Economic Outlook - The Federal Reserve cut interest rates by a quarter percentage point in December but indicated only one rate cut is expected in 2026 due to persistent high inflation [2][7] - A softer inflation reading for November has raised hopes for more rate cuts, with expectations that inflation could decline to 2.4% by the end of 2026 and economic growth could accelerate to 2.3% next year [8] Consumer Discretionary Stocks - Five consumer discretionary stocks are recommended: Amer Sports, Inc. (AS), Crocs, Inc. (CROX), Kontoor Brands, Inc. (KTB), Ralph Lauren Corporation (RL), and Roku, Inc. (ROKU) [3] - These stocks have seen positive earnings estimate revisions in the past 60 days and carry a Zacks Rank 2 (Buy), indicating potential for solid returns [4] Company-Specific Insights - **Amer Sports, Inc. (AS)**: Expected earnings growth rate for next year is 21.5%, with current-year earnings estimates improving by 10.7% over the last 60 days [9][11] - **Crocs, Inc. (CROX)**: Expected earnings growth rate for next year is 3.9%, with current-year earnings estimates improving by 5% over the past 60 days [12] - **Kontoor Brands, Inc. (KTB)**: Expected earnings growth rate for next year is 5.3%, with current-year earnings estimates improving by 0.7% over the past 60 days [13] - **Ralph Lauren Corporation (RL)**: Expected earnings growth rate for next year is 9.1%, with current-year earnings estimates improving by 0.7% over the past 60 days [14] - **Roku, Inc. (ROKU)**: Expected earnings growth rate for the current year is over 100%, with current-year earnings estimates improving by 83.3% over the past 60 days [15]

Core Viewpoint - A lawsuit has been filed against Crocs, Inc. and its senior executives for potential violations of federal securities laws, specifically related to misleading statements about the company's inventory practices and revenue growth from its acquisition of HEYDUDE [1][2]. Group 1: Lawsuit Details - The lawsuit is pending in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware, captioned Carretta v. Crocs, Inc., et al., No. 25-cv-00096, and claims are made under Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 [2]. - Investors have until March 24, 2025, to request to be appointed to lead the case [2]. Group 2: Allegations Against Crocs - Crocs's CEO, Andrew Rees, allegedly assured investors that the company would not overstock wholesalers, but it is claimed that HEYDUDE's revenue growth was largely due to Crocs aggressively stocking its third-party wholesaler pipeline, regardless of actual retail demand [3]. - The company revealed on April 27, 2023, that much of HEYDUDE's revenue growth was not indicative of actual retail sales, leading to a stock price decline of $23.46 per share, or nearly 16%, from $147.78 to $124.32 [4]. Group 3: Financial Performance and Stock Impact - On October 29, 2024, Crocs reported disappointing Q3 2024 results, attributing struggles at HEYDUDE to excess inventories and admitting to shipping too much product in 2022, which led to a stock price decline of $26.47 per share, or approximately 19%, from $138.05 to $111.58 [5].

Core Viewpoint - The Gross Law Firm has issued a notice to shareholders of Crocs, Inc. regarding a class action lawsuit alleging misleading statements and failure to disclose critical information about the company's revenue growth and inventory management during a specified period [1][2]. Summary by Sections Allegations - The lawsuit claims that during the class period from November 3, 2022, to October 28, 2024, Crocs, Inc. made materially false and misleading statements regarding the sustainability of HEYDUDE's revenue growth, which was largely driven by stocking third-party wholesalers and retailers after its acquisition in February 2022 [1]. - It is alleged that as retail partners began to destock excess inventory, the demand for products decreased, negatively impacting Crocs' financial results [1]. - The representations made by the defendants about the company's business operations and prospects were claimed to be materially false and misleading, lacking a reasonable basis [1]. Next Steps for Shareholders - Shareholders who purchased shares of CROX during the specified timeframe are encouraged to register for the class action, with a deadline set for March 24, 2025 [2]. - Upon registration, shareholders will be enrolled in a portfolio monitoring system to receive updates throughout the case lifecycle [2]. Firm's Commitment - The Gross Law Firm is recognized nationally for its commitment to protecting investors' rights against deceit and illegal business practices [3]. - The firm aims to ensure that companies adhere to responsible business practices and seeks recovery for investors who suffered losses due to misleading statements or omissions that inflated stock prices [3].

Group 1: ESSA Pharma Inc. (NASDAQ:EPIX) - The class period for the lawsuit is from December 12, 2023, to October 31, 2024, with a lead plaintiff deadline of March 25, 2025 [2] - The complaint alleges that defendants made materially false and misleading statements regarding the efficacy of masofaniten in combination with enzalutamide for treating prostate cancer [2] - Key allegations include that the combination treatment had no clear efficacy benefit over enzalutamide alone and that the M-E Combination Study was unlikely to meet its primary endpoint [2] Group 2: Cardlytics, Inc. (NASDAQ:CDLX) - The class period for the lawsuit is from March 14, 2024, to August 7, 2024, with a lead plaintiff deadline of March 25, 2025 [3] - The lawsuit claims that defendants made false statements regarding the company's ability to increase billings in line with rising consumer engagement [3] - Allegations include that changes to Cardlytics' Ads Decision Engine led to "underdelivery" of budgets and customer billing estimates, resulting in misleading positive statements about the company's prospects [3] Group 3: Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO) - The class period for the lawsuit is from November 2, 2022, to December 19, 2024, with a lead plaintiff deadline of March 25, 2025 [4] - The complaint alleges that defendants created a false impression of reliable information regarding the success of the phase 3 CagriSema study on obesity [4] - Key points include that the optimistic claims about achieving at least 25% weight loss were misleading and that the study's flexible protocol limited its ability to provide effective weight loss data [4] Group 4: Crocs, Inc. (NASDAQ:CROX) - The class period for the lawsuit is from November 3, 2022, to October 28, 2024, with a lead plaintiff deadline of March 24, 2025 [6] - The lawsuit alleges that defendants misrepresented the revenue growth of HEYDUDE, claiming it was driven by management's decision to stock wholesalers aggressively, regardless of retail demand [6]