The Bar for "Happy News" Seems to Be Set Very Low

June 10, 2016
Time: 8 Retail Chains That Are Closing Stores This Year

Barnes & Noble (BKS -1.65%) may be the only happy news on this list as the bookseller has actually decided to close fewer stores in 2016 than it has in any year since 2000. The chain will shutter only eight locations, down from the 13 it had originally planned to lose this year, Fortune reported. The change comes because while most retailers have seen sales slow at physical stores, Barnes & Noble has actually lost online sales volume while its retail locations have been a relative strength.

In addition to closing stores for 15+ consecutive years and recently losing online sales volume in this digital era, Barnes & Noble investors can also find happiness in only losing 30% of their money (counting dividends and splits) over the past year.