Description: J. C. Penney (JCP), the centenarian retailer, is reeling from post-traumatic stress disorder. Its sales, stock price, and management credibility are all tanking. The company is in disarray after activist hedge fund manager Bill Ackman installed a chief executive officer (now departed) whose aborted attempt to reinvent the department store failed miserably and alienated longtime customers. Penney hasn’t registered a quarterly profit in two years. Suppliers are scared. The stores echo.

Source: Businessweek.com – video report

Date: Sep 27, 2013

Link: http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-09-27/j-dot-c-dot-penney-on-the-brink#r=hpt-lst

Questions for Discussions:

• Summarize the situation at J.C. Penney.
• Do you think the company can survive with the current plan?
• What would you do if you were in charge at the company?