UK-based supermarket chain Sainsbury’s posted stronger third-quarter grocery sales and held its full-year profit outlook, despite weaker performance in general merchandise and Argos. In the 16 weeks to 3 January 2026, total retail sales excluding fuel increased 3.9% year-on-year to £10.02bn ($13.43bn) Total retail sales, including fuel, climbed to £11.12bn, up from £10.76bn in the same quarter last year. Grocery sales advanced 5.4% over the period while general merchandise and clothing declined 1.1%. ...

It has been about a month since the last earnings report for Casey's General Stores (CASY) . Shares have added about 7.6% in that time frame, outperforming the S&P 500.But investors have to be wondering, will the recent positive trend continue leading up to its next earnings release, or is Casey's due for a pullback? Before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late, let's take a quick look at its latest earnings report in order to get a better handle on the important catalysts.CASY Q2 ...

Financial giants have made a conspicuous bullish move on Costco Wholesale. Our analysis of options history for Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) revealed 30 unusual trades.Delving into the details, we found 73% of traders were bullish, while 10% showed bearish tendencies. Out of all the trades we spotted, 4 were puts, with a value of $136,893, and 26 were calls, valued at $2,234,247.Projected Price TargetsAnalyzing the Volume and Open Interest in these contracts, it seems that the big players have been eyeing ...

Key Takeaways Walmart U.S. grocery posted low single-digit comps in Q3, driven by higher transactions and volumes.WMT ran about 7,400 rollbacks, over half in grocery, with more than 2,000 shifting to everyday low prices.Walmart U.S. e-commerce rose 28%, helping grocery gain share across income groups via faster delivery.Walmart Inc.’s (WMT) grocery business remained a steady contributor to U.S. performance in the third quarter of fiscal 2026, reflecting continued customer engagement around food and consumab ...

Core Insights - Loblaw Companies Limited raised and donated over $6.8 million to President's Choice Children's Charity in 2025, enabling the charity to feed 1 million children annually [1][4] Fundraising Campaign - The majority of the funds were raised during the 'Get to Give Days' campaign from October 16 to November 2, where Loblaw matched customer donations at checkout up to $2 million, resulting in a $2.6 million contribution to the charity [2] Charity Impact - The funds allowed the PC Children's Charity to achieve its goal of feeding 1 million kids annually through the Power Full Kids Eat Well program, which operates in approximately 2,200 schools across Canada [3] Charity Background - President's Choice Children's Charity has been active for 36 years, helping over 10 million children and focusing on combating childhood hunger since 2018 [4]

Let's bring in GOP Oklahoma Senator Mark Wayne Mullen. Sen Senator, it's good to see you. What's your reaction to this? Inflation under Trump hit just 2.7% in November, lower than expected. That number came out today. The largest monthly decline in like 2, three years. Yes, some gaps in the data, but what do you make of the media hot takes on all this? >> Well, the media is flat wrong. Keep in mind, when Joe Biden came into office in 2022, he inherited an inflation rate at 1.4%. In a year and a half, it was ...

Deep-pocketed investors have adopted a bullish approach towards Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST), and it's something market players shouldn't ignore. Our tracking of public options records at Benzinga unveiled this significant move today. The identity of these investors remains unknown, but such a substantial move in COST usually suggests something big is about to happen.We gleaned this information from our observations today when Benzinga's options scanner highlighted 47 extraordinary options activities for ...

Core Viewpoint - Casey's General Stores' stock price is expected to trend higher due to strong growth prospects, healthy cash flow, and broad market support, despite current valuation concerns [2][3]. Group 1: Financial Performance - Casey's General Stores reported a solid fiscal Q2 with net revenue of $4.51 billion, reflecting a year-over-year growth of 14.2%, driven by new-store growth and comparable store sales [5]. - Inside sales increased by 13%, with inside comparable sales up by 3.3% and fuel gallon comparable sales up by 0.8% [6]. - The company achieved an EBITDA increase of 17.5%, with net income and GAAP earnings rising by 14%, resulting in a GAAP EPS of 33 cents, which exceeded market expectations by 630 basis points [7]. Group 2: Cash Flow and Capital Returns - Casey's generates substantial free cash flow, supported by operational efficiency and a strong balance sheet, with total liabilities at 1.25 times equity and rising shareholder equity [8]. - Shareholder equity increased by 8% year-to-date, alongside dividend payments and share buybacks, indicating a commitment to returning value to shareholders [8]. Group 3: Market Support - The stock is trading at approximately 10 times its 2035 earnings outlook, suggesting a potential 100% upside in stock price over the coming years, supported by institutional and analyst backing [3]. - The overall market sentiment is positive, with a tendency toward accumulation of Casey's stock, which is expected to drive further price appreciation [3].

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Diluted EPS was $5.53 per share, and net income reached $206 million, both reflecting a 14% increase from the prior year [8][15] - Total revenue for the quarter was $4.51 billion, an increase of $559 million, or 14.2% from the prior year, driven by higher inside sales and fuel gallons sold [11][15] - EBITDA for the quarter was $410 million, a 17.5% increase from the prior year [15] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Same store sales increased by 3.3% for the second quarter, or 7.5% on a two-year stack basis, with an average margin of 42.4% [9] - Prepared food and dispensed beverage sales rose by $50 million to $468 million, an increase of 12% [11] - Grocery and general merchandise sales increased by $141 million to $1.19 billion, an increase of 13.4% [11] - Same store grocery and general merchandise sales were up 2.7%, or 6.4% on a two-year stack basis, with an average margin of 36% [10] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Same store gallons sold were up 0.8%, with a fuel margin of 41.6 cents per gallon [10] - The Midcontinent region saw an approximate 2% decline in fuel gallons sold, indicating market share growth for the company [10] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on balancing profitability and volume, maintaining a consistent offer to guests [25] - The strategic plan is nearing completion, with expectations to continue gaining market share [18] - The company is committed to small tuck-in acquisitions while maintaining high asset quality standards [44] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management noted that consumer behavior is becoming more discerning, with a focus on value propositions [86] - The company expects a sequential deceleration in EBITDA growth in the second half due to higher prior year comparisons [42] - Management remains optimistic about the prepared food proposition, which is seen as a strong value relative to competitors [86] Other Important Information - The board of directors maintained the quarterly dividend at $0.57 per share and increased share repurchase expectations to approximately $200 million for the fiscal year [16] - The company is approximately 80% hedged for cheese prices for the next four quarters [64] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you talk about the sustainability of fuel performance? - Management stated that their consistent approach to balancing profitability and volume has contributed to their success, and they expect seasonal lower margins in the winter [25][26] Question: Can you elaborate on the increase in same store operating expenses? - Management confirmed that full-year expectations for operating expenses remain unchanged, with a focus on maintaining efficiency while meeting demand [27][29] Question: What impact will SEFCOS stores have on margins as they roll into the comp base? - Management acknowledged that SEFCOS stores currently have lower margins but expect improvements as they are rebranded and integrated into the company [34][35] Question: Can you provide insights on the guidance for EBITDA growth in the second half? - Management indicated that the strong first half results will not be replicated in the second half due to higher prior year comparisons, but overall performance remains on plan [42] Question: How is the company addressing competition from private convenience stores? - Management expressed confidence in their ability to compete effectively, highlighting their differentiated offerings and strong performance in competitive markets [78]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Diluted EPS finished at $5.53 per share, and net income was $206 million, both representing a 14% increase from the prior year [6][14] - The company generated $410 million in EBITDA, a 17.5% increase from the prior year [6][14] - Total revenue for the quarter was $4.51 billion, an increase of $559 million, or 14.2% from the prior year [9][14] - Gross profit was $1.12 billion, an increase of $163 million, or 17% from the prior year [10][14] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Same store sales were up 3.3% for the second quarter, or 7.5% on a two-year stack basis, with an average margin of 42.4% [7] - Same store prepared food and dispensed beverage sales increased by 4.8%, or 10.3% on a two-year stack basis, with an average margin of 58.6% [7] - Same-store grocery and general merchandise sales were up 2.7%, or 6.4% on a two-year stack basis, with an average margin of 36%, an increase of approximately 40 basis points from the prior year [8] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Same-store gallons sold were up 0.8%, with a fuel margin of 41.6 cents per gallon [8] - The Midcontinent region saw an approximate 2% decline in fuel gallons sold, indicating continued market share growth for the company [8] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on balancing profitability and volume, with a strong emphasis on store execution and guest engagement [21] - The strategic plan is nearing completion, with expectations to continue gaining market share and enhancing the value proposition for customers [17][18] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the company's ability to compete effectively in a challenging environment, noting that consumer behavior is becoming more discerning [72] - The company expects a sequential deceleration in EBITDA growth in the second half of the fiscal year due to higher prior year comparisons and the integration of recent acquisitions [33] Other Important Information - The board of directors voted to maintain the quarterly dividend at $0.57 per share, with share repurchases expected to total approximately $200 million for the fiscal year [15] - The company is approximately 80% hedged for cheese prices for the next four quarters, ensuring favorable pricing stability [52] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you talk about the sustainability of fuel performance? - Management indicated that their consistent approach to balancing profitability and volume has contributed to their success, with a focus on store traffic driving fuel sales [21][22] Question: What impact will SEFCOS stores have on margins? - Management acknowledged that SEFCOS stores currently carry lower margins but expect improvements as they are rebranded and integrated into the Casey's model [27][28] Question: What are the drivers behind the updated EBITDA guidance? - Management clarified that the strong first half results will not be replicated in the second half due to higher prior year comparisons and the integration of FICOS [33] Question: How is the company addressing competition from private convenience stores? - Management expressed confidence in their competitive positioning, highlighting their differentiated offerings and strong performance in competitive markets [66][67] Question: What is the company's strategy regarding M&A? - The company remains focused on small tuck-in acquisitions while maintaining a high bar for asset quality, with no significant changes in their M&A strategy [35][36]