Hello and welcome to Ask Before a Trend. I'm Josh Lipton and for the next half hour, we are breaking down the trends of today. Consumers began to show signs of cautious spending in September as retail sales rose modestly, increasing 0.2% in September as after a 0.6% gain August.But retailers feeling optimistic amid their holiday quarter as companies such as Abberrombi and Fitch, Best Buy, and Kohl's raising their fullear outlooks after topping third quarter expectations. So, how are consumers thinking of th ...

Core Insights - Best Buy shares rose over 5% following the release of better-than-expected fiscal third-quarter results and an upward revision of its fiscal 2026 outlook [1] Financial Performance - The company reported an EPS of $1.40, exceeding the analyst consensus of $1.30. Revenue was $9.67 billion, surpassing expectations of $9.57 billion. Enterprise comparable sales increased by 2.7%, driven by 2.4% domestic comp growth and a 3.5% rise in online sales. International comparable sales grew by 6.3%. Adjusted operating income accounted for 4% of revenue [2] Outlook Revisions - Best Buy raised its full-year EPS outlook to a range of $6.25 to $6.35, up from the previous guidance of $6.15 to $6.30, and above the Street estimate of $6.26. The revenue forecast was also lifted to $41.7 billion to $42 billion, compared to the prior range of $41.1 billion to $41.9 billion, aligning with the $41.8 billion consensus [3] Comparable Sales Expectations - The company now anticipates comparable sales to increase by 0.5% to 1.2%, an improvement from earlier expectations of a decline of 1.0% to growth of 1.0%. The adjusted operating income rate outlook remains at approximately 4.2% [4]

Core Insights - AI chipmakers Nvidia and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) experienced significant declines in their stock prices due to competitive pressures highlighted by a potential deal involving Meta Platforms considering the use of Google's AI chips [2][7][9] Market Performance - Major U.S. equity indexes rose for the third consecutive session, with the Dow increasing by 1.4%, the S&P 500 gaining 0.9%, and the Nasdaq up by 0.7%, driven by investor optimism regarding potential interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve in December [3] Company Highlights - Keysight Technologies (KEYS) saw its shares jump by 10% after exceeding quarterly earnings estimates, with a strong sales outlook attributed to demand from AI data centers. The company also announced a $1.5 billion share repurchase program [4] - Best Buy (BBY) reported better-than-expected same-store sales, revenue, and adjusted profit for the third quarter, leading to a share price increase of over 5%. The company raised its full-year outlook, citing consumer resilience and growth in computer, tablet, and gaming categories [6][9] - J.M. Smucker (SJM) stock fell by 3.7% after the company released its fiscal second-quarter earnings report, which, despite meeting expectations, included a disappointing full-year profit outlook [10] Sector Trends - Companies linked to the housing market continued to rise amid optimism about interest rate cuts, with Builders FirstSource (BLDR) stock surging nearly 9% [5]

As we look to wrap up 2025, the third-quarter earnings season is largely painting a picture of a more cautious consumer spending environment. But to say that consumer spending is down overall would oversimplify the trendsWith combined experience of covering technology companies on Wall Street and working in Silicon Valley, and serving as an outside adviser to several seed-round startups, Gary Alexander has exposure to many of the themes shaping the industry today. He has been a regular contributor on Seekin ...

Core Insights - Best Buy reported earnings per share (EPS) of $1.40, exceeding estimates of $1.31, and achieved revenue of approximately $9.67 billion, surpassing forecasts of $9.59 billion [1][6] Financial Performance - The company has raised its full-year sales forecast, now anticipating revenue between $41.65 billion and $41.95 billion, up from the previous estimate of $41.1 billion to $41.9 billion [3] - Adjusted EPS is expected to be in the range of $6.25 to $6.35, an increase from the prior forecast of $6.15 to $6.30 [3] - Full-year comparable sales outlook has improved, now predicting a rise of 0.5% to 1.2% [3] Market Trends - Best Buy's fiscal third-quarter sales have increased, reflecting consumer spending resilience, with consumers replacing electronics bought during the pandemic [2][6] - Strong performance in computing, gaming, and mobile phone categories has driven growth both online and in physical stores [4] Financial Metrics - The company has a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of approximately 24.70 and a price-to-sales ratio of about 0.38 [4] - The enterprise value to sales ratio is around 0.46, while the enterprise value to operating cash flow ratio is approximately 8.58 [4] - The earnings yield for Best Buy is about 4.05%, and the debt-to-equity ratio is 1.28, indicating more debt than equity [5] - The current ratio of approximately 1.05 suggests the company's ability to cover short-term liabilities with short-term assets [5]

Market Overview - The US stock market showed mixed signals on November 25, with the Dow Jones up 0.6%, the S&P 500 flat, and the Nasdaq down 0.3%, indicating ongoing concerns about high valuations in AI and tech stocks [1] - Despite a tech rally on Monday, all three indexes remain on track for monthly losses as investors weigh retail sales, inflation data, and the Federal Reserve's next move [1] Technology Sector - Tech shares led market volatility, with Nvidia shares falling over 4% after reports that Meta plans to invest billions in AI chips from Google, signaling increased competition [2][7] - Other tech giants like Alphabet and Alibaba performed well, supported by strong earnings and AI-driven growth momentum, which reassured investors about their resilience amid rising competition [8] Federal Reserve and Rate Cut Expectations - The market is pricing in over an 80% chance of a Fed rate cut at the December meeting, with Fed Governor Chris Waller advocating for easing to support economic growth [3][10] - A potential rate cut is viewed as beneficial for growth stocks, particularly in technology and consumer discretionary sectors, although uncertainty remains regarding the timing and scope of such a move [12] Retail Sales and Consumer Spending - Retail sales data presents a mixed picture, with September sales rising only 0.2%, below forecasts, while October data showed a rebound with sales excluding autos and gas up 0.6% month-over-month and 5% year-over-year, driven by online and food store sales [4][14] - The Producer Price Index (PPI) increased by 0.3%, raising the annual rate to 2.7%, indicating moderate but persistent price pressures [15] Earnings Season - The earnings season is gaining attention, with Kohl's and Best Buy reporting this week, providing insights into consumer demand ahead of the holiday season [5][21] - Investors are closely monitoring these results to gauge spending trends and assess whether consumers are holding back [5] Energy Market - Energy markets experienced significant declines, with Brent crude falling 1.9% to below $62 per barrel and WTI dropping 2% to below $58, both down nearly 5% over the past five sessions [17][22] - Natural gas prices also fell, with futures down 5.9% to trade under $4.40 per MMBtu, influenced by peace-talk progress and strong US production [19]

Best Buy boosted its full-year outlook and said that consumers are still willing to spend on new tech products, despite a broader focus on finding deals. ...

Group 1: Alphabet (Google) - Alphabet's shares are rising in pre-market trading, driven by reports of Meta considering a multi-billion dollar investment in Google's AI chips [2][3] - The company is gaining traction in the AI sector, with its Gemini AI model receiving positive feedback and outperforming competitors like GPT-5 in various benchmarks [6][7] - The optimism surrounding Alphabet's AI advancements is reflected in its stock price, indicating that investments in AI are yielding positive results [7] Group 2: Nvidia - Nvidia's shares are down over 3.5% in pre-market trading as companies seek to diversify their AI chip suppliers, reducing reliance on Nvidia [4] - Despite being a market leader, Nvidia faces challenges as competitors like Alphabet and others enhance their AI capabilities [4] Group 3: Meta - Meta is projected to spend between $70 billion to $72 billion on AI infrastructure this year, indicating its significant investment in AI technology [3] - The potential partnership with Google for AI chips highlights Meta's commitment to enhancing its AI capabilities [2] Group 4: Alibaba - Alibaba reported better-than-expected revenue growth of 5% to $35 billion, with cloud revenue rising by 34% and AI-related product revenue experiencing triple-digit growth for nine consecutive quarters [11] - The company's revamped Quen AI app achieved 10 million downloads in just one week, showcasing strong demand for its AI offerings [11] Group 5: Fed Rate Cut Expectations - Market expectations for a Fed rate cut next month have risen to over 80%, influenced by comments from Fed officials advocating for near-term easing [12][13] - The anticipation of a rate cut is impacting various sectors, including retail and technology, as investors adjust their strategies accordingly [12][13] Group 6: Retail Earnings - Best Buy reported Q3 revenue of $9.67 billion, exceeding expectations, and plans to buy back $300 million in shares [43] - Kohl's raised its full-year outlook for the second consecutive quarter, indicating stabilization under new CEO Michael Bender [44] - Dick Sporting Goods also boosted its outlook, citing expected sales gains from existing stores, contributing to a positive retail earnings trend [45]

About this content About Angela Harmantas Angela Harmantas is an Editor at Proactive. She has over 15 years of experience covering the equity markets in North America, with a particular focus on junior resource stocks. Angela has reported from numerous countries around the world, including Canada, the US, Australia, Brazil, Ghana, and South Africa for leading trade publications. Previously, she worked in investor relations and led the foreign direct investment program in Canada for the Swedish government ...

Best Buy (NYSE:BBY) Q3 2026 Earnings Call November 25, 2025 08:00 AM ET Company ParticipantsMatt Bilunas - Chief Financial and Strategy OfficerMollie O'Brien - Head of Investor RelationsCorie Barry - CEOJason Bonfig - Chief Customer Product and Fulfillment OfficerConference Call ParticipantsJoe Feldman - AnalystJonathan Matuszewski - AnalystPeter Keith - AnalystGreg Mellick - Equity AnalystSeth Sigman - AnalystSimeon Gutman - Executive Director and Senior Equity AnalystChristopher Horvers - AnalystAnthony C ...