Discount retailer Fred’s announced plans Thursday to close 159 underperforming stores across the nation including 31 in Mississippi.

Memphis-based Fred’s also announced plans to hire consultant PJ Solomon to advise the company on strategy aimed at increasing shareholder value.

“After a careful review, we have made the decision to rationalize our footprint by closing underperforming stores, with a particular focus on locations with shorter duration leases,” Fred’s CEO Joseph Anto said. “Most of these stores have near‐term lease expirations and limited remaining lease obligations.

“Decisions that impact our associates in this way are difficult, but the steps we are announcing are necessary. We will make every effort to transition impacted associates to other stores where possible.”

The company said it intends to close all 159 impacted stores by the end of May 2019.

Stores to be closed in Mississippi include:

Aberdeen: 107 N Meridian St
Brookhaven: 218 S Whitworth Ave
Byram: 7261 S Siwell Rd
Cleveland: 306 E Sunflower Rd
Coldwater: 520 Central Ave
Columbia: Hwy 13 Northgate S/C
Columbus: 304 5th St S
Columbus: 201 G Alabama St
Florence: 2932 Highway 49 S
Forest: 237 Woodland Dr
Gautier: 1693 Highway 90
Greenville: 7616 Highway 80
Greenville: 1600 S Colorado St
Greenwood: 813 W Park Ave
Hattiesburg: 1000 Broadway Dr
Holly Springs: 148 W Van Dorn Ave
Horn Lake: 3031 Goodman Rd W
Jackson: 225 Meadowbrook Rd
Jackson: 540 Raymond Rd
Leland: 302 North Main St.
Magee: 1700 Simpson Hwy
Meridian: 626 22nd Ave S
Ocean Springs: 3176 Bienville Blvd
Pascagoula: 2511 Ingalls Ave
Pearl: 235 George Wallace Dr
Philadelphia: 714 Pecan Ave
Terry: 422 W Cunningham Ave
Tupelo: 809 Varsity Dr
Tupelo: 1776 McCullough Blvd
West Point: 26591 E Main St
Yazoo City: 1200 Jerry Clower Blvd