Shoppers carry Macy's bags outside of Macy's flagship store on Black Friday in New York, US, on Friday, Nov. 28, 2025. Adam Gray | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesAndre Lewis said he's "anxious 364 days of the year." Yet the rideshare and delivery driver wants to make it a special holiday season for his 7-year-old daughter."I told myself I'd keep it modest," said the 31-year-old, who lives in New York City. But he said his daughter wants a pink keyboard that lights up, and he'll buy it for her — "even if it's a lit ...

The hedge fund manager takes big concentrated positions with his money.Bill Ackman runs one of the best-known hedge funds in the world, Pershing Square Holdings. That includes a hefty stake in Howard Hughes Holdings, where Ackman now serves as chairman after increasing Pershing Square's stake in the business. The plan is to turn the real estate business into a diversified holding company. In the meantime, however, the bulk of Ackman's investments are with his hedge fund, where he holds a highly concentrated ...

Crime Incident - Thieves broke into a Champs store through the roof of a mall in Florida [1] - Hundreds of Nike shoes were stolen, leaving behind the boxes [1] - Detectives are seeking information from the public [1]

Group 1: Starbucks - The turnaround at Starbucks is expected to take time, and there is skepticism about the ability of CEO Brian Nickel to lead this change [1][4] - Brian Nickel previously turned around Chipotle, which initially boosted Starbucks' stock price significantly, but the stock has since faced volatility [2][3] - Nickel has recognized that staffing issues, rather than technology reliance, are critical to the company's recovery, and he is now addressing the underlying problems [5][6] - Analysts have turned against Nickel, misjudging the time required for the turnaround, which presents a buying opportunity for investors [7][12] Group 2: Nike - Nike's previous CEO shifted the company towards a direct-to-consumer model, which has faced challenges, including issues with product trials and delivery theft [8][9] - New CEO Elliot Hill is tasked with reinventing Nike by restoring its brick-and-mortar distribution network and developing new innovations [9][10] - There are still inventory issues that are affecting earnings, and the turnaround in the Chinese market is complex and not a quick fix [10][11] - Similar to Starbucks, analysts are underestimating the time required for Nike's turnaround, creating a potential buying opportunity [11][12]

Group 1 - Nike reported Q1 FY26 results with revenue of $11.72 billion, exceeding the $10.97 billion estimate, and EPS of $0.49, surpassing the $0.27 expectation, indicating a positive financial performance [2] - The company experienced a gross margin improvement and a 2% year-over-year decline in inventory, suggesting early signs of a turnaround [2] - Management noted the relisting of Nike shoes on Amazon, which has shown positive sales pickup and stronger consumer engagement, potentially signaling a successful turnaround [3] Group 2 - Bill Ackman remains bullish on Nike, despite not showing call options on NKE in Pershing Square's Q2 13F, indicating a direct bet on the company's rebound [5] - The launch of the ACKY ETF by VistaShares aims to track Ackman's Pershing Square portfolio, featuring a 15% annual dividend, making it accessible for retail investors [3][4] - Nike's progress in key markets and the introduction of the ACKY ETF have placed Ackman's investment strategy in the spotlight this week [5]

Core Insights - Nike is set to report its fiscal first quarter results, with expectations of a significant decline in adjusted earnings per share and revenue due to ongoing challenges and a turnaround strategy under new leadership [1] Financial Performance - Analysts predict adjusted earnings per share to be $0.28, a 60% decrease from the previous year [1] - Revenue is anticipated to fall by 4.9% to $11.02 billion [1] - Nike Direct revenue is expected to decline by 8.3% to $4.3 billion, while wholesale revenue is forecasted to drop approximately 8% to $6.28 billion [2] - The Nike brand's sales are projected to decrease by 5% to $10.55 billion, and Converse's revenue is expected to decline by about 9% to $456.1 million [3] Strategic Initiatives - The company is focusing on cleaning up inventory, increasing product newness, and strengthening relationships with wholesale partners, although stabilization may take several quarters [4] - CFO Matthew Friend highlighted the uncertainty in the operating environment and the company's outlook reflects the best assessment based on available data [5] Margin and Cost Projections - Gross margins are projected to fall between 350 and 425 basis points, with approximately 100 basis points of negative impact attributed to tariffs [6] - Wall Street expects gross margin to improve to 41.7% for the quarter, up from 40.3% in the previous quarter [6] - The company estimates an incremental cost increase of about $1 billion and plans to reduce reliance on Chinese manufacturing from 16% to the "high-single-digit range" by the end of the fiscal year [7]

Branding & Marketing - Nike's "Just Do It" campaign, launched in September 1988, became one of the greatest branding campaigns in history [1] - The slogan was initially understated but proved to be monumentally impactful for Nike [2] - Advertising Age ranked "Just Do It" as the number two ad slogan of the 20th century [5] - Nike executives were surprised by the slogan's resonance and universality [5] - Nike tried to replace "Just Do It" each year but always returned to it [6] - Nike launched a new campaign this month that updates the phrase to "Why Do It" [6] Market Position & Competition - In 1988, Nike's sales were slumping, and the company was overtaken in market share by Reebok [2] - Reebok was benefiting from the aerobics boom [2] Advertising Strategy - Ad executive Dan Widen had been working with Nike for six years, primarily on print ads [3] - Widen tried to encourage Nike to create performance-driven TV spots featuring professional athletes [3] - Previous campaigns were individualistic and lacked a unifying message around the Nike brand [3] - Widen sketched out several slogans to tie all the ad campaigns together [3]

Group 1 - Jim Cramer has shifted his stance on NIKE, Inc. (NYSE:NKE), stating that it is now time to buy the stock after previously being cautious about it [1][2] - NIKE's shares are down 0.9% year-to-date, indicating a potential buying opportunity as Cramer believes the stock has reached a bottom [1][2] - Cramer highlights the importance of inventory levels for NIKE, suggesting that they are now low enough to warrant a positive outlook [2] Group 2 - The Foot Locker deal is viewed positively by Cramer, indicating potential for growth and collaboration with DICK'S [2] - Cowen, a financial services firm, agrees with Cramer's bullish outlook on NIKE, reinforcing the sentiment in the market [2] - Despite the positive outlook on NIKE, there is a belief that some AI stocks may offer greater potential for higher returns with limited downside risk [2]

Economic Overview - The latest jobs report indicated that 22,000 jobs were added in the US in August, with the unemployment rate slightly increasing to 4.3% [2][3] - The labor force has decreased by 400,000 since April, contributing to the relatively low unemployment rate despite stagnant job growth [5][6] - The job market is described as "frozen," with businesses hesitant to hire or lay off employees due to uncertainty, particularly related to tariffs [1][4] Federal Reserve and Interest Rates - There is a strong expectation of a rate cut by the Federal Reserve, with discussions around a potential double 50 basis point cut in September [6][9] - The market's reaction to the jobs report suggests that investors are not optimistic about the current economic conditions, despite the potential for lower interest rates [6][9] - The Fed's reluctance to lower rates too quickly is highlighted, as they aim to avoid overreacting to short-term data [9][11] Artificial Intelligence Sector - AI is seen as a significant driver of market performance, with companies like OpenAI and Anthropic making headlines for their substantial valuations and revenue growth [17][19] - Anthropic reported a run rate of $5 billion in annualized revenue, reflecting a fivefold increase since the beginning of the year [19] - Concerns about the sustainability of high valuations in the AI sector are raised, particularly regarding competition and the potential for commoditization [21][23] Company-Specific Insights - Alphabet is positioned strongly in the AI market, benefiting from its core advertising business, which supports its AI initiatives [22][23] - Lululemon faces challenges with product relevance and competition, leading to concerns about its future growth potential [27][28] - Nike is attempting to regain its brand appeal and relevance in a competitive market, with recent partnerships indicating a strategic shift [32][33] Market Trends and Consumer Behavior - The discussion around consumer preferences indicates a shift, with brands like On Holding gaining traction while legacy brands like Lululemon and Nike struggle [34][35] - The impact of direct-to-consumer models is emphasized, as new brands can quickly rise in popularity without extensive marketing budgets [36][37] - The retail landscape is evolving, with companies like Target facing challenges but also opportunities for restructuring and differentiation [52][53] IPO and Valuation Concerns - CoreWeave's stock has seen significant volatility, reflecting broader market trends and investor sentiment towards tech IPOs [40][42] - Figma's recent IPO performance illustrates the challenges of maintaining high valuations post-IPO, with its stock price dropping significantly from initial highs [44][46] - The competitive landscape for Figma is complicated by its positioning between established players like Adobe and emerging free alternatives [46][47] Elon Musk and Tesla - Elon Musk's potential trillion-dollar pay package is framed as a strategic move to keep him motivated, with performance milestones tied to Tesla's growth [49][50] - The ambitious targets set for Musk's compensation package reflect confidence in Tesla's future market cap and operational success [49][50]

Trade Relations & Economic Impact - Vietnam's economy is heavily reliant on exports, representing approximately 90% of its GDP [4][8] - The US is Vietnam's largest export market, leading to a significant trade surplus and making it a target for potential tariffs [1] - Potential tariffs from the US, such as a proposed 46% tariff, could profoundly impact Vietnam's economy and manufacturing sector [2][10] - Vietnam experienced substantial foreign investment, exceeding $600 billion since 1988, contributing to export growth [7] Geopolitical Strategy & Manufacturing - Vietnam has become a major player in the global supply chain, manufacturing goods for various American companies and global brands [3][4] - The "China Plus One" strategy led companies to relocate some production to Vietnam to avoid tariffs on Chinese goods, benefiting Vietnam during US-China trade tensions [8][9] - Vietnam employs a "bamboo diplomacy" strategy to navigate complex relationships between the US and China, balancing economic and geopolitical considerations [15][16] - Vietnam's government is proactively engaging with the US to mitigate trade imbalances, including purchasing US products [12] Historical Context & Economic Development - Post-war Vietnam was one of the world's poorest countries, but economic reforms and policies to attract foreign investment have driven significant growth [5][6] - Vietnam's strategy of offering tax incentives, infrastructure development, and an open attitude to global manufacturers has been successful in attracting foreign investment [6]