Group 1 - The U.S. government is launching a significant tariff investigation on imported furniture, which is expected to impact the furniture industry and potentially bring manufacturing back to states like North Carolina, South Carolina, and Michigan [1] - The furniture import value in the U.S. for 2024 is approximately $25.5 billion, reflecting a 7% increase from 2023, with around 60% of imports coming from Vietnam and China [1] - Companies like Wayfair, RH, and Williams-Sonoma saw their stock prices drop following the announcement, while La-Z-Boy, which produces most of its furniture domestically, experienced a stock price increase [1] Group 2 - The new tariffs have already contributed to a 0.7% increase in home goods prices in July, adding further pressure to an industry already affected by previous tariffs [2] - Demand for new furniture has been declining over the past year, partly due to consumers waiting for lower interest rates and a slowdown in the real estate market [2] - Consumers are becoming more selective with discretionary spending due to persistent inflation, impacting sectors like dining, clothing, travel, and home decor [2]

Core Viewpoint - The Trump administration is investigating imported furniture for potential tariffs, which has led to significant stock declines for companies reliant on foreign manufacturing, while some domestic manufacturers have seen stock increases [1][2][5]. Company Impact - Major home goods companies such as Wayfair, RH, and Williams-Sonoma experienced stock declines of over 6% following the announcement [2][4]. - In contrast, La-Z-Boy's shares rose nearly 2.5% as the company primarily manufactures within the United States [5]. Industry Context - The furniture industry is facing challenges, including a year-long decline in demand for big-ticket items due to a sluggish housing market and persistent inflation affecting consumer spending [9][10]. - The investigation into furniture tariffs is part of a broader trade agenda aimed at reducing reliance on foreign manufacturing and encouraging domestic production, particularly in traditional furniture-making states like North Carolina and South Carolina [11][12]. Trade Relations - The timing of the potential tariffs comes amidst ongoing trade negotiations with global partners, which have provided some market stability, although many disputes remain unresolved [8]. - It is unclear whether the new furniture tariffs would be in addition to existing country-specific duty rates negotiated through bilateral trade deals [7][13].

Core Viewpoint - The upcoming earnings report for Williams-Sonoma is anticipated to show a quarterly earnings increase of 2.3% year-over-year, with revenues expected to rise by 1.5% [1] Financial Projections - Quarterly earnings per share are projected at $1.78, reflecting a 2.3% increase from the previous year [1] - Revenue is forecasted to reach $1.81 billion, indicating a 1.5% year-over-year growth [1] Analyst Consensus - There have been no revisions in the consensus EPS estimate over the last 30 days, suggesting stability in analysts' forecasts [1][2] - Analysts predict specific revenue figures for various segments: - Pottery Barn: $732.61 million (+0.9% YoY) [4] - Williams-Sonoma: $244.00 million (+1.7% YoY) [4] - Pottery Barn Kids and Teen: $264.14 million (+2% YoY) [4] - West Elm: $464.29 million (+1.2% YoY) [5] Store Metrics - Total number of stores is expected to be 509, down from 521 year-over-year [5] - Specific store counts are projected as follows: - Pottery Barn: 179 (down from 185) [5] - Pottery Barn Kids: 44 (down from 45) [6] - Rejuvenation: 12 (up from 11) [6] - West Elm: 120 (down from 122) [6] - Williams-Sonoma: 154 (down from 158) [7] Market Performance - Williams-Sonoma shares have increased by 9.2% over the past month, outperforming the S&P 500 composite's 1.1% increase [8] - The company holds a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy), indicating expectations of continued outperformance in the near future [8]

A golden cross contrasts with a death cross, another widely-followed chart pattern that suggests bearish momentum could be on the horizon. WSM has rallied 17.1% over the past four weeks, and the company is a #2 (Buy) on the Zacks Rank at the moment. This combination indicates WSM could be poised for a breakout. The bullish case only gets stronger once investors take into account WSM's positive earnings outlook for the current quarter. There have been 1 upward revision compared to none lower over the past 60 ...

Company Performance - Williams-Sonoma (WSM) closed at $210.20, with a daily increase of +1.56%, outperforming the S&P 500's gain of 0.32% [1] - The stock has risen by 26.49% over the past month, significantly exceeding the Retail-Wholesale sector's gain of 2.39% and the S&P 500's gain of 3.08% [1] Upcoming Earnings - The company is expected to report an EPS of $1.78, reflecting a growth of 2.3% compared to the same quarter last year [2] - Projected net sales for the upcoming earnings are estimated at $1.81 billion, which is an increase of 1.46% from the previous year [2] Fiscal Year Estimates - For the entire fiscal year, earnings are predicted to be $8.53 per share, indicating a decrease of -2.96% from the previous year [3] - Revenue for the fiscal year is estimated at $7.72 billion, showing a slight increase of +0.14% from the prior year [3] Analyst Estimates - Recent modifications to analyst estimates indicate changing business trends, with positive revisions suggesting confidence in the company's performance [4] - The Zacks Rank system, which reflects these estimate changes, currently ranks Williams-Sonoma at 2 (Buy) [6] Valuation Metrics - Williams-Sonoma has a Forward P/E ratio of 24.25, which is higher than the industry average Forward P/E of 21.74 [7] - The company's PEG ratio stands at 3.35, compared to the Retail - Home Furnishings industry's average PEG ratio of 2.83 [7] Industry Context - The Retail - Home Furnishings industry is part of the Retail-Wholesale sector and currently holds a Zacks Industry Rank of 178, placing it in the bottom 28% of over 250 industries [8] - Research indicates that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1 [8]

Company Performance - Williams-Sonoma (WSM) closed at $203.78, with a daily increase of +1.63%, outperforming the S&P 500's loss of 0.49% [1] - The stock has risen by 18.5% over the past month, contrasting with the Retail-Wholesale sector's decline of 1.34% and the S&P 500's gain of 0.96% [1] Upcoming Earnings - The company is expected to report EPS of $1.78, reflecting a 2.3% increase from the prior-year quarter [2] - Revenue is anticipated to be $1.81 billion, up 1.46% from the prior-year quarter [2] - Full-year estimates project earnings of $8.53 per share and revenue of $7.72 billion, indicating year-over-year changes of -2.96% and +0.14%, respectively [2] Analyst Estimates - Recent changes to analyst estimates for Williams-Sonoma indicate evolving short-term business trends, with positive revisions suggesting analyst optimism [3] - The Zacks Rank system, which assesses these estimate changes, currently ranks Williams-Sonoma at 2 (Buy) [5] Valuation Metrics - Williams-Sonoma has a Forward P/E ratio of 23.5, which is higher than the industry average of 20.51 [6] - The company has a PEG ratio of 3.24, compared to the Retail - Home Furnishings industry's average PEG ratio of 2.73 [6] Industry Context - The Retail - Home Furnishings industry ranks in the bottom 30% of all industries, with a current Zacks Industry Rank of 175 [7] - The Zacks Industry Rank indicates that top-rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1 [7]

For those looking to find strong Retail-Wholesale stocks, it is prudent to search for companies in the group that are outperforming their peers. Has Dollar General (DG) been one of those stocks this year? Let's take a closer look at the stock's year-to-date performance to find out. Dollar General is a member of the Retail-Wholesale sector. This group includes 202 individual stocks and currently holds a Zacks Sector Rank of #12. The Zacks Sector Rank considers 16 different sector groups. The average Zacks Ra ...

Core Insights - Williams-Sonoma Inc (NYSE: WSM) stock has rebounded by 3.3% to $170.40, indicating a potential recovery after a recent decline [1] - The stock has struggled at the $180 level for the past few months, but there is optimism that it may break through this resistance soon [1] - The stock is currently close to its 50-day moving average, which historically signals bullish trends [1] Technical Analysis - WSM is within 0.75 of the 50-day trendline's 20-day average true range (ATR), having spent over 80% of the last 10 days and two months above this level [2] - In the past three years, similar conditions have led to an 82% success rate for the stock being higher one month later, with an average gain of 7% [2] - A similar upward movement from the current price could push shares above $182 [2] Market Sentiment - Short interest in WSM has begun to decrease but still represents 5% of the stock's available float, equating to over three days of potential buying power based on average trading volume [4] - Options traders are currently pricing in low volatility expectations, as indicated by a Schaeffer's Volatility Index (SVI) of 39%, which is in the low 4th percentile of its annual range [4] - The stock has historically outperformed these low volatility expectations, supported by a Schaeffer's Volatility Scorecard (SVS) rating of 82 out of 100 [4]

Core Viewpoint - Williams-Sonoma is set to report earnings with a forecasted EPS of $1.78, reflecting a 2.3% increase year-over-year, and expected revenue of $1.81 billion, indicating a 1.46% growth compared to the same quarter last year [2]. Group 1: Stock Performance - Williams-Sonoma's stock closed at $163.62, down 4.01% from the previous day, underperforming the S&P 500, which fell by 0.4% [1]. - Over the past month, shares of Williams-Sonoma have increased by 7.78%, outperforming the Retail-Wholesale sector's gain of 4.14% and the S&P 500's gain of 4.97% [1]. Group 2: Earnings Forecast - For the entire year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates predict earnings of $8.53 per share and revenue of $7.72 billion, showing a decrease of 2.96% in earnings and a slight increase of 0.14% in revenue compared to the previous year [3]. - Recent adjustments to analyst estimates indicate a positive outlook for Williams-Sonoma, reflecting optimism about the company's business and profitability [3]. Group 3: Valuation Metrics - Williams-Sonoma has a Forward P/E ratio of 19.98, which is in line with the industry average [6]. - The company's PEG ratio stands at 2.76, compared to the Retail - Home Furnishings industry's average PEG ratio of 2.33 [7]. Group 4: Industry Ranking - The Retail - Home Furnishings industry, which includes Williams-Sonoma, ranks in the top 39% of all industries, with a current Zacks Industry Rank of 94 [7]. - The Zacks Rank system, which evaluates stocks based on estimate changes, indicates that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1 [8].

Group 1: Carnival Corporation - Carnival is the leading global cruise operator, recovering from extreme debt and showing strong business performance with stock still 60% off its highs [4] - The stock price has risen 64% over the past year, trading at a price-to-sales ratio of 1.5 and a forward P/E ratio under 13, indicating potential for further gains [5] - In Q2 of fiscal 2025, Carnival reported revenue of $6.3 billion, a 9% year-over-year increase, with operating income rising from $560 million to $934 million [6] - The company had record deposits of $8.5 billion and is maintaining high bookings, alleviating concerns about demand drying up [7] - Carnival ended the quarter with $27 billion in total debt, having refinanced $7 billion at more favorable rates, and is close to achieving investment-grade credit ratings [8] - Carnival stock may appeal to investors willing to take on some risk, as the company is expected to bounce back and reward shareholders [9] Group 2: Williams-Sonoma - Williams-Sonoma targets the upscale housewares market and has faced challenges due to macroeconomic pressures, particularly in the sluggish real estate sector [11] - The company reported a 3.4% year-over-year increase in comparable brand revenue and an operating margin of 16.8%, exceeding guidance [12] - Williams-Sonoma has a diversified supplier base, with only 23% of its products sourced from China, positioning it well to handle tariff changes [12] - The company emphasizes a "digital first, not digital only" strategy, with e-commerce accounting for 66% of total sales in Q1 of fiscal 2025, tapping into a $830 billion addressable market [14] - Despite a decline of 8% in stock price this year, investor enthusiasm is returning, and the stock offers a dividend yield of 1.4% [15] - The stock trades at a forward P/E ratio of 19, presenting a potential entry point for investors [15]