Cyril Marcilhacy / Bloomberg via Getty Images LVMH described the U.S. as a source of strength on a recent conference call. Key Takeaways Despite a move toward value-seeking in the U.S., Americans helped bolster sales at LVMH Moët Hennessy, the luxury goods conglomerate said. Research shows wealthy Americans are spending more freely than others and playing an outsize role in the economy. Americans haven't fallen out of love with luxury goods. While retailers and consumer-goods companies say American ...

Core Viewpoint - Investors are disappointed with the new trade deal between the E.U. and the U.S., which has negatively impacted LVMH's stock performance and reflects broader concerns in the luxury sector [1][2]. Group 1: Trade Deal Impact - The E.U. and the U.S. agreed to a 15% tariff on European goods, which has been criticized by France as a "submission" [3]. - The tariff agreement avoids a trade war but increases costs for luxury goods, which are already facing challenges [3]. - The trade war is expected to affect LVMH's fashion and leather goods segment, as well as wines and spirits, with trade-related pressures in China further hurting demand [5]. Group 2: Financial Performance - LVMH reported a 4% decline in revenue for the first half of the year, with operating profit falling 15% to €9 billion, primarily due to weakness in Asia [4]. - Organic revenue in fashion and leather goods, which constitute nearly half of LVMH's sales, declined by 7% [4][5]. Group 3: Future Outlook - Investors are looking for a potential trade deal with China, which could benefit LVMH, as China accounts for about a quarter of the global luxury market [6]. - There is disappointment that luxury goods were not excluded from the U.S. trade deal, but a strong economy and stock market may mitigate the impact of import taxes [6]. - LVMH possesses a strong portfolio of brands that should provide long-term stability, although short-term volatility is expected [7].

LVMH's fashion and leather goods segment fell an alarming 4% (or 5% organically) in the first quarter and 12% in the second to end the first half off 8% to $22.4 billion on a reported basis. (Photo: VCG via Getty Images)https://t.co/5JN2wTGcJj https://t.co/CreTiYmxUR ...