Retailers vie for Sears clientele

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — Retailers are lining up to pick up the pieces of Sears’ customer base, CNN Business reports. Walmart, Target, Kohl’s, Home Depot and Best Buy all stand to profit from the closure of the 700 Sears and Kmart stores. With about 20% of those slated to close by year’s end, competitors could face a short-term squeeze from liquidation discounts but stand to gain a new pool of customers in the long run. Currently, more than nine out of 10 Sears customers also shop at Walmart and three-quarters at Target, according to a Cowen research report.