Retailers believe they've finally got inventories in the right place after several years of pandemic-driven volatility sent stockpiles and profit margins on a roller-coaster. Merchants this year are heading into their crucial holiday sales period with warehouses no longer overstuffed with mismatched merchandise and store shelves lined up for steady seasonal demand. The WSJ Logistics Report’s Liz Young writes retailers from Walmart and Target to more specialized sellers like Best Buy and Dick’s Sporting Goods have pared back their inventories while trying to focus their supply chains more tightly on products that shoppers want. Forecasting fast-changing consumer demand was a major challenge for retailers during the pandemic. This year’s fourth quarter marks a test of new forecasting efforts, and of a disciplined focus on profit margins rather than top-line revenue. Supply-chain flexibility is a major focus this year, including an effort to keep inventory “fresh and clean.”  

• Mastercard SpendingPulse says U.S. retail sales on Black Friday rose 2.5% from last year. (WSJ)
• Off-price retailers including TJX, Ross and Burlington saw strong sales growth heading into the holiday period. (Modern Retail)
• Saks owner Hudson’s Bay used its property to secure $340 million in new financing after late payments led some suppliers to withhold shipments. (The Globe and Mail)

The U.S. has a new No. 1 private parcel carrier. Amazon.com delivered more packages to U.S. homes in 2022 than United Parcel Service, after eclipsing FedEx in 2020. The WSJ’s Dana Mattioli and Esther Fung report the e-commerce giant is on track to widen the gap this year, an enormous turnaround from only a decade ago when Amazon was a major customer for UPS and FedEx. Amazon has delivered more than 4.8 billion packages in the U.S. this year, and its internal projections predict that it will deliver around 5.9 billion parcels, up from 5.2 billion last year. Overall parcel volume has dipped this year, as consumers diverted spending from goods to services. As Amazon’s share has increased, FedEx and UPS have said they are focused on delivering more profitable parcels. They’ll do that amid signs that some merchants may want to follow Amazon’s lead and handle their own deliveries.

• Walmart is adding parcel stations to its stores to connect customers to its contract delivery network or third-party carriers. (Supply Chain Dive)

Orders for durable goods in the U.S. excluding transportation were flat in October. (MarketWatch)

A measure of U.S. consumer sentiment improved slightly near the end of November. (MarketWatch)

A CSX train carrying molten sulfur derailed in Rockcastle County, Ky., triggering a large fire. (WSJ)

Boeing cleared a key regulatory milestone toward preparing its 737 MAX 10 passenger jet for commercial service. (WSJ)

Nissan is spending up to $2.39 billion to expand electric vehicle and battery manufacturing capacity in the U.K. (WSJ)

Japan’s Nippon Shokubai will scale up production of a key component in rechargeable zinc batteries, an emerging alternative to lithium-ion batteries. (Nikkei Asia)

A CMA CGM container ship with ties to Israel came under attack from a suspected Iranian drone in the Indian Ocean. (Times of Israel)

Three major Greek tanker operators have stopped transporting Russian oil in order to avoid U.S. sanctions. (Reuters)

South Korea is likely to pick a preferred bidder this week for container line HMM. (Korea Economic Daily)

Mediterranean Shipping raised its Asia-to-North Europe rates to at least double the current spot market level. (The Loadstar)

Cosco Shipping is adding a surcharge to European shipments to cover a new carbon emissions tax. (ShippingWatch)

A.P. Moller-Maersk is ending operations in Syria as of Dec. 1. (Port Technology)

Resin logistics specialist Katoen Natie will spend $59.9 million to expand exporting capacity at the Port of Virginia. (Journal of Commerce)

Covenant Logistics will pay the $700,000 in civil penalties to resolve allegations of hiring discrimination. (Dow Jones Newswires)

The medical community is coping with a shortage of pediatric medications, especially those for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. (Hartford Courant)

The U.K.’s Aardman Animations studio says it has plenty of clay stockpiled to produce its films despite the shutdown of its lone supplier. (New York Times)

Paul Page is editor of WSJ Logistics Report. Reach him at paul.page@wsj.com.

Follow the WSJ Logistics Report team: @PaulPage, @bylizyoung and @pdberger. Follow the WSJ Logistics Report on X at @WSJLogistics.