Last week, JCPenney (NYSE: JCP) unveiled a renovated concept store in Hurst, Texas. The company's executives gleaned data and insights from a year-plus of customer research to build out its experimental and modern store. CEO Jill Soltau said of the new location, "This store is more than a renovated location, it is the fullest articulation of our customer-centered strategy, an investment in our future and a lab to inform decisions to return JCPenney to sustainable, profitable growth."
Meanwhile, the company continues to face many headwinds, including heavy competition, e-commerce disruption, and changing consumer preferences. At the same time, the company is grappling with a sizable debt load that prevents it from investing in its assets, even as comps and sales continue to decline -- JCPenney hasn't delivered quarterly revenue growth since the 2017 holiday season.
Investors have reacted to these ongoing problems by sending shares of JCPenney down to new lows. In the last six months, shares have traded below $1 at times, leading to fears that the company could face delisting from the NYSE.