About this content About Emily Jarvie Emily began her career as a political journalist for Australian Community Media in Hobart, Tasmania. After she relocated to Toronto, Canada, she reported on business, legal, and scientific developments in the emerging psychedelics sector before joining Proactive in 2022. She brings a strong journalism background with her work featured in newspapers, magazines, and digital publications across Australia, Europe, and North America, including The Examiner, The Advocate, ...

Core Insights - Ross Stores, Inc. operates a chain of off-price retail apparel and home accessories stores, utilizing a successful business model that appeals to cost-conscious consumers [1] - The company is facing significant macroeconomic and geopolitical challenges, including tariff pressures and persistent inflation, which are impacting its cost structure and visibility into future performance [2][4] Financial Performance and Guidance - Management has withdrawn fiscal 2025 sales and earnings guidance due to uncertainties related to tariffs and macroeconomic conditions, leading to a more cautious outlook for the second quarter [3][10] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for fiscal 2025 EPS indicates a year-over-year decline of 1.4%, while fiscal 2026 EPS is expected to grow by 9% [10] Market Position and Valuation - Ross Stores' shares have decreased by 15.7% year to date, contrasting with the industry's growth of 2.3% [8] - The company trades at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 19.66X, significantly lower than the industry average of 31.86X [9] Merchandise Sourcing and Cost Pressures - More than half of Ross Stores' merchandise is sourced from China, making the company vulnerable to rising tariff-related costs [4][10] - Although the company is implementing mitigation strategies such as supply-chain diversification and vendor negotiations, these may not fully alleviate the financial pressures [5]

Core Viewpoint - Best Buy Co Inc reported disappointing first-quarter 2026 earnings, with sales and adjusted earnings falling short of analyst expectations [1][2]. Financial Performance - First-quarter sales decreased by approximately 1% year-over-year to $8.77 billion, missing the analyst consensus estimate of $9.22 billion [1]. - Adjusted earnings were reported at $1.15, below the consensus of $1.31 [2]. - The gross profit margin remained stable at 23%, while the operating margin declined from 3.5% to 2.5% [2]. Guidance and Outlook - The company updated its full-year guidance, expecting annual comparable sales growth to range from a decline of 1% to an increase of 1%, with an adjusted operating income rate similar to last year at approximately 4.2% [2][4]. - For Q2 FY26, comparable sales are expected to be slightly down compared to last year, with an adjusted operating income rate projected at approximately 3.6% [3]. - Fiscal 2026 adjusted earnings guidance was lowered from a range of $6.20-$6.60 per share to $6.15-$6.30 per share, compared to the consensus of $6.13 per share [3]. - Sales guidance was also reduced from $41.4 billion to $42.2 billion down to a new range of $41.1 billion to $41.9 billion, with the consensus around $41.44 billion [3]. Revenue Breakdown - Domestic revenue of $8.13 billion decreased by 0.9%, primarily due to a 0.7% decline in comparable sales [4]. - The decline in comparable sales was driven by decreases in home theater, appliances, and drones, partially offset by growth in computing, mobile phone, and tablet categories [4]. - Domestic online revenue increased by 2.1% on a comparable basis to $2.58 billion, representing 31.7% of total domestic revenue compared to 30.8% last year [4].