Keyword → consumer spending

Costco, Kroger, and Marvell Technology Headline Earnings Thursday as Consumer and Chip Spending Face Scrutiny

Investors will receive critical data points on consumer spending resilience and semiconductor demand Thursday as retail giants Costco and Kroger, along with AI chip supplier Marvell Technology, publish quarterly results against a backdrop of rising oil prices, a freshly enacted 15% global tariff, and persistent questions about whether household purchasing power is beginning to crack.

Target Beats Q4 Earnings Estimates as Holiday Rebound Fuels Optimism; Best Buy Posts Mixed Results

Target Corporation reported adjusted fourth-quarter earnings of $2.44 per share, handily topping Wall Street's $2.16 consensus, as the retailer pointed to improved sales trends in January as an encouraging milestone on its path to recovery. Best Buy posted a mixed quarter — beating on earnings per share but missing revenue estimates — while raising its quarterly dividend for the thirteenth consecutive year.

Home Depot Beats Q4 Estimates, Raises Dividend as Housing Market Recovery Gains Traction

Home Depot reported stronger-than-expected fiscal fourth-quarter results on Tuesday, posting earnings per share of $2.72 against the $2.54 consensus estimate and revenue of $38.2 billion that narrowly topped forecasts. The home improvement retailer also raised its quarterly dividend to $2.33 per share and reported a 0.4% increase in comparable sales, offering investors an early signal that the U.S. housing market recovery is providing a modest but real tailwind to big-ticket home improvement spending.

U.S. Fourth-Quarter GDP Slumps to 1.4%, Core PCE Inflation Climbs to 3% in Stagflation-Lite Warning

The U.S. economy expanded at a meager annualized rate of 1.4% in the fourth quarter of 2025, sharply missing consensus expectations of 2.8% to 3%, while the Federal Reserve's preferred inflation gauge, core PCE, accelerated to 3.0% — a combination that has investors bracing for a prolonged pause in rate cuts and reigniting fears of a stagflationary environment heading into 2026.

Walmart Beats Q4 Estimates but Soft Full-Year Guidance Rattles Investors

Walmart delivered better-than-expected fourth-quarter earnings and revenue on Thursday, fueled by robust e-commerce growth and expanding advertising revenue, but its full-year earnings outlook of $2.75 to $2.85 per share fell short of Wall Street's consensus of $2.96, sending shares modestly lower in premarket trading and raising questions about the pace of margin expansion under its new chief executive.

Walmart Fourth Quarter Earnings Tomorrow to Provide Critical Read on U.S. Consumer Resilience

Walmart will report fiscal fourth quarter 2026 results before market open Thursday, with analysts forecasting adjusted EPS of $0.73 and revenue between $188.6-$190.5 billion. The report represents a pivotal test for the $1 trillion retailer following a 43-day government shutdown and carries outsized importance as a barometer of American consumer health amid a K-shaped recovery that has seen Walmart capture 75% of market share gains from households earning over $100,000.

Tariff Burden on U.S. Households Hits $1,300 as Corporate Guidance Flags Mounting Trade Policy Headwinds

Tax Foundation analysis confirms that President Trump's cumulative tariff regime now represents the largest U.S. tax increase as a share of GDP since 1993, imposing an average annual burden of $1,300 per household in 2026. With Goldman Sachs estimating American companies and consumers bear over three-quarters of tariff costs, earnings guidance across industrials, consumer discretionary, and healthcare is increasingly reflecting this structural drag on margins and consumer demand.

IRS Refund Expectations May Rise as Tax Season Begins

As the U.S. tax filing season gets underway, expectations for higher average refunds this year are emerging amid updated guidance from the IRS and broader fiscal considerations. Analysts suggest that higher expected refunds could boost consumer spending in the first half of the year, with implications for retail sales, personal finance trends, and broader economic data releases.