In fact, for all these companies the retail operation is a secondary business. Their main business is to prop up the stock. They do that using all kinds of acco

In fact, for all these companies the retail operation is a secondary business. Their main business is to prop up the stock. They do that using all kinds of accounting and financial tricks, the reward cards being one of them. These companies will do anything to increase short term valuation, such as stock buybacks (totally useless for the business), announcing vaporware/initiatives that have little impact on business but look good for investors, etc.