Business
Amazon Driver Florida Ave
(Tom Williams/Getty Images)

Amazon expands same-day shipping to over 4,000 rural towns in massive delivery push

The e-comm giant plans to triple its delivery network by 2026 and is zeroing in on everyday essentials.

Nia Warfield

Amazon is making a big move into small cities. In a press release Tuesday, the company said it plans to roll out same-day and next-day delivery to over 4,000 smaller cities, towns, and rural communities by the end of this year.

The expansion is part of a broader $4 billion effort to triple the size of its delivery network by 2026 and pull ahead in its race with legacy rivals like UPS and FedEx. The company added that the number of items delivered using same- or next-day in the US are already up over 30% compared to last year.

Amazon is especially focused on delivering everyday essentials (think: toilet paper, pet food, household goods), using AI to forecast demand and pre-stock top-selling items closer to customers.

The strategy is paying off: in Q1, Amazon said its everyday essentials category grew more than twice as fast as the rest of its business and accounted for a third of every unit sold in the US.

Amazon shares were up more than 2% Tuesday afternoon.

More Business

See all Business
Claire Yubin Oh
bird was the word
3h
Duolingo’s business was supposed to soar with AI — now it’s getting its wings clipped

The language-learning app’s shares have plunged almost 80% in the past year.

Duolingo banner over Hooters restaurant
business
Max Knoblauch

Used car prices dip in April but remain at 2023 levels as gas prices surge

Used car prices ticked down in April, the first drop in 2026, according to fresh data from Cox Automotive.

Cox’s Manheim Used Vehicle Value Index, which tracks wholesale prices, dipped 1.6% in April from March, but remains around highs not seen since 2023 as shoppers react to surging gas prices.

“Affordability remains front and center, and that’s driving some increased demand for older vehicles... as well as changing the calculus for consumers shopping for EVs,” said Cox’s chief economist, Jeremy Robb.

As reported in March, used car retailers including CarMax have told Sherwood News that gas prices are driving more shoppers to look toward EVs. Cox’s EV index is up 7.2% from April 2025, compared to a 1.1% hike for its non-EV index.

Tom Jones
gear shift
5/6/26
Harley-Davidson hopes getting “Back to the Bricks” will help turn its motorcycle business around

Its ~$1 billion financial services segment has helped keep the company ticking over in the meantime.

Harley-Davidson motorcycles cruising along scenic road during European Bike Week, showcasing vibrant atmosphere and camaraderie among riders
business
Max Knoblauch

Xbox CEO overhauls leadership team with Microsoft AI execs amid sales declines

Microsoft is continuing to shake up Xbox, with gaming chief Asha Sharma (who took over the division suddenly in February) announcing an executive overhaul.

According to an internal memo seen by CNBC, Sharma is bringing four leaders from her former CoreAI group into the Xbox fold, as they have “consumer and technical expertise [Xbox does] not yet have.”

“Right now, it is too hard to ship impact quickly. We spend too much time inward instead of with the community, and we lack the depth we need in some of the fundamentals,” Sharma said in the memo.

Aside from the CoreAI team, David Schloss, a former Instacart growth exec, will take over the subscription and cloud business.

Following Microsoft’s earnings report last week, in which Xbox console sales fell 33% from last year, Sharma said the division had work to do. The company forecast more sales declines for Game Pass and consoles in the current quarter.

Microsoft Xbox CEO overhauls leadership amid sinking sales: 'We need to evolve how we work'

Microsoft Xbox CEO overhauls leadership amid sinking sales: 'We need to evolve how we work'

“Right now, it is too hard to ship impact quickly. We spend too much time inward instead of with the community, and we lack the depth we need in some of the fundamentals,” Sharma said in the memo.

Aside from the CoreAI team, David Schloss, a former Instacart growth exec, will take over the subscription and cloud business.

Following Microsoft’s earnings report last week, in which Xbox console sales fell 33% from last year, Sharma said the division had work to do. The company forecast more sales declines for Game Pass and consoles in the current quarter.

business
Max Knoblauch

Ford’s April EV sales climb from March but make up less than 2% of its total sales this year

Ford sold 22% more EVs in April than in March, but the category makes up just 1.7% of the automaker’s total 2026 sales through April. At the same point last year, EVs were about 4% of sales.

The company released its April sales figures Monday morning, with EVs climbing sequentially but still down nearly 25% from last year. Its more popular hybrids were down 5% from March and about 33% from last year.

Overall, Ford posted a 14.4% drop in sales in April from last year. SUVs were down more than 16%, trucks fell more than 14%, and cars (the company doesn’t sell many) climbed 18%.

When it reported its Q1 earnings last week, Ford boosted its full-year guidance for adjusted earnings before interest and taxes to between $8.5 billion and $10.5 billion.

Latest Stories

Sherwood Media, LLC produces fresh and unique perspectives on topical financial news and is a fully owned subsidiary of Robinhood Markets, Inc., and any views expressed here do not necessarily reflect the views of any other Robinhood affiliate, including Robinhood Markets, Inc., Robinhood Financial LLC, Robinhood Securities, LLC, Robinhood Crypto, LLC, Robinhood Derivatives, LLC, or Robinhood Money, LLC. Futures and event contracts are offered through Robinhood Derivatives, LLC.
©2026 Sherwood Media, LLC