Core Insights - Amazon's recent earnings report showed strong performance, particularly in AWS, which generated $33 billion with a 20% growth, exceeding expectations of 18% growth [2][3] - The growth in AWS marks the fastest pace in nearly two years, indicating a resurgence in Amazon's cloud business [3] - Investors are reassured about Amazon's position in the AI infrastructure space, as the company demonstrated that its AI investments are translating into real business outcomes [4][7] AWS Performance - AWS's growth of 20% is notable, especially compared to competitors like Google (34%) and Microsoft Azure (40%) [6] - The success of AWS is critical for Amazon, as it accounts for about two-thirds of the company's total operating income [6] - The launch of Project Rineer, an $11 billion facility for AI model training, is expected to significantly contribute to AWS's growth [8] Retail Segment - Amazon's retail segment also performed well, with North America sales meeting expectations and a year-over-year margin improvement of approximately 150 basis points [10] - The margin improvement is attributed to automation and enhanced regional logistics, indicating operational efficiencies [10] - The advertising business is highlighted as a strong performer, with around 20% year-over-year growth, providing funding for AI investments [11]

Core Insights - A new company, Xianghe Haoke Trading Co., Ltd., has been established with a registered capital of 50,000 RMB and is represented by Liu Wei [1] Business Scope - The company operates in various sectors including retail of computer software and hardware, internet sales (excluding licensed goods), electronic products, daily necessities, sports equipment, bags, home appliances, stationery, office supplies, toys, and hardware products [1] - The company is also authorized to provide internet live streaming technology services, subject to approval from relevant authorities [1]

Core Insights - Amazon reported $180.2 billion in revenue and a $1.95 EPS, with a 20% growth in AWS, marking its strongest growth in over a year [1][2] - The company's shares surged approximately 13% in after-hours trading, indicating a positive market reaction [1] - AWS's revenue increased to $33 billion, surpassing analysts' expectations of around 18% growth [2] Financial Performance - Overall revenue grew by 13% year-over-year, with profits exceeding expectations and guidance for the holiday quarter remaining steady to slightly higher [1] - Operating cash flow rose 16% to $130.7 billion, while free cash flow decreased to $14.8 billion due to a significant increase in capital expenditures, which surged by roughly $51 billion year-over-year [5] AWS Growth and Strategy - AWS's 20% revenue growth was a relief for investors, especially in light of competition from Microsoft and Google, which reported higher growth rates of 40% and 34% respectively [2] - The company has invested around $100 billion in data-center expansions and chip capacity, enhancing its infrastructure to support cloud services [3] - CEO Andy Jassy highlighted that AWS is experiencing growth momentum driven by AI, with plans to double capacity by 2027 [4] Market Sentiment - Analysts view this quarter as a potential turning point for Amazon, suggesting it could reclaim a leadership role among large-cap tech stocks as investment sentiment shifts positively [5]

Listen and subscribe to The Big Idea with Elizabeth Gore on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you find your favorite podcast. When you click return on a product, where does your item actually go? This week on The Big Idea with Elizabeth Gore, Rebel founder and CEO Emily Hosie joins the show to answer the question: How can I turn customer returns into profit? Hosie turned the hidden world of retail returns into a billion-dollar business with her company, Rebel. From starting out in her basement during the ...

Core Insights - Walmart Inc. has a market capitalization of $816.9 billion and operates through three main segments: Walmart U.S., Walmart International, and Sam's Club, focusing on delivering value and convenience to customers with everyday low prices [1] Stock Performance - Over the past 52 weeks, Walmart's stock has increased by 25.9%, outperforming the S&P 500 Index, which gained 18.3% [2] - Year-to-date, Walmart shares are up 13.4%, lagging behind the S&P 500's nearly 17% increase [2] - Compared to the Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR Fund, which declined by 4.7% over the past 52 weeks, Walmart's stock has shown stronger performance [3] Financial Results - In Q2 2026, Walmart reported an adjusted EPS of $0.68, missing consensus estimates, while revenue rose 4.8% year-over-year to $177.4 billion, exceeding expectations [4] - Operating income fell by 8.2% to $7.3 billion due to legal and restructuring costs, higher liability claims, wage increases, and strategic investments [4] Earnings Forecast - For the fiscal year ending January 2026, analysts project Walmart's adjusted EPS to grow by 3.6% year-over-year to $2.60 [5] - Walmart has a mixed earnings surprise history, beating consensus estimates in three of the last four quarters [5] Analyst Ratings - Among 38 analysts covering Walmart, the consensus rating is a "Strong Buy," with 31 "Strong Buy" ratings, six "Moderate Buys," and one "Hold" [5] - The current analyst configuration is more bullish than three months ago, when there were 29 "Strong Buys" [6] Price Targets - RBC Capital analyst Steven Shemesh reaffirmed a "Buy" rating on Walmart with a price target of $116 [7] - The mean price target of $114.24 indicates a 10.6% premium to Walmart's current price, while the highest price target of $129 suggests a potential upside of 24.9% [7]

Core Insights - Walmart and Costco are two leading retail giants that emphasize value-driven shopping globally, with Walmart being the largest retailer and Costco operating on a membership-based model [1][2][3] Walmart Overview - Walmart operates over 10,750 stores in 19 countries, serving approximately 270 million customers weekly, with a market capitalization of about $846.5 billion as of October 29, 2025 [1] - The company benefits from a diverse business model, generating growth from stores, digital advertising, memberships, and marketplace operations, which provide new profit streams [4] - Walmart's digital and logistics capabilities have improved significantly, using its store network as fulfillment hubs for faster delivery [5] - In Q2 of fiscal 2026, Walmart's total revenues increased by 5.6% in constant currency, with comparable sales in Walmart U.S. up by 4.6% and international sales rising by 10.5% [6] - Management anticipates operating income to grow faster than sales for the full year, with expected consolidated net sales growth of 3.75-4.75% and adjusted EPS in the range of $2.52-$2.62 for fiscal 2026 [8] Costco Overview - Costco operates around 914 warehouses globally, with a market capitalization of approximately $404.4 billion [2] - The company's membership fees increased by 14% in Q4, with renewal rates above 89.8% worldwide, indicating strong customer loyalty [10][11] - Costco's business model focuses on bulk purchasing and efficient supply chains, allowing it to maintain low prices [11] - In Q4 of fiscal 2025, Costco's e-commerce sales rose by 13.6% year-over-year, with digitally enabled sales exceeding $27 billion [14] - The company plans to open 35 new locations in fiscal 2026, reflecting its commitment to expansion [13] Comparative Performance - Over the past year, Walmart shares gained 25%, significantly outperforming Costco's 4.4% increase [21] - Walmart's forward P/E ratio is 36.02, while Costco's is 45.01, with Costco appearing more appealing based on its valuation relative to its one-year median [24] - In the current inflationary environment, Walmart is viewed as a stronger near-term investment due to its diversified revenue streams and strength in groceries [25]

Core Insights - Retail workers at Bunnings and Kmart face over 1000 threats from customers each month, with a significant rise in incidents involving weapons [1][3] - Wesfarmers reported a 66% increase in serious harm threats at Bunnings and a 29% increase at Kmart [1][3] - The company recorded 13,500 instances of customer threats to workers over the past year, with more than 1000 involving physical assault [3] Security Measures - Kmart has enhanced security at high-risk locations and trained staff in de-escalation tactics [4] - Body-worn cameras have been deployed to improve safety for retail workers [4] Crime Statistics - One-in-three retail crimes in Australia occur in Victoria, which is 60% higher than any other state [5] - 79% of Victorians express concern over rising crime levels, compared to 66% in other regions [5] Legislative Actions - The ACT has laws allowing judges to impose workplace protection orders against violent offenders for up to 12 months [7] - South Australia has introduced similar legislation, and New South Wales has launched a police retail crime strategy to restrict recidivist offenders from retail premises [7] Company Performance - Wesfarmers achieved a record net profit after tax of $2.7 billion, a 3.8% increase from the previous year, with total revenue reaching $46 billion [9] Taxation Concerns - Chairman Michael Chaney warned that a proposed 5% cash flow tax could lead to an exodus of business investment and make Australia's tax regime one of the most burdensome globally [11][12] - Chaney emphasized that 93% of Wesfarmers' revenue is distributed to suppliers, team members, governments, and the community, highlighting the importance of large companies in the economy [11]

Layoffs & Retrenchment - Major employers like Amazon and Target are retrenching, resulting in tens of thousands of office worker layoffs [1]

Group 1: Market Overview - The trading day is concluding with mixed results across major indices, with the Dow Jones down over 70 points, while the Nasdaq is up about 130 points, marking a 0.6% increase [7] - The S&P 500 is expected to end the day in the red, indicating no record high for the index [7] - The Russell 2000 index is also down by 0.9%, reflecting a broader trend of losses among smaller companies [8] Group 2: Earnings Reports - Major tech companies such as Microsoft and Alphabet are set to report earnings, alongside other firms like Carvana, Starbucks, and Chipotle [6] - Alphabet reported earnings per share (EPS) of $2.87, exceeding the expected $2.26, with revenue also beating estimates at approximately $99.9 billion [13][14] - Microsoft reported first-quarter revenue of $77.67 billion, surpassing the estimate of $75.55 billion, but shares fell about 4% in after-hours trading [17][20] Group 3: Sector Performance - The technology sector managed to finish in the green, up by about 1%, with Nvidia achieving a historic market cap of $5 trillion [8][10] - Energy and industrial sectors faced challenges, while real estate dropped by 2.7% due to rising yields following comments from Jerome Powell [9] - Teradyne, a semi-manufacturing company, saw a significant gain of 20% in its stock price after reporting strong third-quarter results [11] Group 4: Company-Specific Highlights - Meta Platforms reported third-quarter ad revenue of $50 billion, beating expectations, but shares fell by over 7% due to a significant non-cash income tax charge of $5.93 billion [24][25][26] - Starbucks reported fourth-quarter net revenue of $9.6 billion, above estimates, but adjusted earnings per share fell short at $0.52 [21][22] - eBay's fourth-quarter net revenue guidance was raised, but shares dropped nearly 9% due to disappointing performance [32]

Offering everyone a piece of the American spirit—one handshake at a time. Supplemental Financial Presentation October 2025 0 Important Information Forward-Looking Statements This presentation contains forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties. All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this presentation are forward- looking statements. Forward-looking statements refer to the Boot Barn Holdings, Inc.'s (the "Company," "Boot Barn," "BOOT," "we," "us," and ...