Market Overview - U.S. futures are down across the board, with the Dow down 345 points (-0.81%), S&P 500 down 38 points (-0.64%), Nasdaq down 146 points (-0.68%), and Russell 2000 down 21 points (-1.02%) [2] - Major indexes have been flat over the past five trading days, with the Dow showing a slight increase of 1% over the past month, while all indexes are up double-digits [2] Q1 Earnings Reports - Target's Q1 earnings were disappointing, with earnings of $1.30 per share missing the Zacks consensus of $1.65 by 19.75%. Revenues of $23.85 billion were 1.58% short of expectations. The company has cut its growth forecast to negative from slightly positive [3] - Lowe's reported better-than-expected Q1 results, with earnings of $2.92 per share beating the Zacks consensus by 4 cents, and revenues of $20.93 billion slightly exceeding the anticipated $20.92 billion. Shares are up 1.75% in early trading [4] - The TJX Companies modestly beat expectations with earnings of 92 cents per share, 2 cents above estimates, and revenues of $13.11 billion, surpassing the anticipated $13.0 billion. Comparable sales grew by 3% year over year [5] - VF Corp. reported mixed results, with a narrower-than-expected loss of 13 cents per share compared to the estimated 15 cents, but revenues of $2.14 billion fell short of the $2.18 billion consensus. Shares are down 14% due to a challenging macro environment [6] Upcoming Earnings - Urban Outfitters is expected to report solid growth in both top and bottom lines year over year. Additionally, Snowflake and Zoom Communications will also release their quarterly results later today [7]

Core Viewpoint - TJX Companies reported better-than-expected results for the holiday quarter, driven by increased customer transactions, indicating continued market share gains from department stores and other discounters as consumers seek deals [1] Financial Performance - For fiscal 2025 fourth quarter, TJX's net income was $1.40 billion, or $1.23 per share, compared to $1.40 billion, or $1.22 per share, a year earlier [4] - Sales remained relatively unchanged at $16.35 billion, slightly down from $16.41 billion a year prior, with the previous year benefiting from an extra selling week [5] - Earnings per share exceeded expectations at $1.23 compared to the anticipated $1.16, while revenue also surpassed estimates at $16.35 billion versus $16.20 billion [10] Future Guidance - For fiscal 2026, TJX anticipates comparable sales growth of 2% to 3%, below Wall Street's expectation of 3.4% [2][3] - The earnings guidance for fiscal 2026 is projected between $4.34 and $4.43 per share, which is lower than the estimated $4.59 per share [2] Market Dynamics - The company is benefiting from a "trade-down" effect as consumers shift from department stores to TJX for lower-priced clothing and household goods [6][7] - The strong U.S. dollar and unfavorable exchange rates are expected to negatively impact earnings growth by 3% in fiscal 2026 [3] Strategic Expansion - As growth in the U.S. slows, TJX is expanding internationally, including a stake in Brands for Less in Dubai and plans to enter the Spanish market [9]