It has been about a month since the last earnings report for Energizer Holdings (ENR) . Shares have added about 12.8% in that time frame, outperforming the S&P 500.Will the recent positive trend continue leading up to its next earnings release, or is Energizer due for a pullback? Before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late, let's take a quick look at its most recent earnings report in order to get a better handle on the important drivers.Energizer Q4 Earnings Miss Estimates, Organ ...

Core Insights - The upcoming holiday season is critical for retail, influenced by changing consumer behavior, persistent inflation, and disparities in household spending [1] Consumer Spending Trends - Total card spending per household increased by 2.4% year-over-year in October, marking the strongest growth since early 2024 [2] - Holiday-specific spending per household rose by 5.7% compared to the previous year, although retail transaction volumes have been declining since January, indicating inflation may be driving spending rather than increased demand [3] Income Disparities - Spending growth in October was primarily driven by services, with retail purchases excluding gas and dining contributing only a quarter of the growth [5] - Higher-income households experienced a 2.7% year-over-year increase in spending, supported by a 3.7% rise in after-tax wages, while lower-income households saw only 0.7% growth with a mere 1% increase in wages [7] AI in Retail - This holiday season may see the mainstream adoption of artificial intelligence as a shopping tool, with significant increases in AI-driven referrals to retail websites [8][9] - Retailers like Home Depot and Etsy are experiencing a notable portion of their referral traffic from AI, with 17% of U.S. shoppers indicating they will use an AI agent this season [10] Retail Sector Performance - The State Street SPDR S&P Retail ETF has risen by 6% year-to-date, slightly outperforming the broader Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR Fund [11] - Notable performers include ThredUp, National Vision Holdings, and Carvana, while companies like Deckers Outdoor and Bath & Body Works have faced significant declines in stock performance [12][13]

Company Insights - Apple is reportedly increasing its CEO succession planning efforts as Tim Cook may step down as soon as next year, with John Ternus, senior vice president of hardware engineering, seen as a potential successor [2][3] - The transition is not related to Apple's current performance, as Cook has been CEO since 2011, following Steve Jobs' resignation [4] Industry Trends - M&M Custard LLC, a major franchisee of Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, reporting approximately $5 million in assets against nearly $28 million in liabilities, affecting 32 locations across several states [5][6] - The bankruptcy reflects a broader trend in the quick-service restaurant and casual dining sectors, with chains like Dairy Queen, Wendy's, Red Lobster, and Outback Steakhouse closing stores due to reduced consumer spending and rising operational costs [7]

Core Insights - The State Street SPDR S&P Retail ETF (XRT) is a smart beta ETF launched on June 19, 2006, designed to provide broad exposure to the Consumer Discretionary sector [1] - XRT has accumulated over $284.35 million in assets, making it one of the larger ETFs in its category [5] - The fund seeks to match the performance of the S&P Retail Select Industry Index, which is a modified equal weight index representing the retail sub-industry of the S&P Total Market Index [6] Fund Characteristics - XRT has an annual operating expense ratio of 0.35%, positioning it as one of the cheaper options in the ETF space [7] - The fund offers a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 1.33% [7] - The portfolio is heavily allocated to the Consumer Discretionary sector, comprising approximately 78.7% of total assets [8] Holdings and Performance - Etsy Inc (ETSY) is the largest holding, accounting for about 1.77% of total assets, with the top 10 holdings representing around 16.11% of total assets under management [9] - As of November 7, 2025, XRT has experienced a year-to-date loss of approximately -0.37% and a one-year increase of about 1.3% [11] - The fund has a beta of 1.24 and a standard deviation of 23.78% over the trailing three-year period, indicating medium risk [11] Alternatives - Alternatives to XRT include the Amplify Online Retail ETF (IBUY) and the VanEck Retail ETF (RTH), with respective assets of $147.61 million and $253.07 million [13] - IBUY has an expense ratio of 0.65%, while RTH has an expense ratio of 0.35% [13]

Core Insights - The State Street SPDR S&P Retail ETF (XRT) is a passively managed ETF launched on June 19, 2006, providing broad exposure to the Consumer Discretionary - Retail segment of the equity market [1][3] - The ETF has assets over $240.88 million and aims to match the performance of the S&P Retail Select Industry Index [3][4] - The ETF has an annual operating expense ratio of 0.35% and a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 1.3% [5] Sector Overview - The Consumer Discretionary - Retail sector is ranked 8th among the 16 Zacks sectors, placing it in the top 50% [2] - The ETF has a significant allocation of approximately 78.4% in the Consumer Discretionary sector, followed by Consumer Staples [6] Holdings and Performance - Etsy Inc (ETSY) is the largest holding at about 1.77% of total assets, with the top 10 holdings accounting for approximately 16.11% of total assets [7] - The ETF has gained about 2.64% year-to-date and approximately 6.45% over the past year, with a trading range between $62.11 and $88.49 in the last 52 weeks [8] Risk Assessment - The ETF has a beta of 1.24 and a standard deviation of 23.73% over the trailing three-year period, indicating a medium risk profile [8] Alternatives - Alternatives to XRT include the Amplify Online Retail ETF (IBUY) and the VanEck Retail ETF (RTH), with IBUY having $153.02 million in assets and RTH having $255.46 million [11]

Core Insights - Newell Brands reported quarterly earnings of $0.17 per share, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.18 per share, but showing an increase from $0.16 per share a year ago, resulting in an earnings surprise of -5.56% [1] - The company posted revenues of $1.81 billion for the quarter ended September 2025, which was 4.56% below the Zacks Consensus Estimate and a decrease from $1.95 billion year-over-year [2] - Newell Brands has underperformed the market, with shares down approximately 52.6% year-to-date compared to a 16% gain in the S&P 500 [3] Earnings Outlook - The current consensus EPS estimate for the upcoming quarter is $0.26 on revenues of $1.98 billion, and for the current fiscal year, it is $0.67 on revenues of $7.37 billion [7] - The estimate revisions trend for Newell Brands was mixed prior to the earnings release, resulting in a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold), indicating expected performance in line with the market [6] Industry Context - The Consumer Products - Staples industry, to which Newell Brands belongs, is currently ranked in the bottom 17% of over 250 Zacks industries, suggesting potential challenges ahead [8] - Empirical research indicates a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions, which could impact investor sentiment [5]

Athleisure brand Athleta shares higher today but down about 20% over the past three months and management saying on the call tariffs could significantly affect operating margins and financial outlook. Gap not alone. Other names like Best Buy, Walmart, Target also flagging trade headwinds and rising costs in the recent reports.But my next guest says some retailers are passing along prices quietly and that consumers aren't pushing back. Joining me now is Loop Capital's Anthony Chakumba. Anthony, thank you so ...

Core Insights - Colgate-Palmolive Company (CL) reported strong second-quarter 2025 results, with both revenue and earnings exceeding expectations and showing year-over-year improvement [1][2][8] - The company is focusing on enhancing its capabilities in digital, data, and analytics to strengthen competitive advantages and profitability [1] Financial Performance - On a non-GAAP basis, earnings per share (EPS) were $0.92, a 1% increase from the previous year, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.89 [2][8] - Net sales reached $5.11 billion, a 1% increase from the prior year, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $5.05 billion [2][8] - Organic sales grew by 1.8%, despite a 0.6% negative impact from reduced private-label pet volume and a 1% adverse effect from foreign exchange [2][8] Segment Analysis - North America's net sales, accounting for 20% of total sales, decreased by 1% year over year, attributed to a 0.5% drop in pricing and a 0.4% decline in volume [10] - Latin America's net sales, representing 24% of total sales, fell by 4.8% year over year, with an 8.2% negative currency impact overshadowing a 3% pricing gain [10] - Europe's net sales increased by 7.8% year over year, driven by a 2.2% rise in pricing and a 5.7% positive currency effect [11] - The Asia Pacific segment's net sales rose by 0.8% year over year, with a 1.6% drop in volume offset by a 1.6% increase in pricing [11] - Africa/Eurasia's net sales improved by 8% year over year, supported by a 4.3% growth in volume and a 3.4% increase in pricing [12] - Hill's Pet Nutrition's net sales increased by 3.8% year over year, benefiting from a 2.9% rise in pricing [12] Profitability Metrics - The base business gross profit was $3.07 billion, a slight decrease of 0.2% from the previous year, with a gross profit margin of 60.1%, down 70 basis points [6][9] - Adjusted operating profit was $1.09 billion, a decline of 3% year over year, with an adjusted operating profit margin of 21.3%, down 80 basis points [9] Cash Flow and Shareholder Returns - Colgate ended the second quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $1.22 billion and total debt of $8.8 billion [13] - The company generated $1.5 billion in net cash from operating activities for the first half of 2025 and returned $880 million to shareholders through dividends [13] Future Outlook - Colgate anticipates continued uncertainty and volatility in global markets, projecting organic sales growth at the lower end of the previous 2-4% guidance range [14][16] - The company expects net sales to grow in low single digits, with a flat to low-single-digit adverse impact from foreign exchange [15]

Company Overview - National Vision (EYE) shares increased by 9.4% to $11.90 in the last trading session, following a period of 11% loss over the past four weeks, indicating a significant recovery in investor sentiment [1] - The company is a discount optical retailer and eye care provider, with upcoming quarterly earnings expected to be $0.32 per share, reflecting a year-over-year increase of 6.7% [3] Financial Performance - In the fourth quarter, National Vision reported an adjusted loss per share of 2 cents, which was better than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a 16 cents loss, while revenues exceeded expectations by 1.4% [2] - The anticipated revenue for the upcoming report is $522.46 million, which represents a decline of 3.7% compared to the same quarter last year [3] Market Sentiment and Estimates - Investor optimism is high ahead of the first quarter 2025 financial results, set to be released on May 14, before market opens [2] - The consensus EPS estimate for the upcoming quarter has remained unchanged over the last 30 days, suggesting stability in earnings expectations [4] - National Vision currently holds a Zacks Rank of 1 (Strong Buy), indicating strong market confidence in the stock [4]

Company Overview - National Vision Holdings, Inc. (EYE) is enhancing its foundation through leadership changes, expanded exam capacity, and strategic initiatives, with positive optical retail industry statistics indicating growth potential in upcoming quarters [1] - The company's America's Best brand is significantly contributing to revenue growth, capitalizing on the strength of managed care [1][3] Financial Performance - Year-to-date, National Vision's shares have increased by 4.4%, outperforming the industry decline of 3.1% and the S&P 500's fall of 14.3% [2] - The company has a market capitalization of $894.19 million and has consistently beaten earnings estimates over the past four quarters, with an average surprise of 79.29% [2] Industry Trends - The U.S. optical retail industry is experiencing consistent growth, driven by medical and recurring eye care purchases, with 82% of respondents using some form of vision correction according to a 2023 report by the Vision Council [5] - A WHO report from 2023 indicates that nearly 2.2 billion individuals globally have vision impairments, with 1 billion of these impairments unaddressed [5] Strategic Initiatives - National Vision is implementing several strategic changes, including the introduction of the Wide Buys promotion by America's Best to attract new customers and exclusive partnerships with eyewear brands [3][4] - The company is digitizing its operations, investing in a finance ERP system set to launch in Q2 2025 and a new Adobe CRM platform [7] Operational Challenges - National Vision's solvency position is concerning, with cash and cash equivalents of $73.9 million and short-term debt of $101.4 million, leading to a debt-to-capital ratio of 30% [9] - The company plans to take action on 43 stores through fiscal 2026 to strengthen its core business foundation [8] Future Outlook - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for National Vision's 2025 earnings per share remains at 55 cents, with projected revenues of $1.92 billion, reflecting a 2.2% improvement from the previous year [10]