Washington Post
Friday, October 28, 2011
In the race to sell Transformers, Rock 'N Roll Elmo and Lalaloopsy, Toys "R" Us knows how to win. That's no small feat for a company once marked for death as specialty toy retailers crumbled under pricing pressure from Wal-Mart and Target.
But aggressive moves in recent years have placed Toys "R" Us on a resurgent path. Buying up failing rivals, cutting costs, building an online presence and ramping up exclusive offers have positioned the retailer to regain lost market share.
This holiday shopping season will be a critical test for the chain — and for the broader economy — revealing whether Americans feel confident enough about their financial futures to open their wallets.
Toys "R" Us is heading into the holidays with some momentum. Revenue has climbed about 19 percent, reaching nearly $14 billion last year, since a group of private financiers bought the ...