Dive Summary:

• According to leading retail experts, the next fiscal year might be critical to survival for several major brands including Best Buy, J.C. Penney, Sears and RadioShack.
• According to Standard & Poor’s credit ratings could be a sign of financial vulnerability for each of the companies. J.C. Penney, Sears and RadioShack all currently hold CCC+ ratings, while Best Buy posts figures which are slightly better and received a rating of BB+.
• Retail experts and analysts are more optimistic regarding the future of Best Buy and J.C. Penney than companies such as Sears and RadioShack, according to sources.

From the article:

For Plano, Texas-based J.C. Penney, "back to school is the next milestone we're looking at," said David Kuntz, director of department stores and specialty apparel for Standard & Poor's. The back-to-school season, Kuntz said, will be a good barometer of whether Penney's return to discounting makes customers return to the stores.