Macy’s President Hal Lawton has resigned abruptly after a short tenure and at an inauspicious time — in the middle of the key holiday shopping season.
Macy’s recently reported a disappointing Q3, with comparable sales falling 3.5%, which was below expectations.
Lawton’s departure day is Dec. 6, and he is leaving Macy’s to become CEO of Tractor Supply Co.
Lawton joined Macy’s in 2017 after a major Macy’s internal restructuring and was given a huge job overseeing merchandising, marketing, stores, operations, technology, and consumer insights. The bulk of his career was spent at eBay and Home Depot.
Macy’s did not announce a replacement.
“Hal has made significant contributions to the business over the past two years, including improving the Macy’s operational cadence. Hal also helped us build an excellent team and, with their leadership, I’m confident that Macy’s will continue strong execution through Holiday 2019 and beyond,” Jeff Gennette, chairman and chief executive officer of Macy’s said in a statement. “I thank Hal for his service and wish him and his family well on the next leg of their journey.”
