Dick’s Sporting Goods followed Macy’s in reducing its planned holiday hiring plans this year versus 2022. The downbeat hiring targets come amid forecasts of lowered seasonal hiring overall this year due to higher labor costs and expectations of softer holiday selling.

Speaking at Wells Fargo’s Sixth Annual Consumer Conference, Academy Sports and Outdoors officials discussed the retail chain’s competitive advantages and how it reworked its expansion strategy while rolling out an aggressive strategy.

Although a few retailers outperformed in the second quarter, big names in the active lifestyle space fought through a challenging  quarter amid promotional pressures, retail theft and the consumer’s continued shift away from discretionary purchases.

The manufacturer of footwear for most major outdoor and athletic brands, reported that in August, net consolidated operating revenue, declined 19.8 percent after posting a 106 percent increase in the prior-year month.

Shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. closed up $4.63, or 9.3 percent, to $54.57 Thursday as second-quarter earnings topped analysts’ estimates and the retailer reiterated its guidance for the year. Academy officials said sales steadily improved throughout the second quarter as customers responded to its message around value and newness.

Golftec, Xero Shoes, SylvanSport, Stinger Sports, Bases Loaded and GiantMouse are brands in the wide range of companies in the active lifestyle space to land in Inc’s 5000 for 2023 annual ranking of the fastest-growing private companies in America—a snapshot of companies’ performance from 2019 to 2022.

Shares of Dick’s shaved about a quarter of their value on Tuesday after America’s largest sporting goods chain reported a second-quarter profit shortfall and slashed its earning guidance for the year due to promotions required to clear inventories, particularly in the outdoor category, and higher-than-expected shrink.

Columbia Sportswear, Wolverine Worldwide, VF Corp. and Hanesbrands were among vendors in the active lifestyle space downwardly adjusting their guidance for the year in reporting Q2 results in the face of an increasingly promotional marketplace. However, more vendors than not were able to surprise on the upside.

Sales for fiscal 2023 rose 7 percent to A$3.80 billion. Adjusted for the 53rd week in fiscal 2022, sales were up 9 percent for the year. Comp-store sales were up 8 percent for the 12-month period ended June 30.

Walmart, Inc. lifted its outlook for the year after reporting second-quarter results that handily topped guidance due to strength in the grocery but also a better-than-expected performance in general merchandise. The strong results were a relief for the retail sector following sluggish sales reports from Target and Home Depot although Walmart’s CEO Doug McMillon told analysts household budgets remain under pressure.

Retail sales reversed their downward trend in July as Amazon Prime Day and major promotions prompted increased shopping while wage increases gave consumers more money to spend, but an increase in the July inflation numbers and a year-ago July decline could also be at the core of the increase, according to analysts.