Bed Bath & Beyond to Close 200 Stores Over Next Two Years Following 49 Percent Decline in Sales Due to Pandemic

As of May 30, Bed Bath & Beyond operated 1,478 stores. A list of affected locations was not disclosed. Pictured is Bed Bath & Beyond's corporate campus in Union, N.J.

UNION, N.J. — Bed Bath & Beyond (NASDAQ: BBBY) plans to close 200 stores over the next two years. The Union-based company made the announcement during its earnings statement for its fiscal first quarter, which runs from March through May. The report shows sales plummeted in the quarter due to the novel coronavirus pandemic and subsequent shutdowns affecting non-essential retailers.

For the three-month period, net sales were approximately $1.3 billion, a 49 percent year-over-year decrease. Bed Bath & Beyond reports that 90 percent of its physical locations were closed for the majority of the quarter, causing in-store sales to decline 77 percent. During the same period, sales on the digital platform grew 82 percent.

“From the beginning of this crisis, we have taken measured, purposeful steps to help keep our people safe and our customers serviced, and we are proud of the way our teams have navigated this unprecedented challenge with speed and agility,” says Mark Tritton, president and CEO of Bed Bath & Beyond. “At the same time, our actions to strengthen our financial position and liquidity are enhancing our flexibility and capacity to invest and rebuild our business for long-term success.”

As of May 30, Bed Bath & Beyond operated 1,478 stores. A list of affected locations was not disclosed.

The company also operates stores under the names of Cost Plus World Market, Goodwill, buybuy Baby and Harmon.

Bed Bath & Beyond’s stock price closed Wednesday at $10.41 per share, down from $11.44 per share a year ago.

— Alex Tostado

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