates Sears and Kmart stores around the country is expressing what it characterizes as “substantial doubt” about its ability to continue as a going concern. The concern is stated the annual report issued on Thursday by Sears Holdings, which reported a $2.2 billion loss over the past year.

The company that operates Sears and Kmart stores around the country is expressing what it characterizes as “substantial doubt” about its ability to continue as a going concern.
The concern is stated the annual report issued on Thursday by Sears Holdings, which reported a $2.2 billion loss over the past year.
Last month, Sears Holdings announced a restructuring program designed to save the business $1 million a year by reducing overhead, integrating Sears and Kmart operations, and improving merchandising, supply chain and inventory management.
The annual report contains a ten-page litany of risk factors facing the restructuring plan which include managing inventory levels, a decline in consumer spending, vendors refusing to accept payment terms, computer viruses affecting operations, as well as underfunded pension and post-retirement plans.
The report says that in addition to the catalog and online competition Sears Holdings also competes with chains like Walmart, Target, Kohl's, J.C. Penney, Macy's, The Home Depot, Lowe's, Best Buy and Amazon.
The Home Depot and Lowe's are major competitors in relation to the home appliance business, which accounted for approximately 15% of Sears Holdings 2016 revenues, according to the report.
There are 93 Sears stores and 49 Kmart stores in Ohio and Pennsylvania.
Sears locations in the Valley include Boardman, Niles, Salem, Hermitage, East Liverpool, and New Castle.
As part of the corporate restructuring, the Hermitage store in the Shenango Valley Mall is closing this weekend. The Sears Hardware store in Austintown shut down last year.
There are Kmart stores in Niles, Austintown, Hermitage, East Liverpool, and New Castle.
Kmart closed its Boardman and Parkman Road, Warren stores last year.
Sears employs approximately 140,000 people at 1,430 Sears and Kmart stores in the United States and U.S. territories.
The full Sears Holdings annual report is available here.