Core Insights - Zumiez Inc. reported second-quarter fiscal 2025 results with net sales of $214.3 million, surpassing estimates and showing a year-over-year increase of 1.9% [4][19] - The company experienced a quarterly loss of 6 cents per share, which was narrower than the expected loss of 11 cents but wider than the loss of 4 cents in the previous year [3][19] - Comparable sales rose 2.5% year over year, marking the fifth consecutive quarter of growth, driven by higher dollars per transaction despite a decline in the number of transactions [5][19] Financial Performance - Total net sales of $214.3 million exceeded the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $211 million, with North America sales contributing $180 million, up 2.1% year over year [4][6] - Gross profit increased by 5.9% to $76 million, with gross margin expanding by 130 basis points to 35.5% due to improved product margins and leveraging store occupancy costs [8][9] - Selling, general and administrative (SG&A) costs rose 5.2% to $75.9 million, representing 35.4% of sales, an increase of 100 basis points from the previous year [9][10] Regional and Category Performance - North America comparable sales increased by 4.2%, while international comparable sales declined by 5.5% [7] - The women's category saw the highest increase in comparable sales, while footwear experienced the largest decline [7] Cash Flow and Shareholder Equity - As of August 2, 2025, cash and current marketable securities totaled $106.7 million, down from $127 million a year earlier, primarily due to share repurchases and capital expenditures [11][12] - Total shareholders' equity stood at $292.4 million, with the company repurchasing 0.6 million shares at an average price of $13.10 per share [12] Store Operations - Zumiez operated 730 stores as of August 30, 2025, with plans to open six new stores and close 20 stores in fiscal 2025 [13] Future Guidance - For Q3 fiscal 2025, total sales are expected to be between $232 million and $237 million, with comparable sales growth anticipated at 5.5-7.5% [19] - The company forecasts 3-4% year-over-year sales growth for fiscal 2025, despite planned store closures [20][21]

Core Insights - American Eagle Outfitters, Inc. (AEO) shares surged over 24% in after-hours trading following strong Q2 fiscal 2025 results and reinstated guidance for the fiscal year [1][2] Financial Performance - AEO reported earnings of $0.45 per share, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.20, marking a 15% increase year over year [2][9] - Total net revenues reached $1.28 billion, a 1% decline year over year but above the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.23 billion [3] - Consolidated comparable sales fell 1% in the quarter, with a notable demand increase as the quarter progressed, particularly in July [3] Brand Performance - Revenues for the American Eagle brand decreased by 3.3% year over year to $800.4 million, with comparable sales down 3% [4] - Aerie brand revenues increased by 3.2% year over year to $429.1 million, with comparable sales rising by 3% [4] Margins and Expenses - Gross profit slightly increased by 0.2% year over year to $500 million, with a gross margin of 38.9%, up 30 basis points from the previous year [5][9] - Selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses decreased by 1% year over year to $342.2 million, remaining flat as a percentage of sales [6] Financial Health - As of August 2, 2025, AEO had cash and cash equivalents of $126.8 million and net long-term debt of $203 million, with total shareholders' equity at $1.54 billion [7] - The company completed a $200 million accelerated share repurchase agreement, repurchasing nearly 18 million shares [10] Future Outlook - For Q3 fiscal 2025, AEO expects comparable sales to rise in the low single digits, with gross margin projected to decline year over year [11] - For Q4 fiscal 2025, similar expectations for comparable sales and a slight decrease in SG&A expenses are anticipated [12] - The company plans to invest in digital channels and optimize its store fleet, with plans to open approximately 30 Aerie locations and remodel 40-50 AE stores [13]

Core Insights - Macy's, Inc. reported second-quarter fiscal 2025 results with both top and bottom lines exceeding Zacks Consensus Estimates, although both metrics declined compared to the previous year [1][10] - Comparable sales increased, marking the strongest growth in 12 quarters, prompting the company to raise its fiscal 2025 outlook [1][10] Financial Performance - Adjusted earnings were 41 cents per share, surpassing the consensus estimate of 19 cents, but down 22.6% from 53 cents in the prior year [3] - Net sales reached $4,812 million, exceeding the consensus estimate of $4,718 million, but down 2.5% year over year [4] - Comparable sales increased by 0.8% on an owned basis and 1.9% on an owned-plus-licensed-plus-marketplace basis [4] Brand Performance - Macy's brand comps increased by 0.4% on an owned basis and 1.2% on an owned-plus-licensed-plus-marketplace basis [6] - Bloomingdale's brand comps rose by 3.6% on an owned basis and 5.7% on an owned-plus-licensed-plus-marketplace basis, marking its fourth consecutive quarter of growth [6] - Bluemercury brand comps increased by 1.2% on an owned basis, achieving its 18th consecutive quarter of growth [6] Margins and Expenses - Gross margin was 39.7%, meeting estimates but down 80 basis points year over year due to markdowns and prior tariff impacts [7] - Selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses were $1.94 billion, down 1.5% year over year, but SG&A as a percentage of total revenues increased to 38.9% [8][9] Guidance and Outlook - The company raised its fiscal 2025 net sales outlook to between $21.15 billion and $21.45 billion, up from the previous range of $21 billion to $21.4 billion [10][16] - Comparable owned-plus-licensed-plus-marketplace sales are projected to decline between 1.5% to 0.5% year over year [16] - Adjusted earnings per share guidance was increased to a range of $1.70 to $2.05, compared to the prior range of $1.60 to $2.00 [17] Financial Snapshot - As of the end of the second quarter, the company had cash and cash equivalents of $829 million, long-term debt of $2.43 billion, and shareholders' equity of $4.45 billion [12] - Merchandise inventories declined by 0.8% year over year [12] - The company repurchased 4 million shares for $50 million during the quarter, with $1.2 billion remaining under its $2 billion share repurchase authorization [13]

Core Insights - Burlington Stores, Inc. (BURL) reported strong second-quarter fiscal 2025 results, with revenues and earnings growing year over year and exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate [1][2] - The company achieved higher sales due to effective merchandising, supply-chain improvements, and store expansion efforts [1][4] - Management raised fiscal 2025 guidance for comparable store sales, total sales, adjusted EBIT margin, and adjusted EPS following robust second-quarter earnings [2][14] Financial Performance - Adjusted earnings per share (EPS) for the second quarter were $1.72, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.27, and rose 39% from the previous year [3][4] - Total revenues reached $2,705.1 million, a 9.7% increase from the prior-year quarter, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2,639 million [4][9] - Comparable store sales increased by 5% year over year, outperforming the anticipated 1% rise [4][9] Margin Analysis - Gross margin improved to 43.7%, up 90 basis points from the second quarter of fiscal 2024, exceeding the estimated gross margin of 43.2% [5][6] - Merchandise margin increased by 60 basis points, supported by lower shortages and markdowns [5] - Adjusted selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses rose 9.7% year over year to $732.3 million, but as a percentage of net sales, it decreased to 26.7% [6] EBITDA and EBIT - Adjusted EBITDA increased by 25.4% year over year to $257 million, excluding $11 million of expenses related to bankruptcy-acquired leases [7] - Adjusted EBIT was $162 million, reflecting a 37.3% increase from the previous year [7] Balance Sheet Overview - As of the end of the reported quarter, Burlington Stores had cash and cash equivalents of $747.6 million, long-term debt of $2.02 billion, and stockholders' equity of $1.45 billion [8][9] - The company had $1.69 billion in liquidity, including $748 million in unrestricted cash and $946 million available under its asset-based lending (ABL) facility [8] Future Guidance - For the third quarter of fiscal 2025, total sales growth is expected to be between 5-7%, with comparable store sales projected to remain flat to up 2% year over year [11] - Adjusted EPS for the third quarter is anticipated to be between $1.50 and $1.60 [12] - For the fourth quarter, comparable store sales growth is expected to be flat to 2%, with total sales growth projected at 7-9% [13] - Fiscal 2025 guidance now anticipates total sales growth of 7-8% year over year, with comparable store sales expected to rise 1-2% [14][16]

Core Insights - Kohl's Corporation (KSS) reported adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of 56 cents for Q2 fiscal 2025, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 33 cents, but down from 59 cents in the same period last year [1][10] - Total revenues for the quarter were $3,546 million, a decrease of 5% from $3,732 million in the prior-year quarter, yet above the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3,476 million [2][10] - Comparable sales fell by 4.2% year over year, better than the expected decline of 5.6% [2] Revenue and Sales Performance - Net sales decreased by 5.1% to $3,347 million, while other revenues fell by 3.9% to $199 million [2] - The company's gross margin improved by 28 basis points to 39.9%, surpassing the anticipated increase of 20 basis points [4] - Operating income rose to $279 million from $166 million in the previous year, with the operating income margin expanding by 343 basis points to 7.9% [5][10] Financial Health and Future Outlook - Kohl's ended the quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $174 million and shareholders' equity of $3,927 million [6] - The company expects capital expenditures of $400 million for fiscal 2025 and has projected a net sales decline of 5-6% for the year [6][7] - Comparable sales are anticipated to decline by 4-5%, with an expected operating margin in the range of 2.5-2.7% and full-year EPS projected between 50 cents and 80 cents [7] Market Reaction - Following the better-than-expected results, Kohl's shares increased by over 15% during trading hours, with a 60.9% gain over the past three months compared to the industry's growth of 27.8% [3]

Core Insights - Ross Stores, Inc. reported second-quarter fiscal 2025 results with earnings per share (EPS) of $1.56, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.52, but a 1.9% decline from $1.59 in the same quarter of fiscal 2024 due to tariff-related costs [2][7] - Total sales reached $5,529 million, a 5% increase year over year, but slightly below the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $5,533 million, with comparable store sales improving by 2% [3][7] Financial Performance - The cost of goods sold (COGS) was $4 billion, up 5.5% year over year, representing 72.4% of sales, an increase of 70 basis points from the previous year [8] - Operating income declined 3.2% year over year to $638.3 million, with an operating margin of 11.5%, down 95 basis points due to tariff-related costs [10] - The company ended the quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $3.8 billion and long-term debt of $1.02 billion [11] Store Expansion and Future Outlook - In the second quarter, Ross Stores opened 28 new Ross and 3 dd's DISCOUNTS stores, bringing the total to 2,233 stores [13] - For the third quarter of fiscal 2025, the company expects to open 40 new stores and anticipates comparable store sales growth of 2-3% [14][16] - Management projects EPS for the third quarter to be between $1.31 and $1.37, reflecting a negative impact of 7-8 cents per share from tariffs [16][18]

Retail Sales Overview - Retail sales in the United States increased by 0.5% sequentially in July 2025, following a revised 0.9% rise in June, aligning with market expectations [1] - The largest increases were in sales at motor vehicle & parts dealers (1.6%) and furniture & home furnishing stores (1.4%) [1] - Other notable gains included sporting goods, hobby, musical instrument, & book stores (0.8%), nonstore retailers (0.8%), clothing & clothing accessories stores (0.7%), and gasoline stations (0.7%) [1] Online Sales - Nonstore retailers experienced a 0.8% sequential increase and an 8.0% yearly gain [3] - ProShares Online Retail ETF (ONLN) tracks retailers primarily selling online or through non-store channels, with a fee of 58 basis points [3] - Amazon.com (AMZN) is highlighted as a major e-commerce provider with a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold) [4] Clothing Stores - Sales in clothing stores rose by 0.7% sequentially in July and 5% year over year [5] - SPDR S&P Retail ETF (XRT) provides exposure to U.S. retail stocks, with apparel retail comprising about 21% of the fund, charging 35 basis points in fees [5] - Levi Strauss & Co. (LEVI) is noted for designing and marketing jeans and casual wear, holding a Zacks Rank of 1 (Strong Buy) [5] Furniture & Home Furnishing Stores - Sales for furniture & home furnishing stores increased by 1.4% sequentially and 5.1% year over year [6] - iShares U.S. Consumer Focused ETF (IEDI) focuses on U.S. companies related to consumer spending, charging 18 basis points in fees [6] - Home Depot (HD) is recognized as the world's largest home improvement specialty retailer, with a Zacks Rank of 3 [6] Health & Personal Care Stores - Sales for health & personal care stores rose by 0.4% sequentially and 5.6% year over year [7] - iShares U.S. Healthcare Providers ETF (IHF) aims to match the performance of the Dow Jones U.S. Select Health Care Providers Index, charging 40 basis points in fees [7] - CVS Health (CVS) is identified as a pharmacy innovation company with a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy) [7]

Core Insights - Dillard's Inc. reported second-quarter fiscal 2025 results with earnings per share (EPS) of $4.66, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.79, and a year-over-year increase of 1.5% from $4.59 [1][9] - Net sales reached $1.514 billion, reflecting a 1.6% increase from the prior-year quarter, aligning closely with consensus estimates [2][9] - The company's stock price rose approximately 3.4% following the earnings announcement, indicating strong investor confidence [3] Financial Performance - Total retail sales, excluding CDI Contractors, increased by 1.5% year over year to $1.447 billion, with comparable store sales also rising by 1% [5][9] - The consolidated gross margin contracted by 100 basis points year over year to 36.6%, with retail gross margin at 38.1%, also down 100 basis points [6] - Selling, general and administrative expenses (SG&A) as a percentage of sales decreased to 28.7%, down 40 basis points from the prior-year quarter, with total SG&A expenses increasing by 0.1% year over year to $434.2 million [10][11] Cash Flow and Shareholder Returns - Dillard's ended the quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $1.012 billion and long-term debt of $225.6 million, alongside total shareholders' equity of $1.919 billion [12] - The company repurchased 24,500 shares for $9.8 million at an average price of $398.7 per share, with $165.2 million remaining under its current share repurchase authorization [13] Future Outlook - Dillard's forecasts capital expenditure of $120 million for fiscal 2025, an increase from $105 million in fiscal 2024 [14] - The company expects depreciation and amortization expenses of $180 million and projects interest and debt income of $7 million for fiscal 2025 [15]