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6:27 a.m.: UBS hikes First Solar price target, sees 25% upside There's a rosy outlook ahead for First Solar , according to UBS. Analyst Jon Windham cited a more supportive pricing environment as one reason for the price target change. The investment bank upgraded the airline to buy from hold, lifting its price target to $65 from $54. — Lisa Kailai Han 5:41 a.m.: Bank of America reiterates Apple as a top pick Apple shares could get a boost as consumers upgrade to AI-enabled phones, according to Bank of America. Analyst Wamsi Mohan reiterated his view that Apple is a top pick, maintaining his buy rating and price target of $230.

Persons: Jon Windham, Windham, Lisa Kailai Han, Scott Gruber, Gruber, LBRT, — Lisa Kailai Han, Morgan Stanley, SLB, Daniel Kutz, Kutz, Jefferies, Sheila Kahyaoglu, Kahyaoglu, Wamsi Mohan, Mohan, Fred Imbert Organizations: CNBC, United Airlines, Apple, United, Jefferies, Bank of America, UBS, Citi, Liberty Energy, of Liberty Energy, Nvidia Locations: Tuesday's, OFS, United

☆ McDonald’s: Our prices haven’t risen as much as you think
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-29 | by ( Danielle Wiener-Bronner | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN —McDonald’s has a message for America: Rumors of Big Mac inflation are greatly exaggerated. “The average price of a Big Mac in the U.S. was $4.39 in 2019,” he said. That’s an increase of 21% (not 100%).”What Erlinger wants customers to know is not that high-priced McDonald’s burgers don’t exist at all. Erlinger is fighting back because McDonald’s pricey burgers have become something of a symbol of elevated fast food prices. “It’s imperative that we continue to keep affordability at the forefront for our customers,” McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski said during an April 30 analyst call.

Persons: New York CNN — McDonald’s, McDonald’s, Joe Erlinger, ”, “, they’re, Chris Kempczinski, NOA, Erlinger nodded, —, Jordan Valinsky Organizations: New, New York CNN, America, McDonald’s, Mac, ”, Wall Street Journal, National Owner’s Association Locations: New York, McDonald’s USA, U.S

☆ Denmark Made Home Buying Easier. America Should Follow Its Lead.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-29 | by ( James Rodriguez | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +13 min

When mortgage rates shoot up, as they did over the past two years, many would-be sellers decide they don't want to move after all. AdvertisementAs the Federal Reserve began pushing up borrowing rates in the spring of 2022, hoping to reel in rising inflation, mortgage rates went vertical. So far, this system of pooling together mortgage bonds and selling them to investors is pretty close to the American way of doing things. When US homeowners pay off their mortgages, they have only one option: pony up the amount left on the loan. That's not just good for buyers or sellers or mortgage loan officers — it's good for everyone.

Persons: It's, John Campbell, Danes, Freddie Mac, that's, Will Doerner, —, aren't, pesky, Campbell, Fannie Mae, Banks, Jesper Berg, there's, That's Organizations: Harvard, Federal Reserve, Federal Housing Finance Agency, Homeowners, Danish Financial Supervisory Authority Locations: America, …, Denmark, Zillow, Canada, Australia, Danish

☆ Benefits of secondhand clothing, goods according to Alicia Silverstone
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-29 | by ( Jessica Dickler | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Alicia Silverstone stars in the 1995 film "Clueless." "I've been fighting the good fight to encourage people to buy used and make it sound cool," she said. Online shopping's hefty toll on the environmentWith the explosion of online shopping during the pandemic, a surge in returns seemed like a small price for everyone to pay. The return rate in 2023 was about 15% of total U.S. retail sales, or $743 billion in returned goods, according to the National Retail Federation's most recent data. For online sales, the numbers are even higher, with a return rate closer to 18%, or $247 billion of merchandise purchased online returned.

Persons: Alicia Silverstone, Stringer, Cher Horowitz, Cher, Silverstone, I've, Shraysi Tandon Organizations: CNBC, eBay, National Retail

☆ We had cellphones, then feature phones, then smartphones. Now, 'IntelliPhones' are coming.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-29 | by ( Alistair Barr | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

If AI tools on phones can really set them apart from current devices, consumers have a new reason to buy a fresh handset. Advertisement"We see the introduction of AI smartphones (IntelliPhones) as a once in a decade upgrade event," Mohan wrote. At Google's I/O conference earlier this month, the internet giant showed off several new AI capabilities for Pixel, Samsung, and other Android phones. AdvertisementMohan at BofA describes a wide range of new capabilities that could set IntelliPhones apart from smartphones and fire up the mother of all upgrade cycles. "We view the upcoming AI enabled phones (IntelliPhones) to drive a multi-year upgrade cycle similar to the step function improvement driven by the introduction of smartphones," he wrote, calling this a "once in a decade type of event."

Persons: —, Apple, Wamsi Mohan, Mohan, Sameer Samat, Siri Organizations: Service, Bank of America Securities, Business, iPhones, Wall Street, Pixel, Samsung, Google, Apple Locations: Google's, BofA

☆ Walgreens announces price cuts on 1,300 items amid ongoing consumer spending fatigue
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-29 | by ( Rob Wile | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Signage is seen outside of a Walgreens, owned by the Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc., in Manhattan, New York City, U.S., November 26, 2021. Walgreens announced Wednesday it would continue to cut prices on some 1,300 items — the latest company to pivot to value amid signs U.S. consumers are experiencing spending fatigue. "Walgreens understands our customers are under financial strain and struggle to purchase everyday essentials," said Tracey D. Brown, EVP, President, Walgreens Retail & Chief Customer Officer. Lower-income consumers have been cutting back more substantially. Meanwhile, other areas of the economy more closely tied to wealthier consumers continue to outperform, especially travel.

Persons: Tracey D, Brown, we've, Ramon Laguarta, Jamie Baker Organizations: Walgreens, Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc, Walgreens Retail, Target, Walmart, Conference Board, PepsiCo, American Airlines, JPMorgan Locations: Manhattan , New York City, U.S

☆ Stellantis CEO says $25,000 Jeep EV coming to the U.S. 'very soon'
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-29 | by ( Michael Wayland | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Stellantis plans to offer a $25,000 all-electric Jeep vehicle in the U.S. "very soon" to better attract mainstream consumers amid slower-than-expected electric vehicle adoption, CEO Carlos Tavares said Wednesday. "In the same way we brought the 20,000 Euro Citroen e-C3, you will have a $25,000 Jeep very soon," he said Wednesday during a Bernstein investor conference. Stellantis currently offers an all-electric version of its Avenger SUV in Europe, starting at about 35,000 euros, or about $37,800, according to its website. Offering a new EV for around $25,000 has long been a target for automakers such as Stellantis, Tesla and others. "If you ask me what is an affordable BEV, I would say 20,000 euros in Europe and $25,000 in the U.S.," Tavares said.

Persons: Carlos Tavares, Tavares, Stellantis, Tesla, BEV, " Tavares Organizations: Citroen Locations: U.S, Europe, China

☆ Walgreens is cutting prices on 1,500 items, joining Target, Walmart and Amazon
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-29 | by ( Jordan Valinsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN —Walgreens is joining other retailers in cutting prices across the board, from snacks to toiletries and even Squishmallows, in an effort to lure back inflation-weary shoppers turned off by high prices. Prices are dropping immediately on more than 1,500 items online and at its stores, which include both name and store brands, Walgreens announced Wednesday. In the past few weeks, competitors including Target, Walmart and Amazon slashed prices on thousands of household goods to rev up consumer spending. “Walgreens understands our customers are under financial strain and struggle to purchase everyday essentials,” said Tracey D. Brown, Walgreens’ retail president and chief customer officer, in a release. Meanwhile, a host of other retailers report earnings Thursday, including Dollar General and Costco.

Persons: ”, Tracey D, Brown, “, we’ve, Alliance’s, isn’t, Sarah Wyeth, “ There’s, ” Wyeth, Parija Kavilanz Organizations: New, New York CNN, Walgreens, Target, Walmart, Dollar, Costco, Shoppers Locations: New York

☆ McDonald's might never expand CosMc's. But the spinoff could still pay dividends
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-28 | by ( Amelia Lucas | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Nearly six months since McDonald's opened its first CosMc's location, the hours-long drive-thru lines have died down, but the chain is just getting started. Since opening the initial location in the Chicago suburb of Bolingbrook, McDonald's has opened three more CosMc's restaurants, all in Texas. In another sign of the new brand's expansion, it will launch its own mobile app and loyalty program, called CosMc's Club, on Tuesday. And loyalty program members earn 10 points for every dollar they spend; once they rack up 400 points, they can redeem them for $2 rewards. CosMc's buzz dies downAt McDonald's December investor presentation, Kempczinski downplayed the short-term effect of CosMc's.

Persons: McDonald's, Chris Kempczinski, Katie Belflower, CosMc's, Mark Kalinowski, Kempczinski, we're, Frappes, Weeks, Kalinowski, Amelia Lucas Organizations: Lone Star State, CosMc's, Kalinowski Equity Research, CNBC, Intouch Locations: Chicago, Bolingbrook, Texas, McDonald's, Illinois

☆ What a generative AI iPhone could look like
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-28 | by ( Samantha Murphy Kelly | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Although artificial intelligence has powered some of the iPhone’s experiences for years, such as Live Text and improved autocorrect, generative AI could unlock new levels of interaction and personalization. The debut of an AI iPhone could also entice consumers to upgrade at a time when they’ve been holding onto older models longer. Now all eyes shift to Apple for its take on generative AI. Expediting AIBehind the scenes, Apple reportedly has been working on its on-device generative AI capabilities and acquiring companies for awhile, such as Canadian startup DarwinAI. But now it needs to show it’s going all in on artificial intelligence to stay relevant in a rapidly evolving industry.

Persons: Apple’s Siri, Siri, ”, Tim Cook, they’ve, Paul Schell, ” Schell, Thomas Husson, Forrester, Apple, Nabila, doesn’t, ” Popal, “, “ It’s, it’s Organizations: CNN, Developers Conference, Google, Samsung, ” Apple, Apple, ABI Research, Microsoft, Meta, IDC, Bloomberg, Huawei Locations: China

☆ Amazon is winning the biggest dollar share of new retail spending — and by a lot
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-28 | by ( Paulina Likos | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Amazon is winning the biggest dollar share of new retail spending — both online and brick-and-mortar — and it's not even close. AMZN YTD mountain AMZN stock performance year-to-date. Morgan Stanley said Walmart 's performance this year is "not too shabby" but a distant second to Amazon. Amazon has been benefitting from the consumer's continued shift to buying stuff online, a trend that should benefit AMZN stock. As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade.

Persons: it's, Morgan Stanley, Zev Fima, Amazon's, We've, Jim Cramer's, Jim Cramer, Jim Organizations: Amazon, Walmart, Management, Deal, CNBC, Getty Locations: America

☆ This is the word of the summer on Wall Street
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-28 | by ( Nicole Goodkind | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

New York CNN —Bifurcation is the word of the summer. Or it’s the word of the summer among investors, at least. It’s a word that the market gets hung up on and then all you do is hear that word. But I think that’s nearing an end, and so I would expect a slowdown in consumer spending. I’m not so sure that’s going to happen this time because their balance sheets and cash flows aren’t as strong.

Persons: Bell, Scott Wren, I’ve, We’ve, You’ve, you’ve, they’ve, That’s, hasn’t, you’re, I’m, Elon Musk’s, Elon Musk, Anna Cooban, Andreesen Horowitz, Saudi Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal, xAI, Musk, Grok, Laura He, Xi Jinping’s Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, New York CNN, Nvidia, Fed, Elon, Investors, Sequoia Capital, xAI, Worth, China Construction Bank, China Integrated Circuit Industry Investment Fund, National Enterprise Locations: New York, United States, Wells Fargo, Silicon, Saudi, OpenAI, China, ICBC, Beijing

☆ Porsche reveals a new hybrid 911 as more consumers embrace hybrids over electric vehicles
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-28 | by ( Peter Valdes-Dapena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

They have become increasingly popular in the United States even as sales of purely electric models have started to slow. The German automaker Porsche, a division of Volkswagen AG, already sells plug-in hybrid models like the Cayenne e-Hybrid SUV and Panamera e-Hybrid four-door car, but a hybrid 911 is another matter. Initially, hybrid power will be available in only one version of the car, the high performance 911 Carrera GTS. In another major change for Porsche, this car will not be a plug-in hybrid, as other Porsche hybrid models have been. Besides hybrids, Porsche also sells fully electric cars, the Taycan and the new Macan Electric SUV.

Persons: CNN —, didn’t, Ferdinand Porsche Sr, Ferdinand “ Ferry, Ferry’s, Ferdinand “ Butzi Organizations: CNN, CNN — Porsche, Porsche, Volkswagen AG, Carrera, Volkswagen Locations: United States, Cayenne

☆ Tesla is luring Chinese customers with the possibility of a free tour of its Fremont factory if they buy a car
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-28 | by ( Kwan Wei Kevin Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Tesla is courting its Chinese customers aggressively. Besides price cuts, the EV giant says it's holding a lucky draw for customers. The company says it will fly winners to the US, where they will tour its Fremont factory. The EV giant said in a Weibo post on Sunday that Chinese customers who take delivery of their Teslas between May 25 and June 30 will stand a chance to win a factory tour in Fremont, California. In addition to the trip, Tesla said its customers could also win 10,000 kilometers in free mileage on the company's Supercharger network.

Persons: Tesla, — Organizations: Fremont, Service, Weibo Locations: Fremont , California

☆ Gen Zers are spending hundreds of dollars on dirty sneakers, and parents are shocked
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-28 | by ( Lindsay Dodgson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

On Net-A-Porter, the most expensive Golden Goose shoe costs just over $1,000, while the cheapest is $420. Some of the more expensive Golden Goose sneakers. www.goldengoose.comInterest in Golden Goose sneakers was bubbling among Zoomers last summer and seems to have boomed in 2024. Some Golden Goose disciples say they've been questioned about why they would buy dirty shoes, particularly for hundreds of dollars. When Schiffer's mom noted ripped jeans are in style too, her father asked: "Why don't you just buy my old sneakers?"

Persons: —, Porter, Francesca Rinaldo, Alessandro Gallo, they've, Dunks, Golden, Taylor Swift, Selena Gomez, Hilary Duff, Silvio Campara, aren't, Sydney Schiffer, there's, Schiffer, I'm Organizations: Service, Business, Super, Adidas, Bloomberg, Financial Times Locations: Milan

☆ Gold, silver and copper rally has just taken a breather — new highs are not that far off, experts say
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-28 | by ( Lee Ying Shan | In Ying-Shan-Lee | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Gold and silver bars of various sizes lie in a safe on a table at the precious metals dealer Pro Aurum. Gold prices have been rallying to record highs, with spot gold notching a new top of $2,449.89 per ounce on Monday. Silver too hit multi-year highs earlier last week, as did industrial metal copper. Spot gold is currently trading at $2,351.3. "While geopolitical risks continued to bolster haven demand, an impressive rise in China's gold demand in Q1 2024 has largely fueled the price rally," ANZ's strategists wrote.

Persons: Silver, that's, Joni Teves, CNBC's Organizations: Aurum, U.S ., Treasury, ANZ, India, World Gold, UBS, U.S . Federal, Metals Locations: U.S, China

☆ 25% of consumers recently used a buy now, pay later loan, report finds. What to know as they become popular
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-28 | by ( Ana Teresa Solá | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

As buy now, pay later programs become more common, some shoppers are using this payment structure to make ends meet. Such short-term financing plans are the second-most-used form of credit payment among consumers in the U.S., according to a new report by NerdWallet. Meanwhile, 25% said they had used BNPL services in the last 12 months. Far fewer consumers had used a cash advance app (10%) or a payday loan (6%) in the last 12 months, NerdWallet found. An equal share, 8%, expect to use BNPL for necessities in the coming 12 months.

Persons: Elizabeth Warren, NerdWallet, Sara Rathner, it's, Rathner Organizations: Federal Reserve Bank of New, NerdWallet, Finance Locations: Federal Reserve Bank of New York, U.S

For more than half a century, concerns about oil shortages or a damaged climate have spurred governments to invest in alternative energy sources. In the 1970s, President Jimmy Carter placed solar panels on the roof of the White House as a symbol of his commitment to developing energy from the sun. And in the 2000s, Germany developed an innovative program that guaranteed consumers who adopted a solar energy system that they would sell their electricity at a profit. Hoping to correct past missteps on industrial policy and learn from China’s successes, they are spending huge amounts on subsidizing homegrown companies while also seeking to block competing Chinese products. They have made modest inroads: Last year, the energy agency said, China’s share of new clean-energy factory investment fell to 75 percent.

Persons: Jimmy Carter Organizations: International Energy Agency Locations: Japan, Germany, Beijing, United States, Europe

☆ A ‘rebrand’ for Lilly Pulitzer takes the classic resort label back to its roots
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-27 | by ( Diana Pearl | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

A new logo (and merchandising) for the resort brand Lilly Pulitzer aims to be both timely, and timeless. Pictured above, a Lilly Pulitzer store in Sarasota, Florida. But it maintains firm roots in Palm Beach. “Nothing is more rooted in a resort Americana aesthetic than Lilly Pulitzer,” said Robert Burke, chief executive of retail consultancy Robert Burke Associates. This year, in addition to the Badgley Mischka collaboration, it rolled out a team-up with Natalie’s Juice, selling bottles of orange juice featuring a custom Lilly Pulitzer sticker.

Persons: Lilly Pulitzer, —, Lilly, Lilly Pulitzer hasn’t, Donald Trump, John Greim, ”, Michelle Kelly, Badgley Mischka, ” Kelly, Lilly Pulitzer’s, Nili, Pulitzer, “ Lilly, Kelly, “ It’s, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Wendy Vanderbilt, Tommy Bahama, Johnny Was, Robert Burke, “, Robin Kramer, Burke Organizations: The, Fashion, CNN, Target, Hill, Apple, Palm Beach, Pulitzer, Oxford Industries, Robert, Robert Burke Associates, Natalie’s Locations: New York’s, Palm Beach , Florida, Sarasota , Florida, Philadelphia, Palm Beach, Cranston , Rhode Island

☆ We live in Hong Kong and are returning to the US to retire. We don't have a credit score and our Social Security is minimal.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-27 | by ( Peter Maize | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

After 35 years of living and working in Hong Kong, my wife, Wendy, and I are returning home to the US. Setting aside concerns of whether we are jumping from a frying pan into a fire (ongoing crackdown on freedoms in Hong Kong versus political ruptures in the US), we have many other issues to grapple with. We don't have credit scores or credit cardsTake, for example, our credit score: we don't have one. In Hong Kong we have always paid our bills on time and are conscientious consumers. For us, that won't be a significant amount since most of my prime employment years were spent overseas working for Hong Kong companies.

Persons: Wendy, it's, We've Organizations: Service, Social Security, Department of Motor Vehicles Locations: Hong Kong, America, LA, Pacific, United States

☆ Rising home equity levels could help stoke pent-up demand for these two stocks
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-27 | by ( Brian Evans | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

How long this trend will last is unclear, though it's clear a lot will depend on the direction of interest rates. This dynamic isn't surprising given a high interest rate environment that has pressured consumers. "Elevated interest rates are causing customers to defer their large discretionary projects," UBS analyst Michael Lasser said. "This means that a recovery should be robust as interest rates move lower." "Existing home sales also continue to be a material headwind to remodel activity as long as interest rates remain relatively high," Badishkanian said.

Persons: Richard McPhail couldn't, McPhail, Marvin Ellison, Bradley Thomas, Greg Melich, it's, Michael Lasser, Melich, bode, Wolfe, Greg Badishkanian, Badishkanian, Edward Decker, KeyBanc's Thomas, Ellison, Lowe's, Thomas, Lowe's Ellison Organizations: Home, Federal Reserve, Depot, CNBC, UBS, Home Depot, Wolfe Research, Lowe's, Pro, FactSet Locations: Lowe's, Friday's

☆ Biden Doesn’t Want You Buying an E.V. From China. Here’s Why.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-27 | by ( Jim Tankersley | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

President Biden wants more of America’s cars and trucks to run on electricity, not gas. Mr. Biden’s aides agree that electric vehicles — which retail for more than $53,000 on average in the United States — would sell even faster here if they were less expensive. As it happens, there is a wave of new electric vehicles that are significantly cheaper than the ones customers can currently buy in the United States. Instead, the president is taking steps to make Chinese electric vehicles prohibitively expensive, in large part to protect American automakers. Mr. Biden signed an executive action earlier this month that quadruples tariffs on those cars to 100 percent.

Persons: Biden, Biden’s Locations: United States, Europe, China

☆ China's gold rush shows the Chinese still have money to spend — they're just not into Starbucks or Gucci
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-27 | by ( Huileng Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

It also reflects that there's money in the system — but Chinese consumers are just really not that keen on dropping their hard-earned cash at Starbucks or Gucci. China's demand for gold jewelry softened in the first quarter of this year due to the surge in gold prices but was still holding up well, according to the council. Gen Z Chinese consumers ditch luxury for goldUnlike the rush into gold assets, Chinese consumers are not running out to buy even more stuff, particularly foreign imports. China's savings rate was around 32% last year — compared to around 4% in the US, according to a McKinsey analysis of official data. "Chinese households are increasingly confronted by the weak long-term Chinese growth outlook and the slumping prices in China's residential real estate market," said Biswas.

Persons: —, Rajiv Biswas, Gen, LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent, Laxman Narasimhan, Nomura, Lynn Song, Jean, Jacques Guiony, Biswas, McKinsey Organizations: Service, Gucci, Business, World Gold, Bloomberg, Starbucks, Huawei, Nomura, ING, McKinsey Locations: Japan, China, American, Greater China

☆ Shaking seats and piped-in fog: How 4DX is carving out a niche moviegoing market
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-27 | by ( Sarah Whitten | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The fog parts, Chris Hemsworth as Dementus comes into focus and grins at the audience. This is the 4DX viewing experience. Moviegoers who have returned are seeking premium experiences — higher-quality picture and sound — and are willing to pay more for those tickets. 4DX is one option in the premium large format market alongside the likes of IMAX and Dolby Cinema. 4DX utilizes motion seats, practical effects and sensory elements to immerse viewers in a movie.

Persons: George Miller's, Max, Chris Hemsworth, Dementus, Duncan Macdonald, CJ, CJ 4DPlex, 4DX, Paul Dergarabedian, Wonka, Don Savant Organizations: CJ 4DPlex, Hollywood, Dolby, Comscore, Warner Bros

☆ Off-price retailers like TJX and Ross won't be slowing down any time soon — here's why
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-26 | by ( Gabrielle Fonrouge | In Gabrielle-Fonrouge | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Mario Anzuoni | ReutersOff-price retailers like TJX Companies and Ross are still posting sales gains and taking market share from rivals, but it's not just because consumers are under pressure and hunting for value. TJX and Ross both reported fiscal first quarter earnings last week that came in better than Wall Street expected, even as both companies lapped outsize growth from the prior-year period. Ross, which runs Ross Dress for Less and dd's Discounts, posted an 8% jump in sales, bringing revenue to $4.86 billion, compared to estimates of $4.83 billion, according to LSEG. "That's because they're providing consistent value to the consumer – and that's branded consistent value to the consumer at a discount price," said Roach. The dynamic is a bit different at Ross, which has more exposure to the lower- and middle-income consumer than TJX does and competes more on price, said Siegel.

Persons: Mario Anzuoni, Ross, it's, TJ Maxx, they've, Jessica Ramirez, Jane Hali, TJX, they'd, They've, Goldman Sachs, Brooke Roach, John Klinger, Michael Hartshorn, Roach, Simeon Siegel, Siegel, Ernie Herrman Organizations: Maxx, Reuters, TJX, Associates, Wall, Marshalls, CNBC, Walmart, BMO Capital Markets, Brands Locations: Pasadena , California, Homegoods, Ross

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