Denise and her husband earn $150K a year, have no debt, and have built a sizable retirement fund — so why does money still feel tight? With seven kids to raise, this Tennessee mom called into The Ramsey Show [1] to get the experts’ take on her financial situation. “We paid everything off first, and then we had kids. And so we have a sizable retirement fund, and it just feels very strange to still be… in a situation where my husband's getting upset about money when we're supposed to be doing that well on ...

Key Points Costco beat estimates on the top and bottom lines. The company said that demand for discretionary items was fading. The valuation remains at a P/E around 50. 10 stocks we like better than Costco Wholesale › Shares of Costco (NASDAQ: COST) were pulling back today after the warehouse retailer delivered solid fourth-quarter results, but they weren't quite strong enough to push the stock up, given its lofty valuation. And management's comments about weakening discretionary spending may hav ...

On Aug. 20, Target released its second-quarter earnings for fiscal 2025. It reported a profit of $935 million for the quarter. This translated to net income of $2.05 per share, marking a 20.2% drop year-over-year (YoY). The results missed consensus estimates from analysts polled by Zacks, who expected $2.09 per share. The company delivered revenue of $25.21 billion for the period, beating Street expectations but down 0.9% from last year. This revenue slip signals persistent challenges in attracting shoppers ...

Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) is one of the stocks Jim Cramer offered insights on. Cramer said the stock is stuck in “kind of a purgatory,” as he commented: “Let’s talk about Thursday evening, though. There we have Costco, and right now, Costco’s stuck in a kind of a purgatory, a very high PE… 53. I find you don’t want to buy Costco until the PE goes below 50. But I own it for the Charitable Trust, and I’m willing to hold it all I want. It’s hard to believe that Costco can vault higher from h ...

Key Points Despite its reputation for resilience, the consumer staples sector has been among the worst performing groups all year. Among the laggards, several high quality "diamonds" can be found. Although a rate cut cycle is underway, the case can still be made for keeping some exposure to defensive stocks. 10 stocks we like better than Walmart › Whether you're looking at the past month, or the past year, the S&P consumer staples sector (NYSEMKT: XLP) is either at -- or near -- the bottom of the ...

Company Overview - Kroger Co. is a leading American retail company known for its supermarkets and multi-department stores, competing with giants like Walmart and Costco [1] - It is one of the largest grocery retailers in the United States, offering a wide array of products including groceries, pharmaceuticals, and general merchandise [1] Investment Outlook - Argus Research set a price target of $85 for Kroger, suggesting a potential price increase of approximately 28.18% from its then-current price of $66.32 [2] - Zacks Investment Research recognizes Kroger as a strong value stock, indicating that it may be undervalued and presenting a promising opportunity for value-focused investors [3] Stock Performance - As of now, Kroger's stock price is $66.11, experiencing a slight decrease of approximately 1.27% or $0.85 [4] - The stock has fluctuated between a low of $65.95 and a high of $66.76 today, with a yearly trading range between $54.56 and $74.90, indicating some volatility [4][6] - Kroger has a market capitalization of approximately $43.71 billion and a trading volume of 1,846,386 shares on the New York Stock Exchange, underscoring its significant presence in the retail industry [5]

Retail Sales Overview - U.S. retail sales rose 0.6% in August to $732 billion, marking the third consecutive monthly gain, and exceeded the consensus estimate of 0.3% [4][10] - Year-over-year, retail sales increased by 5% in August, with July's figures also revised upward to 0.6% [4] - The growth in retail sales was driven by strong demand across various sectors, including autos, clothing, sporting goods, and restaurants [10] Consumer Spending Insights - Despite inflationary pressures and concerns over the economy, consumer demand remains robust, indicating a willingness to spend [2][6] - Sales at auto dealerships increased by 0.5%, while clothing stores saw a rise of 1%, and restaurant sales grew by 0.7% [5][6] Investment Opportunities - Four retail stocks have been identified as having growth potential: Dutch Bros Inc. (BROS), Casey's General Stores, Inc. (CASY), Urban Outfitters, Inc. (URBN), and Wayfair Inc. (W) [2][10] - These stocks have experienced positive earnings estimate revisions in the past 60 days and carry a Zacks Rank of 1 (Strong Buy) or 2 (Buy) [3][10] Company-Specific Highlights - **Dutch Bros Inc.**: Expected earnings growth rate of 38.8% for the next year, with a Zacks Consensus Estimate improvement of 15.3% over the past 60 days [11] - **Casey's General Stores, Inc.**: Expected earnings growth rate of 8.7% for the current year, with a Zacks Consensus Estimate improvement of 1.3% [13] - **Urban Outfitters, Inc.**: Expected earnings growth rate of 8.2% for the current year, with a Zacks Consensus Estimate improvement of 3.4% [15] - **Wayfair Inc.**: Expected earnings growth rate of over 100% for the current year, with a Zacks Consensus Estimate improvement of more than 100% [17]

Core Insights - Aldi plans to invest £1.6bn ($2.17bn) in the UK to open 80 new stores over the next two years, aiming to expand its footprint to 1,500 locations from the current 1,060 [1][5] - The company has identified 20 priority locations for new store openings, including areas in Greater London and other regions [2] - Total sales in the UK and Ireland reached £18.1bn, a slight increase from £17.9bn in 2023, attributed to the opening of new stores [3][4] Financial Performance - Operating profit decreased to £435.5m in 2024 from £552.9m in 2023, resulting in a profit margin of 2.4% [3][4] - The decline in operating profit is linked to continued price reductions for customers, investments in infrastructure, and higher wages for staff [4] Strategic Goals - The investment is part of Aldi's strategy to meet the demand for affordable groceries in underserved communities across the UK [5]

Inflation Overview - Inflation rose by 2.9% in August compared to the previous year, up from 2.7% in July, marking the largest increase since January [2] - Core prices, excluding food and energy, increased by 3.1%, consistent with July's figures, both exceeding the Federal Reserve's 2% target [2] Federal Reserve Response - The new inflation data arrives before the Federal Reserve's key meeting, where a cut in the short-term rate to approximately 4.1% from 4.3% is widely anticipated [2] - The Fed faces challenges as inflation remains high while the job market shows signs of weakening, creating a complex scenario for policymakers [2] Employment Trends - Hiring has slowed significantly, with the unemployment rate rising to 4.3% in August, and weekly unemployment claims have increased sharply, indicating potential layoffs [2] - Typically, the Fed would lower rates in response to rising unemployment to stimulate spending, but high inflation complicates this approach [2] Price Changes - Monthly inflation accelerated with overall prices rising by 0.4% from July to August, compared to a 0.2% increase the previous month [2] - Specific price increases include gas prices up by 1.9%, grocery prices up by 0.6%, airfares up by 5.9%, and hotel room prices up by 2.3% from July to August [2] Tariff Impact - The impact of tariffs on imported goods has been mixed, with some prices rising modestly; clothing costs increased by 0.5% last month, while furniture costs rose by 0.3% [2]

Core Insights - Tariffs are contributing to rising costs of everyday items, impacting consumer spending and the labor market [1][3] - The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported significant price increases in various tariff-sensitive categories, indicating inflationary pressures [1][2] Price Increases by Category - Apparel prices increased by 0.5%, while video and audio products also saw a 0.5% rise [2] - Motor vehicle parts rose by 0.6%, new car prices increased by 0.3%, and energy costs went up by 0.7% [2] - Grocery prices accelerated by 0.6%, marking the largest monthly increase since August 2022 [2] - Furniture and bedding prices increased by 0.3% month-over-month and are up 4.7% year-over-year [2] - Tools and hardware experienced a notable increase of 0.8%, reflecting the impact on manufacturing-related goods [2] Broader Inflation Trends - Excluding food and energy, goods prices rose by 0.3% month-over-month and are up 1.5% year-over-year, the fastest rate since May 2023 [2] - Coffee prices surged by 3.6% in the last month and are up 20.9% compared to the previous year [2] Economic Implications - The cumulative price increases, while seemingly modest, are raising concerns among consumers and Federal Reserve policymakers [3] - Economic experts highlight that consumers are not well-positioned to absorb the rising costs associated with tariffs [3]