We recently compiled a list of the 12 Best Stocks to Own for Grandchildren. Dillard’s, Inc. is one of them Dillard’s, Inc. (NYSE:DDS), a major U.S. retailer specializing in fashion, cosmetics, home furnishings, and accessories, reported steady Q2 2025 results, with net income of $72.8 million, or $4.66 per share, nearly matching last year’s performance. Total retail sales rose 1% to $1.447 billion, with comparable store sales also up 1%. Growth was strongest in juniors’, children’s apparel, and ladies’ ac ...

A strong rebound and better guidance have investors excited, but the risk-reward looks balanced from here.Ulta Beauty (ULTA -1.26%) is back in favor. After a volatile stretch last year, Ulta shares are up roughly 25% year to date as investors warm to improving trends across the specialty beauty retailer. The company operates about 1,500 U.S. stores plus e-commerce and salon services, aiming to be a one-stop destination for mass and prestige cosmetics, skin care, hair care, and fragrance.That rebound raises ...

Core Viewpoint - Shanghai has released measures to promote high-quality development in the cosmetics industry, focusing on raw material innovation and application [1] Group 1: Support for Raw Material Innovation - The measures emphasize support for innovative raw materials, including functional ingredients, new emulsifiers, and fragrances [1] - Financial support will be provided to registrants and filers of new raw materials in Shanghai, with a maximum of 2 million yuan for registered new materials and 500,000 yuan for filed new materials [1] - The total annual support for a single enterprise will not exceed 2 million yuan [1] Group 2: Brand Development and E-commerce Integration - Companies are encouraged to develop high-end independent brands and establish supply response mechanisms compatible with new consumption platforms like live streaming and e-commerce [1] - The integration of industrial internet and consumer internet in the cosmetics sector is promoted [1] - Support for internet marketing activities in industrial enterprises is encouraged, with a maximum project support amount of 30 million yuan [1]

Core Insights - Ulta Beauty, Inc. is valued at a market cap of $24 billion and operates as a specialty beauty retailer offering a wide range of beauty products [1] - The company is classified as a large-cap stock, leveraging data-driven loyalty programs to enhance customer engagement and maintain its market leadership [2] Financial Performance - In Q2, Ulta reported revenue of $2.8 billion and earnings of $5.78 per share, exceeding consensus estimates [5] - Year-over-year, revenue improved by 9.3% due to increased comparable sales, the acquisition of Space NK, and new store contributions, while EPS grew by 9.1% [5] - Following the Q2 results, Ulta raised its fiscal 2025 guidance, expecting revenue between $12 billion and $12.1 billion and EPS in the range of $23.85 to $24.30 [5] Stock Performance - Ulta's shares have gained 13% over the past three months, underperforming the Nasdaq Composite's 15% return [3] - Over the past 52 weeks, Ulta's stock has rallied 32.8%, outperforming the Nasdaq's 27.9% increase [4] - Year-to-date, Ulta's shares are up 23%, compared to the Nasdaq's 16.4% rise [4] - Despite strong Q2 performance, shares fell 7.1% in the following trading session due to broader market headwinds [5] Market Position - Ulta maintains its leadership in the U.S. specialty beauty retail market through effective customer engagement strategies [2]

Summary of Key Points from the Conference Call Industry Overview - **Industry**: China Retail Sales - **Date**: August 2025 - **Growth Rate**: Retail sales growth decelerated to +3.4% YoY in August, down from +3.7% in July and below the consensus estimate of +3.8%, indicating prolonged lukewarm demand [1][4][6] Core Insights - **Demand Recovery**: No meaningful recovery in demand is expected for September due to deflation and the fading effects of subsidies [1][4] - **Category Performance**: - **Electronics and Appliances**: Growth slowed to 14% YoY, down from nearly 30-50% growth from March to July, attributed to a normalized comparison base due to trade-in subsidies starting in August 2024 [2][4] - **Alcohol & Tobacco**: Growth turned negative in August, likely due to seasonality and weak demand trends [2][4] - **Gold & Jewelry**: Experienced the highest growth acceleration in August at 16.8% YoY [2][5] - **Cosmetics, Soft Drinks, Apparel, and Restaurant & Dining**: These categories saw some growth acceleration compared to July [2][4] Retail Sales Trends - **Overall Retail Sales**: - August 2025: 3.4% YoY growth - July 2025: 3.7% YoY growth - CAGR vs. 2019: Stabilized at 2.7% [5][6] - **Retail Sales Excluding Autos**: - August 2025: 3.7% YoY growth - July 2025: 4.3% YoY growth [5] Stock Implications - **Consumer Sentiment**: Remains lackluster due to deflation, concerns over wage growth, and a softening property market [4][6] - **Investment Focus for 2H25**: - Recovery pace and pricing trends are critical for re-rating [4] - Preferred stocks include: - High growth: Pop Mart (9992.HK), Giant Biogene (2367.HK) - Turnaround plays: Yili (600887.SS) - Resilient earnings: YUMC (YUMC.N), Anta (2020.HK) [4][6] Additional Insights - **Consumer Policies**: Consumption-supportive policies could provide some support to demand sentiment [4] - **Category Divergence**: There is a notable divergence in trends across different retail categories, indicating varied consumer behavior and preferences [3][4] Conclusion The retail landscape in China is currently facing challenges with decelerating growth rates and mixed performance across categories. The outlook for September remains cautious, with expectations of continued weak demand influenced by macroeconomic factors. Investors are advised to focus on specific high-growth and resilient companies as potential opportunities amidst the broader market challenges.

Core Insights - Wujiang Huiteng Trading Business has recently been established as an individual business entity with a registered capital of 50,000 RMB [1] - The legal representative of the company is Qin Xiaoxue [1] Business Scope - The company is authorized to engage in liquor sales, subject to approval from relevant authorities [1] - General business activities include internet sales (excluding licensed products), daily necessities retail, clothing and accessories retail, footwear retail, cosmetics retail, stationery retail, electronic products sales, and food sales (only pre-packaged food) [1] - Additional activities encompass jewelry retail, arts and crafts sales (excluding ivory and its products), marketing planning, consulting services, corporate image planning, information consulting services (excluding licensed information consulting), conference and exhibition services, advertising production, advertising design and agency, and personal internet live streaming services (excluding projects requiring approval) [1]

Core Viewpoint - Coty Inc. is under investigation for potential violations of federal securities laws, following disappointing financial results and claims of overstated demand for its Prestige fragrances [1][2][3]. Group 1: Company Overview - Coty Inc. is one of the largest beauty companies globally, with a diverse portfolio that includes fragrance, color cosmetics, and skin and body care products [2]. - Prestige fragrances represent 60% of Coty's revenues, indicating a significant reliance on this segment [2]. Group 2: Financial Performance - On August 20, 2025, Coty reported disappointing financial results for Q4 and FY 2025, citing issues such as weaknesses in U.S. execution and retailer inventory buildup [3]. - The company's stock price fell by $1.05, a decline of over 21%, from $4.86 to $3.81 per share following the announcement of these results [3]. Group 3: Market Dynamics - Coty indicated that there was a slowdown in cosmetics sales due to value-seeking behavior among consumers and fatigue with innovation, alongside U.S.-specific challenges [3]. - Retailers had reportedly overstocked inventory, contradicting Coty's claims of strong demand for its products [2].

Core Insights - The beauty industry is experiencing volatility, with major companies like Coty and Ulta Beauty facing challenges, while e.l.f. Beauty has shown significant growth [1][2] Company Overview - E.l.f. Beauty, based in California, offers a variety of affordable cosmetics and skincare products globally, with a market cap of $7.9 billion [4] Stock Performance - E.l.f. Beauty's stock price has doubled in the past six months, rebounding 176% from a 52-week low of $49.4, resulting in a 9.7% year-to-date gain [2][5] Sales and Growth - In Q1 FY2026, e.l.f. Beauty reported a 9% year-over-year increase in net sales to $353.7 million, driven by strong U.S. retail and e-commerce performance [7] E-commerce Contribution - E-commerce now represents approximately 20% of total sales for e.l.f. Beauty, with a growth rate of around 20% in the latest quarter, although this is a slowdown from the previous year's 50% growth [7] Valuation Concerns - Following its stock surge, e.l.f. Beauty is trading at 38 times forward earnings, significantly higher than the sector median of 17 times, indicating potential overvaluation [6]

分组1 - Yatsen Holding (YSG), a China-based company specializing in personal products like cosmetics, released its Q2 FY2025 report on August 21 [1] - The report indicated a significant acceleration in performance metrics compared to previous periods [1]

Core Viewpoint - Ulta Beauty, Inc. reported strong second-quarter results, exceeding revenue and earnings expectations, and raised its full-year revenue guidance despite a decline in share price [1][2]. Financial Performance - The company achieved second-quarter revenue of $2.79 billion, surpassing analyst estimates of $2.67 billion [1]. - Earnings per share (EPS) were reported at $5.78, exceeding expectations of $4.97 [1]. Guidance and Outlook - Ulta raised its fiscal 2025 revenue guidance to between $12 billion and $12.1 billion, up from the previous forecast of $11.5 billion to $11.7 billion [2]. - The company now expects comparable sales growth of 2.5% to 3.5%, compared to the earlier range of flat to 1.5% growth [2]. Analyst Insights - Goldman Sachs highlighted three key points: the increase in FY25 comparable-sales outlook, anticipated higher SG&A growth, and higher EPS projections, which support the stock's recent strength [2]. - JPMorgan noted that the beauty category growth is reverting to its long-term trend of 3%–4%, with Ulta's unique market position driving share gains [4]. Market Position and Strategy - Ulta's comp gains are attributed to a healthy cosmetics category and effective execution, supported by increased investment in marketing, labor, and services [3]. - The company's loyalty program provides a structural data advantage, allowing it to understand customer preferences better than brands [5]. Price Action and Analyst Ratings - Despite the positive financial results, Ulta's shares fell by 6.44% to $496.47 [5]. - Goldman Sachs analyst Kate McShane raised the price forecast from $530 to $584, maintaining a Buy rating [7]. - JPMorgan analyst Christopher Horvers maintained an Overweight rating and increased the price forecast from $525 to $600 [7].