Bulls In Charge On Wall Street Amid Yet Another Trump Flip-flop

Barry Adams
27 May, 2025
New York City

Wall Street indexes advanced in early trading as investors returned from a three-day weekend amid ongoing trade tensions ignited by the U.S. president. 

Donald Trump paused the threatened, but not imposed, 50% tariff on the European Union by about a week to July 9. 

Market sentiment remained positive despite twin worries of a sharp rise in import taxes and a deteriorating financial position after the passage of the latest tax-and-spend bill by the U.S. House. 

The S&P 500 index edged up 0.1%, and the Nasdaq Composite advanced 0.2%, as investors await a barrage of earnings later in the week. 

Nvidia, Dell Technologies, Salesforce.com, Marvell Technologies, HP, Macy's, Costco, Foot Locker, and Burlington Stores are among several companies scheduled to release their results. 

On the economic front, investors are awaiting the release of GDP growth data and a consumer confidence update later this week. 

New orders for manufactured durable goods in April, down following four consecutive monthly increases, decreased 6.3% to $19.9 billion from $296.3 billion in the previous month, the U.S. Census Bureau announced today. 

This followed a 7.6% March increase; excluding transportation, new orders rose 0.2%, and excluding defense, new orders declined 7.5%.

New order flow decline was mainly driven by the start of the tariff and softer demand for goods following front-loading orders in the previous month. 

Transportation equipment orders plunged 17.1% to $98.8 billion, mainly on non-defense aircraft and parts orders declining by 51.5% to $18.1 billion, and capital goods orders falling by 14.6% to $101.4 billion.

U.S. Stock Movers

Salesforce Inc. advanced 0.9% to $275.44 after the company agreed to acquire cloud data management company Informatica for $8 billion. 

Informatica increased 5.8% to $23.83 after the announcement of the deal. 

PDD Holdings declined 17.5% to $98.60 after the parent company of China-based Temu reported weaker-than-expected quarterly results. 

Fila Group slumped 3.5% to 34.450 Korean won after the sporting goods retailer reported lower sales in 2024.

Revenue declined to €621.9 million from €787.9 million, adjusted group net profit edged down to €30.9 million from €40.9 million, and basic earnings per share fell to 61 cents from 81 cents a year ago.

The company proposed a dividend worth €40.8 million, higher than guidance, with a pay-out ratio of 20% to 40%.

Fila estimated 2025 revenue to grow by “low-to-mid single digits,” as well as a mid-single-digit increase in adjusted EBITDA, assuming constant currency and tariffs.

In addition, the company expects free cash flow to equity to be between €40 million and €50 million.

09 Apr, 2025

Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. eased 0.8% to $10.50 after the struggling pharmacy retailer reported results for the fiscal second quarter of 2025 ending in February.

Sales increased to $38.59 billion from $37.05 billion, net loss shrank to $2.85 billion from a loss of $5.91 billion, and diluted loss per share narrowed to $3.30 from a loss of $6.85 a year ago.

Sales in the first six months of fiscal 2025 climbed to $78.05 billion from $73.76 billion, net loss shrank to $3.12 billion from a loss of $5.97 billion, and diluted loss per share narrowed to $3.61 from a loss of $6.93 a year earlier.

09 Apr, 2025

MSC Industrial Direct Co. Inc. traded flat at $70.17 after the industrial equipment provider reported results for the fiscal second quarter of 2025 ending in March.

Net sales dropped to $891.7 million from $935.3 million, net income slumped to $39.3 million from $61.8 million, and diluted earnings per share edged down to 70 cents from $1.10 a year ago.

The company estimated fiscal 2025 capital expenditures to be between $100 million and $110 million.

09 Apr, 2025

Aehr Test Systems Inc. gained 2.9% to $6.98 after the provider of test solutions for semiconductor devices reported increased revenue in the fiscal third quarter 2025 ending in February.

Revenue edged up to $18.31 million from $7.56 million, net loss shrank to $0.64 million from a loss of $1.47 million, and diluted loss per share fell to 2 cents from a loss of 5 cents a year ago.

For the nine months ending in February, revenue declined to $44.88 million from $49.62 million, net loss was $1.01 million compared to a profit of $9.29 million, and diluted loss per share came in at 3 cents compared to a profit of 31 cents a year earlier.

09 Apr, 2025

Tilray Brands Inc. eased 0.07% to $0.46 after the lifestyle and consumer packaged goods company reported fiscal third quarter 2025 results ending in February.

Revenue declined to $185.8 million from $188.3 million, net loss widened to $789.4 million from $92.7 million, and diluted loss per share increased to 87 cents from 12 cents a year ago.

The company guided for fiscal 2025 revenue to be between $850 million and $900 million, compared to $788.9 million in 2024.

09 Apr, 2025

WD-40 Co. traded flat at $218.48 after the maintenance products maker reported results for the second quarter of 2025.

Net sales increased 5% to $146.1 million from $139.1 million, net income surged 92% to $29.9 million from $15.5 million, and diluted earnings per share rose 92% to $2.19 from $1.14 a year ago.

The company guided fiscal 2025 net sales to be between $600 million and $630 million, an increase of 6% to 11%, compared to $590.6 million in 2024.

Diluted earnings per share are estimated to be between $5.25 and $5.55, higher than the company’s previous guidance of $5.20 to $5.45, and compared to $5.11 in 2024.

09 Apr, 2025

Cal-Maine Foods Inc. dropped 4.5% to $86.30 after the egg producer reported fiscal third quarter 2025 results ending in March.

Net sales edged up to $1.42 billion from $703.1 million, net income jumped to $508.5 million from $146.7 million, and diluted earnings per share rose to $10.38 from $3.00 a year ago.

The company sold a record 331.4 million dozen shell eggs, representing a 10.2% increase, including the contribution from acquisitions, compared with 300.8 million dozens for the third quarter of fiscal 2024. 

Sales of conventional eggs totaled 213.2 million dozens, compared with 192.2 million dozens for the prior-year period, an increase of 11.0%.

Specialty egg volumes also increased by 8.8% to 118.1 million dozens sold for the third quarter of fiscal 2025 compared with 108.6 million dozens sold for the prior-year period. 

Demand was strong during the third fiscal quarter, which is typically a period of higher seasonal demand.

The company said it will proceed with the acquisition of Echo Lake Foods Inc. for approximately $258 million.

Cal-Maine proposed a cash dividend of $3.46 per share for a total of approximately $170 million.

In addition, the company approved a $500 million share repurchase program.

09 Apr, 2025

Dave & Buster’s Entertainment Inc. gained 1.5% to $16.43 after the entertainment and dining company reported results for the fiscal fourth quarter of 2024 ending in February.

Revenue edged down to $534.5 million from $599.1 million, net income slumped to $9.3 million from $36.2 million, and diluted earnings per share dropped to 24 cents from 88 cents a year ago.

Comparable store sales decreased 9.4% in the quarter and 7.2% in the full year 2024.

The company opened five new stores in the fourth quarter.

For the full year, revenue declined to $2.13 billion from $2.20 billion, net income dropped to $58.3 million from $126.9 million, and diluted earnings per share fell to $1.46 from $2.88 a year earlier.

The company repurchased approximately 5 million shares in fiscal 2024, totaling $172.0 million, and one million shares to date in 2025, totaling $23.9 million.

As of April 7, the remaining share repurchase authorization is approximately $104 million.

08 Apr, 2025

Greenbrier Companies Inc. dropped 4.7% to $42.63 after the supplier of equipment and services to the freight transportation markets reported results for the fiscal second quarter ending in February.

Revenue declined to $762.1 million from $862.7 million, net earnings jumped to $51.9 million from $33.4 million, and diluted earnings per share rose to $1.56 from $1.033 a year ago.

The dividend in the quarter was 30 cents per share, unchanged from a year earlier.

The company lowered its guidance for fiscal 2025 and expects revenue to be between $3.15 billion and $3.35 billion, compared to $3.54 billion in 2024 and compared to its previous estimate of $3.35 billion to $3.65 billion.

Greenbrier increased its quarterly dividend by 7% to 32 cents per share, payable on May 13 to shareholders on record as of April 22, representing the 44th consecutive quarterly dividend.

The company guided for a lower number of railcar deliveries in 2025, now expecting deliveries to be between 21,500 and 23,500 units, compared to 23,700 in 2024, and compared to the company’s previous forecast for 22,500 to 25,000 units.

08 Apr, 2025

Levi Strauss & Co. surged 7.4% to $14.50 after the apparel and jeans company reported results for the fiscal first quarter of 2025 ending in March.

Revenue edged up to $1.53 billion from $1.48 billion, net income came in at $135.0 million compared to a loss of $10.6 million, and diluted earnings per share were 34 cents compared to a loss of 3 cents a year ago.

The company returned approximately $81 million to shareholders in the first quarter, a 12% increase over the prior year, including dividends of $51 million and share repurchases of $30 million.

As of March 2, Levi’s had $560 million remaining under its current share repurchase authorization, which has no expiration date.

The company proposed a cash dividend of 13 cents per share, totaling approximately $51 million, payable on May 9 to shareholders on record as of April 24.

Excluding the impact from the recently announced tariffs, the company guided for fiscal 2025 organic net revenue growth to be between 3.5% and 4.5%, reported net revenue down 1% to 2%, compared to $6.35 billion in 2024, and adjusted earnings per share between $1.20 and $1.25, compared to $1.25 in 2024.

08 Apr, 2025

Lamb Weston Holdings Inc. dropped 0.4% to $59.30 after the food processing company reported results for the fiscal third quarter of 2025.

Net sales increased to $1.52 billion from $1.46 billion, net income inched up to $146.0 million from $146.1 million, and diluted earnings per share rose to $1.03 from $1.01 a year ago.

The company guided for the full-year net sales to be between $6.35 billion and $6.45 billion, compared to $6.47 billion in 2024, and adjusted EBITDA between $1.17 billion and $1.21 billion, compared to $1.42 billion a year earlier.

Adjusted net income is expected to be between $440 million and $460 million, compared to $740 million, and adjusted diluted earnings per share between $3.05 and $3.20, compared to $5.08 in 2024.

04 Apr, 2025

RH plunged 26.1% to $184.25 after the retailer of luxury home furniture and decorative products reported fourth quarter of 2024 results.

Revenue increased to $812.41 million from $738.26 million, net income jumped to $13.92 million from $11.38 million, and diluted earnings per share edged up to 69 cents from 57 cents a year ago.

For the full year, revenue climbed to $3.18 billion from $3.03 billion, net income slumped to $72.41 million from $127.56 million, and diluted earnings per share fell to $3.62 from $5.91 a year ago.

The company guided fiscal first quarter 2025 revenue growth to be between 12.5% and 7%, compared to $726.96 million a year ago, an adjusted operating margin of 6.5% to 7.0%, and an adjusted EBITDA margin of 12.5% to 13.0%.

For the full fiscal year 2025, the retailer estimated revenue growth to be between 10% and 13%, adjusted operating margin between 14% and 15%, and adjusted EBITDA margin between 20% and 21%.

The company intends to open seven design galleries, two outdoor galleries, and two new concept galleries during 2025.

“We believe post each opening we will begin to have the scale to support the necessary advertising investments to accelerate our growth in Europe,” the company said in a release to investors.

The lifestyle products retailer expects “an inflection of the business in Europe as the company begins to open in the important brand-building markets of Paris in 2025, plus London and Milan in 2026,” the company added in the statement.

03 Apr, 2025

UniFirst Corp. edged down 4.7% to $168.90 after the uniform and protective clothing provider reported results for the fiscal second quarter of 2025.

Revenue jumped to $602.22 million from $590.71 million, net income climbed to $24.46 million from $20.46 million, and diluted income per share rose to $1.31 from $1.09 a year ago.

For the year half, revenue increased to $1.21 billion from $1.18 billion, net income jumped to $67.56 million from $62.78 million, and diluted income per share rose to $3.62 from $3.35 a year earlier.

The company guided for fiscal 2025 revenue to be between $2.42 billion and $2.43 billion, compared to $2.43 billion in 2024, and diluted earnings per share between $7.30 and $7.70, compared to $7.77 a year ago.

03 Apr, 2025

BlackBerry Ltd. dropped 4.7% to $3.23 after the enterprise software and services provider reported fiscal fourth quarter 2025 results.

Revenue declined to $141.7 million from $152.9 million, net loss shrank to $7.4 million from a loss of $56.2 million, and diluted loss per share narrowed to 1 cent from a loss of 10 cents a year ago.

For the full fiscal year 2025, revenue declined to $534 million from $759.1 million, net loss shrank to $79 million from a loss of $130.2 million, and diluted loss per share narrowed to 13 cents from a loss of 22 cents a year ago.

The company guided fiscal first quarter 2026 revenue to be between $107 million and $115 million, compared to $144 million a year ago, and non-GAAP basic earnings per share between 1 cent and breakeven, compared to a loss of 3 cents a year earlier.

For the full year, the software company estimated revenue to be between $504 million and $534 million and non-GAAP basic earnings per share between 8 cents and 10 cents, compared to adjusted basic income per share of 2 cents in 2025.

03 Apr, 2025