Total speculation, but I'd be willing to bet that they were planted last year, not mulched, and went through a very hard winter. There doesn't seem to be any green on the stems, either, which says they have either died to the ground or have died completely. Check at the very base for any green or new growth. If there is some they may have a chance at coming back.

I'd cuf these shrubs all the way back to the ground. New growth will emerge like gangbusters if the root system is still alive.

Euonymus respond very well to very heavy pruning, as long as the roots are healthy.

This post was edited by rhizo_1 on Fri, Apr 25, 14 at 17:15