Pool and spa supplies retailer Leslie’s has filed for prearranged Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and said it will close 76 stores. The restructuring plan targets a reduction of about $685 million of secured debt, representing 90% of its outstanding debt. The company has secured $90 million in debtor-in-possession financing commitments and a $60 million equity financing commitment. After the restructuring, an existing lender group is expected to hold a majority ownership stake.

Amazon has signed a 20-year nuclear power purchase agreement with Constellation Energy, backing more than $3 billion in infrastructure investment and adding 190 megawatts of capacity at the existing Calvert Cliffs plant. The companies also struck a retail electricity supply deal covering the 13-state PJM market to secure power for Amazon’s operations. Calvert Cliffs is Maryland’s only nuclear power plant, with total capacity of 1790 megawatts.

The Natural Gas Supply Association’s 2026-27 winter outlook projects U.S. dry gas production will reach a record 112.5 billion cubic feet per day, with storage at 3.88 trillion cubic feet. It expects demand growth to be driven largely by liquefied natural gas exports, projected to rise 2.3 Bcf per day year over year. The outlook also points to long-term structural electricity needs tied to expanding data center capacity. Natural gas supplies about 40% of U.S. electricity generation, according to NGSA.

Google said it plans to invest at least $15.2 billion in Finland over the next two years to expand digital infrastructure for AI and cloud services, making it one of the country’s largest technology investments. Finnish President Alexander Stubb said Finland’s ability to supply clean electricity—95% of its power—and a stable operating environment helped draw the project. He added that Finland has about 50 data centers and another 25 in the pipeline, as the country seeks to build on its growing AI ecosystem.

Cato Corp. said it will close 120 retail stores by the end of the fiscal year, representing more than 10% of its network of over 1,000 locations across 31 states. The women’s apparel retailer, which targets price-sensitive shoppers, said inflation and broader economic pressure have weighed on customers’ discretionary income. The company reported second-quarter net income of $1.1 million, down from $6.8 million a year earlier. Management said the closures are expected to improve operating results in fiscal 2027 and beyond.

Costco said it received $184 million in tariff refunds in its fourth quarter, and used most of the money to lower member prices on produce, meat, beverages, home goods and hardware. The company said the refunds are nonrecurring. It added that the refunds and related price reinvestments will continue to affect its financial results in fiscal year 2027.

Starbucks said it will close roughly 250 coffeehouses across North America later this week, about 1% of its more than 18,000 locations in the region. The company said most of its North America stores are profitable but a small portion has struggled to meet performance expectations. Separately, Starbucks settled a Florida DEI lawsuit, agreeing to pay the state $1 million and stop using race- and sex-based goals, quotas and preferences in employment practices companywide, ending a case filed by the Florida attorney general in December 2025.

Cracker Barrel said it plans to upgrade three popular dinner items—chicken, hamburgers and steak. The company also completed a sale-leaseback deal involving 26 company-owned restaurants, generating about $77 million in net proceeds to repay debt and partially offset $150 million of 0.625% convertible senior notes that matured and were repaid in June. Total debt ended the quarter at $337.2 million, down $147.4 million from the prior year. The CFO said the average guest check is about $16, underscoring the chain’s value proposition.

McDonald’s has rolled out its NEXT growth strategy, planning to provide franchisees about $8.5 billion in support through 2036, including roughly $5 billion through 2030, to fund restaurant modernization, technology deployment and operational improvements. The company is targeting about 250 basis points of restaurant-level gross margin improvement, translating to about $100,000 in annual cash flow benefits for the average restaurant. It also expects unit expansion to contribute nearly 2.5% to systemwide sales growth in 2027, easing to about 2% by 2030.