Core Viewpoint - Brokerage recommendations, particularly for Levi Strauss (LEVI), are often relied upon by investors, but their effectiveness in guiding investment decisions is questionable [1][5][10]. Brokerage Recommendation Summary - Levi Strauss has an average brokerage recommendation (ABR) of 1.50, indicating a consensus between Strong Buy and Buy, based on 12 brokerage firms [2]. - Out of the 12 recommendations, 9 are Strong Buy, accounting for 75% of the total recommendations [2]. - Despite the favorable ABR, relying solely on this information for investment decisions may not be advisable, as studies suggest brokerage recommendations often lack success in identifying stocks with high price appreciation potential [5][10]. Analyst Bias and Reliability - Brokerage analysts tend to exhibit a positive bias in their ratings due to the vested interests of their firms, leading to a disproportionate number of Strong Buy recommendations compared to Strong Sell [6][10]. - This misalignment of interests can result in misleading insights regarding a stock's future price movements [7][10]. Zacks Rank Comparison - Zacks Rank, a proprietary stock rating tool, categorizes stocks from Strong Buy to Strong Sell and is based on earnings estimate revisions, which have shown a strong correlation with near-term stock price movements [8][11]. - The Zacks Rank is distinct from ABR, as it is a quantitative model that reflects timely earnings estimates, while ABR may not always be up-to-date [9][12]. Current Earnings Estimates for Levi Strauss - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Levi Strauss remains unchanged at $1.23 for the current year, indicating steady analyst views on the company's earnings prospects [13]. - The unchanged consensus estimate has resulted in a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold) for Levi Strauss, suggesting caution despite the Buy-equivalent ABR [14].

Core Viewpoint - Levi Strauss (LEVI) is anticipated to report a year-over-year decline in earnings due to lower revenues, which could significantly influence its near-term stock price depending on how actual results compare to consensus estimates [1][3]. Earnings Expectations - The consensus estimate for Levi Strauss is an earnings per share (EPS) of $0.13, reflecting an 18.8% decrease year-over-year [3]. - Expected revenues for the quarter are $1.37 billion, down 5.2% from the same quarter last year [3]. Estimate Revisions - The consensus EPS estimate has remained unchanged over the last 30 days, indicating a stable outlook among covering analysts [4]. - The Most Accurate Estimate for Levi Strauss is lower than the Zacks Consensus Estimate, resulting in an Earnings ESP of -2.99%, suggesting a bearish sentiment among analysts [12]. Earnings Surprise Prediction - The Zacks Earnings ESP model indicates that a positive or negative reading can predict the likelihood of actual earnings deviating from consensus estimates, with a strong predictive power for positive readings [9][10]. - Levi Strauss currently holds a Zacks Rank of 3, which complicates the prediction of an earnings beat [12]. Historical Performance - In the last reported quarter, Levi Strauss exceeded the expected EPS of $0.28 by delivering $0.38, resulting in a surprise of +35.71% [13]. - Over the past four quarters, the company has consistently beaten consensus EPS estimates [14]. Conclusion - While Levi Strauss does not appear to be a strong candidate for an earnings beat, investors should consider other influencing factors when making decisions regarding the stock ahead of the earnings release [17].

Core Viewpoint - Brokerage recommendations, particularly for Levi Strauss, show a strong positive bias, which may not align with actual stock performance, suggesting that investors should validate these recommendations with their own research [5][10]. Group 1: Brokerage Recommendations - Levi Strauss has an average brokerage recommendation (ABR) of 1.50, indicating a consensus between Strong Buy and Buy, based on 12 brokerage firms [2]. - Out of the 12 recommendations, 9 are classified as Strong Buy, accounting for 75% of the total recommendations [2]. Group 2: Limitations of Brokerage Recommendations - Studies indicate that brokerage recommendations often fail to guide investors effectively towards stocks with high potential for price appreciation [5]. - Analysts from brokerage firms tend to exhibit a bias towards issuing more favorable ratings than warranted, leading to potential misguidance for investors [10]. Group 3: Zacks Rank vs. ABR - The Zacks Rank, which is based on earnings estimate revisions, is a more reliable indicator of near-term stock price performance compared to the ABR [8][11]. - The Zacks Rank is displayed in whole numbers and is updated more frequently, reflecting timely changes in earnings estimates, unlike the ABR which may not be current [9][12]. Group 4: Current Earnings Estimates for Levi Strauss - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Levi Strauss remains unchanged at $1.23 for the current year, indicating stable analyst views on the company's earnings prospects [13]. - Due to the unchanged consensus estimate and other factors, Levi Strauss holds a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold), suggesting caution despite the favorable ABR [14].

Company Performance - Levi Strauss (LEVI) ended the latest trading session at $17.74, reflecting a -1.06% change from the previous close, underperforming the S&P 500's daily loss of 0.67% [1] - Over the past month, shares of Levi Strauss gained 12.34%, outperforming the Retail-Wholesale sector's gain of 9.36% and the S&P 500's gain of 10.65% [1] Upcoming Earnings - The company is expected to report an EPS of $0.13, which represents an 18.75% decrease from the same quarter last year [2] - Revenue is forecasted to be $1.37 billion, indicating a 5.23% decline compared to the same quarter of the previous year [2] Full Year Estimates - For the full year, analysts expect earnings of $1.23 per share and revenue of $5.97 billion, marking changes of -1.6% and -6.11% respectively from the previous year [3] Analyst Estimates - Recent modifications to analyst estimates for Levi Strauss reflect near-term business trends, with positive changes indicating a favorable outlook on the company's health and profitability [4] Zacks Rank - The Zacks Rank system currently rates Levi Strauss as 3 (Hold), with the consensus EPS estimate remaining steady over the past month [6] Valuation Metrics - Levi Strauss is trading at a Forward P/E ratio of 14.58, which is below the industry average Forward P/E of 17.35 [7] - The company has a PEG ratio of 1.69, compared to the industry average PEG ratio of 1.92 [7] Industry Context - The Retail - Apparel and Shoes industry, which includes Levi Strauss, has a Zacks Industry Rank of 137, placing it in the bottom 45% of over 250 industries [8]

Core Insights - The article highlights the 28th annual list of the world's most influential businesswomen, emphasizing the increasing competition as more women lead significant companies. The ranking is data-driven, utilizing a complex scoring system that considers various dimensions beyond just company size and performance [1][2]. Group 1: Rankings and Notable Leaders - The top three positions are held by Mary Barra (CEO of General Motors), Julie Sweet (CEO of Accenture), and Jane Fraser (CEO of Citigroup) [1][2]. - The list includes leaders from various global companies, with notable mentions from Walmart and Netflix [1]. Group 2: Geographic Representation - Over half of the women on the list work in the United States, with significant representation from China (10), France (7), the UK (7), and Brazil (3) [2]. - The Chinese representatives include notable figures such as Meng Wanzhou (Huawei), Joey Wat (Yum China), and others from leading companies [2]. Group 3: Emerging Leaders - Among the 16 new entrants, several have returned to the list after years, including Michelle Gass (CEO of Levi's) and Claudine Adamo (Chief Procurement Officer at Costco) [2]. - The list reflects a mix of seasoned executives and rising stars, indicating a dynamic shift in leadership [2]. Group 4: Business Performance and Challenges - General Motors, under Mary Barra, achieved record revenue in 2024, with a 9% year-over-year increase, and doubled its market share in electric vehicles [6]. - Citigroup, led by Jane Fraser, reported a net profit increase from $9.2 billion in 2023 to $12.7 billion in 2024, prompting a $20 billion stock buyback plan [10]. - Accenture, under Julie Sweet, demonstrated agility by hosting webinars for 900 clients in response to new tariffs, showcasing the ability to adapt quickly to market changes [7]. Group 5: Industry Trends and Innovations - The article notes a shift in evaluating business influence, with a diminishing absolute reliance on company size, as seen with Mira Murati of Thinking Machines Lab, who leads a seed-stage company [3]. - The focus on technology and innovation is evident, with leaders like Safra Catz of Oracle and Lisa Su of AMD navigating challenges in the tech sector while pushing for advancements in AI [11][42].

中国将 "适度" 减少美国电影进口数量。 国家电影局发言人称，美国政府加征关税 "会令国内观众对美国影片好感度进一步降低"，因此将 遵循市场规律，适度减少美国影片进口数量。中国是全球第二大电影市场，据猫眼娱乐数据，引入 国内的美国电影数量在 2018 年达到峰值，共 63 部，随后数量下滑，2022 年仅 25 部，去年又升至 42 部。近年来国产电影更受消费者支持，一个例子是《哪吒之魔童闹海》全球票房已破 156 亿， 进入全球影史票房第五。 优衣库大部分销往美国的优衣库产品都产自东南亚，此前特朗普宣布将对中国以外的其他国家、地 区暂停征收 90 天的关税。有分析师称，纺织供应链比其他行业供应链灵活，关税对优衣库的负面 影响将小于任天堂、丰田等日本公司。 马云现身阿里云谷园区。 社媒流传的影像显示，马云身穿阿里云 15 周年纪念 T 恤，并佩戴了阿里新版工牌，工牌上印有他 的照片和花名 "风清扬"。此行他参加了阿里云新财年启动会并上台讲话。据我们了解，阿里近期 在大力鼓励员工佩戴工牌，并推出了有戴脖、斜挎和卡夹三种戴法的新工牌，员工可自愿申请换 新，员工还可凭工牌享受园区附近商户的折扣。自去年底以来，马云已 ...

Core Insights - Levi Strauss & Company's shift to a direct-to-consumer (DTC) model is timely and strategically beneficial for its future growth [1] - The DTC model addresses previous challenges with third-party vendor displays, enhancing consumer experience and sales performance [2] Financial Performance - The company reported a revenue growth of 3.4% for fiscal Q1 2025, with a 12% increase in DTC sales contributing to a 9% organic growth [4] - Adjusted diluted earnings increased by 52% to $0.38, significantly surpassing consensus expectations by nearly 2500 basis points [5] - Gross margin improved by 330 basis points and adjusted EBITDA margin by 400 basis points, driven by price realization and cost reductions [5] Market Position and Outlook - The international business showed strong performance with a 9% growth, while U.S. growth was solid at 8% [4] - Women's category sales grew by double digits, now representing 38% of total sales, and non-denim items accounted for 35% of sales [4] - The company projects a 4% organic growth at the midpoint for the year, with an expected gross margin expansion of 100 basis points [5] Capital Return Strategy - Levi's capital return strategy includes a dividend yield of approximately 3.85% and a payout ratio of less than 20%, indicating a sustainable distribution policy [6] - The company has increased its distribution six times since 2021, reflecting a healthy growth outlook despite a brief pandemic-related suspension [7] Balance Sheet Strength - The company's balance sheet remains strong, with equity up by 3.2% despite reduced cash and assets, and leverage is low at less than 0.5x equity [8] - Liquidity is robust, exceeding $1.4 billion, which supports ongoing capital returns and distribution increases [8] Analyst Sentiment - Analysts have mixed responses to Levi's results, with some price target reductions but an upgrade to Overweight by JPMorgan, indicating a potential minimum upside of 10% [11] - The stock is currently rated as Moderate Buy, with a projected earnings growth of 9.45% [9]

金十数据4月8日讯，美国服装企业李维斯（Levi's）表示，随着特朗普的高额关税迫在眉睫，企业和消 费者希望得到确定性。"现在每个人都在努力应对的第一件事，包括我们自己、整个行业，最重要的是 消费者，每个人都在努力应对不确定性。我们需要一些澄清，"李维斯首席执行官米歇尔·加斯称。今天 早些时候，这家牛仔零售商公布了第一季度业绩，并维持了今年的盈利和销售预期。李维斯没有将新关 税的影响纳入业绩指引。她在公司财报电话会议上表示，该公司为抵消关税而进行的任何提价都将 是"手术式的"。 美国服装企业李维斯呼吁明确关税，称任何价格上涨都将是"外科手术" ...

Group 1 - Proactive provides fast, accessible, informative, and actionable business and finance news content to a global investment audience [2] - The news team covers medium and small-cap markets, as well as blue-chip companies, commodities, and broader investment stories [3] - Proactive's content includes insights across various sectors such as biotech, pharma, mining, natural resources, battery metals, oil and gas, crypto, and emerging technologies [3] Group 2 - Proactive is committed to adopting technology to enhance workflows and improve content production [4] - The company utilizes automation and software tools, including generative AI, while ensuring all content is edited and authored by humans [5]

Core Insights - Levi Strauss reported $1.53 billion in revenue for the quarter ended February 2025, reflecting a year-over-year decline of 2% [1] - The company's EPS for the same period was $0.38, an increase from $0.26 a year ago, resulting in an EPS surprise of +35.71% compared to the consensus estimate of $0.28 [1] - The reported revenue was slightly below the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.54 billion, indicating a surprise of -0.95% [1] Revenue Breakdown - Geographic Revenues in the Americas reached $783 million, exceeding the estimated $735.66 million, representing a year-over-year increase of +6.4% [4] - Geographic Revenues in Europe totaled $400 million, falling short of the average estimate of $411.06 million, marking a year-over-year decline of -5.4% [4] - Geographic Revenues in Asia amounted to $308 million, surpassing the estimated $280.87 million, with a year-over-year increase of +6.6% [4] - Total Levi's Brands Net Revenues were reported at $1.49 billion, exceeding the average estimate of $1.43 billion [4] Stock Performance - Shares of Levi Strauss have returned -15.7% over the past month, compared to a -12.1% change in the Zacks S&P 500 composite [3] - The stock currently holds a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold), suggesting it may perform in line with the broader market in the near term [3]