Angel Reese gave off bold Barbie vibes in the WNBA tunnel, wearing her Balmain dress unzipped to reveal a dangerously high-slit. Ahead of the second home game against the New York Liberty on October 7, the 24-year-old turned heads in a stunning black gown that highlighted her toned figure.
Angel Reese ? https://t.co/yYujvLUs9k pic.twitter.com/h2bCAvO273
— Athlete Vanity (AthleteVanity) October 7, 2026
Angel Reese wore a Balmain Gathered gown for the photoshoot in the WNBA tunnel on October 7. The dress featured a sleeveless cut with structured shoulders and a high mock neckline. Its most eye-catching detail was the brand's signature oversized gold zipper running diagonally across the hip and down the front.
The unzipped thigh-high slit added a bold edge to the otherwise classic dark dress. The floor-length piece also boasted gathered details around the slit, exposing her toned legs as she walked or posed. She paired it with pointed-toe black high heels that elongated her frame while maintaining the monochrome color palette.

#angel #balmain #gathered

Tropical Depression Nine has formed off the coast of Mexico in the Gulf of America, and forecasts show it will be the Atlantic's first hurricane this season, making a dangerous landfall threat to the U.s.
The system is currently getting better organized, and the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said it is forecast to be a tropical storm on Wednesday and a hurricane on Thursday.
The NHC said the system is likely to be a Category 2 hurricane by Friday night, with estimated winds at 100 mph.
Farmers' Almanac Releases 2026-2027 Winter Forecast: What They Say To Expect For Blockbuster Winter In The Us
It will be named Isaias.

#forecast

Jeffrey Archer said he was feeling "wistful and nostalgic" about his upbringing in Somerset a week before his death.
The bestselling author and former politician, who grew up in Weston-super-Mare, died on Monday at the age of 86, the day before the release of his latest - and last - novel.
BBC Breakfast presenter Jon Kay interviewed Archer last week at his alma mater, Wellington School in Somerset. He said Archer had been reflecting on his "extraordinary life" during their conversation.
"He admitted he was feeling a little wistful and nostalgic, reminiscent about Somerset in his later years," Kay said.
Author and former politician Jeffrey Archer dies aged 86

#somerset #feeling #week

Christina Zhu, the head of Walmart's China business, remembers when Chinese shoppers did not have much choice.
As a child, she watched her parents wake up at 4:30 a.m. on Sundays to go to the wet market. "They had to haggle, and high-quality produce wasn't always guaranteed," Zhu, born in 1973, recalled at the Fortune Leaders Forum in Macau in September.
Today, Chinese shoppers are "probably the group with the most choices [in the world]," and they have become "the most demanding customers," she said.
Meeting those rising expectations has become the defining challenge for retailers in China, and Walmart has managed it better than most. It entered China in 1996 with a Supercenter and a Sam's Club in Shenzhen. Three decades later, the U.S. retailer is thriving in the world's second-largest economy even as other foreign brands struggle.
China represents 3% of Walmart's overall business, but it is growing, generating $24.6 billion in sales in its past fiscal year, a 19.3% jump. Sales grew 20.7% last quarter, faster than the 5.9% reported by the company as a whole.

#China

John Leguizamo, the veteran stage and screen actor and leading activist for Latino representation in Hollywood, who is currently garnering career-best notices and Oscar buzz for his portrayal of Eumaeus in Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey, is our guest on this episode of The Hollywood Reporter's Awards Chatter podcast, which was recorded in front of an audience of students at Chapman University.
Over the course of 42 years in the business, Leguizamo has worked with everyone. He has been directed by Brian De Palma, Spike Lee, Baz Luhrmann and Jon Favreau multiple times, as well as by Mike Nichols, George A. Romero, Ridley Scott, Todd Haynes, M. Night Shyamalan, Ava DuVernay and Christopher Nolan. And he has shared the screen with the likes of Sean Penn, Harrison Ford, Al Pacino, Leonardo DiCaprio, Wesley Snipes, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Robert De Niro, Keanu Reeves, Nicole Kidman, Kevin Hart, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler and Matt Damon.

In the movies, he has starred in blockbuster studio franchises (Ice Age and John Wick), revered indies (Poison and Chef) and cult classics (Super Mario Bros. and To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar). On TV, he has been on hit network shows (ER) and acclaimed limited series (Waco and When They See Us). And on the stage, he has written and starred in six acclaimed one-man shows. Between them all, he has accumulated an Emmy Award and a special Tony Award, as well as Golden Globe and Critics Choice award nominations.
More from The Hollywood Reporter
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#hollywood

Veteran actor, singer, and stage star Illy Gorlizki, a defining figure in Israeli culture for more than seven decades, has died at 91.
Israeli actor, singer and theater figure Illy Gorlizki, one of the most recognizable figures in Israeli culture across generations, died at the age of 91, his partner and leading cultural institutions said on Monday.
Born in Tel Aviv in 1935, Gorlizki spent more than seven decades working in theater, film, television and Israeli music, taking part in some of the formative moments of Israeli popular culture.
Gorlizki began his theater career as a teenager. At 17, he was accepted to the drama school affiliated with the Ohel Theater and simultaneously began appearing in small roles. During his military service, he joined the Central Command entertainment troupe, where he sang and performed alongside several young talents who would later become pillars of Israeli entertainment.
He secured his place in Israel's cultural pantheon in 1964, when he starred as Shlomo in the celebrated musical King Solomon and Shalmai the Shoemaker alongside Yona Atari. The musical, based on a play by Sami Gronemann, translated and adapted by Nathan Alterman with music by Sasha Argov, became a huge success and was performed about 1,000 times.

#israeli #theater #illy #decades

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And just like that, the Spring/Summer 2027 season is coming to a close. Paris Fashion Week has officially begun, kicking off the fourth and final calendar of shows this September. Following New York City, London, and Milan, the French capital is welcoming a flurry of industry professionals and front-row stars alike, all eager to see what's next for our favorite designers.
The schedule started off strong on Monday, with a lineup that opened with 2026 LVMH Prize winner Julie Kegels and closed with avant-garde, industry-favorite Matières Fécales. Rihanna was spotted at the latter, making a grand, fashionably-late entrance in a gold tinsel two-piece, while fellow A-listers—Jennifer Lawrence, Tate McRae, Kendall Jenner with Jacob Elordi, Katie Holmes with Jason Bard Yarmosky, Alexa Chung, and Gabbriette—settled into their hotels and toasted the week ahead at parties and dinners galore.
On Tuesday, Jonathan Anderson sat the likes of Rosalía, Jennifer Lawrence, Anya Taylor-Joy, Cynthia Erivo, Greta Lee, Eileen Gu, Mia Goth, Ejae, and Karlie Kloss front row at his presentation for Christian Dior. Maison Margiela and Saint Laurent followed suit later that evening.
On Wednesday, the Row, Balmain, Dries Van Noten, Stella McCartney, Vaquera, Acne Studios, and Tom Ford welcomed more celebrity sightings, and as the week continues, so will Chloé, Balenciaga, Schiaparelli, Loewe, Givenchy, Victoria Beckham, Vivienne Westwood, Miu Miu, Valentino, Mugler, Jean Paul Gaultier, Chanel, and more. The season will wrap on Tuesday, October 6, with Louis Vuitton.

#jennifer #season #front

Women in Film has revealed its slate of 2026 WIF Honors recipients. This year's honorees — Salma Hayek Pinault, Adria Arjona, Gemma Chan (in absentia), Beth de Araújo, and Pamela Abdy — will be celebrated at the organization's annual benefit gala Nov. 5 at The Beverly Hilton.
Abdy will receive the inaugural Vanguard Award, while Arjona is set to be honored with the Face of the Future Award. Chan and de Araújo will jointly accept the Crystal Award for Advocacy in Film for their collaboration on Josephine, and Hayek Pinault will be presented with the Jane Fonda Humanitarian Award.
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Sundance winner 'Josephine' gets emotional, tense 1st teaser trailer, release date
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#film #arjona #abdy

Fresh off the premiere of Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story, star Ella Beatty made her first appearance at Paris Fashion Week. Yesterday, the actress was at the Balmain Womenswear Spring/Summer 2027 show, and today, Beatty was photographed at the Balenciaga RTW Spring/Summer 2027 show.
At Balmain, she posed for photos with Balmain's CEO Matteo Sgarbossa, and wrote of the show on her Instagram stories, "Waaaaowww gorgeous" with a heart eye emoji and a shocked face emoji, adding, "thank you balmain !!!"
Beatty and Sgarbossa.Aurore Marechal - Getty Images
This morning, she was photographed in the front row of the Balanciaga show, which was held at the Tennis Club de Paris.
Beatty sits front row.Swan Gallet - Getty Images

#spring

When Christmas rolls around, my wife puts out a very small tree and some stuffed ornaments we bought a few years ago at Target. That's a pretty modest approach to decorating for the holidays compared to many of our neighbors.
At the house we just moved out of, some homes added tasteful lights, others opted for religious displays, and a few opted for a whole lot of inflatables. In some cases, the spending was significant, although many of the items were reused year after year.
Decorations are a small but meaningful part of holiday spending.
Americans planned to spend an average of $1,172 on travel, $632 on gifts, $351 on entertaining, and $227 on decorations, according to a BMO survey conducted before the 2024 holiday season.
Getting those items may be more of a challenge this year, as Gordon Companies, which runs a number of Christmas-themed websites and lists Target, Kohl's, Home Depot, Walmart, Amazon, Lowe's, and Michaels as retail partners, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

#christmas #decorations #opted #items

For months, economists and retailers have warned about the financial strain facing lower- and middle-income consumers. Higher earners, on the other hand, have largely been sheltered from the effects of the rising costs of living.
But that may be changing.
A growing number of CEOs and industry insiders, from retailers as varied as Walmart and ThredUp, have said they're seeing shifts in the behavior of consumers earning $100,000 a year or more.
Dollar General's CEO Todd Vasos is the latest to join that growing chorus.
Speaking at the Goldman Sachs Global Consumer and Retail conference, Vasos said it's no longer the chain's core consumer base (low- and middle-earners) who are feeling the financial strain.

#Consumer #strain #higher

Costco is expanding its same-day delivery network as it looks to grow e-commerce sales and compete with retailers like Walmart and Target.
The retailer this week launched collaborations with DoorDash (NASDAQ: DASH) and Uber (NYSE: UBER) to pick up online orders at U.S. stores and drive them to the customer's door. The arrangements give Costco more channels to reach customers through ultra-fast delivery, made possible by gig drivers who use the platforms to select ******* ignments.
DoorDash, best known for delivering restaurant food, announced that Costco (NASDAQ: COST) members can now order groceries, dry goods, household essentials and other products from its marketplace and then arrange fast delivery from their local store, all through the DoorDash app. The U.S. launch extends the existing relationship between the companies in Australia, New Zealand, Sweden, Iceland and Puerto Rico.
DoorDash now serves eight of the 10 largest food retailers in North America.
On Wednesday, Uber announced a major expansion of its partnership with Costco to deliver products in 47 states, up from 17 states. Nearly 600 Costco locations are now available on the Uber Eats app, where shoppers can arrange on-demand and scheduled delivery.

#Food #announced

BuyWander says it plan to use the fresh capital to drive its expansion throughout the US, support technological upgrades, and bolster its executive team.
The investment was headed by Madrona Venture Group and Inspired Capital. Past supporters of the company include Triple Impact Capital, Silence Ventures, Animal Capital, as well as several angel investors.
The business currently has eight locations and has lately entered the Denver and Chicago markets, with a new warehouse site scheduled to open soon in Minneapolis.
BuyWander co-founder and CEO Jordan Allen said: "Retailers are sitting on billions of dollars in returned and overstocked inventory every year, and buyers are hungry for a better way to access it. We've seen that appetite play out in every market we've entered. This funding lets us bring that experience to more cities, faster, and put BuyWander in front of the next wave of buyers who are done with the old returns model."
Founded in 2023 by Jordan Allen and Brock Kowalchuk, BuyWander is an auction-based marketplace that links buyers with returned and surplus goods from retailers such as Amazon, Target and Walmart.

#capital #buyers #allen

Concerned about an AI bubble? Sign up for The Daily Upside for smart and actionable market news, built for investors.
Let's just come right out and say it: It's a good time to sell a registered investment advisor practice.
We've all read headlines about sky-high multiples and firm owners fielding multiple calls a day from potential suitors. It's an environment where successful founders can generate tremendous value from selling their firms. The process isn't simple, however, and there are pitfalls that owners can stumble into, potentially robbing them of hard-earned enterprise value.
Adam Lewis, partner at Vedder Price, talked through these dynamics this week during a standing-room only session at the Future Proof Festival in Huntington Beach, California. While he advises on M&A across multiple industries, the world of wealth management stands apart in 2026 as the "strongest by far" in terms of dealmaking activity. The entrance of private equity buyers in the RIA **** e has been particularly significant, with the heightened competition among buyers helping ramp up valuations. It's a great environment for sellers who hope to monetize their life's work to fund their retirement lifestyle and potentially create intergenerational wealth, Lewis said. But it's important to be diligent and bring the right expertise to the table during the negotiation process.
Sign up for The Daily Upside at no cost for premium **** ysis on all your favorite stocks.

#lewis

Private equity dealmakers in the US are poised for higher borrowing costs as the Federal Reserve on Wednesday raised interest rates for the first time since 2023.
The rate-setting committee unanimously agreed to raise the benchmark interest rate by a quarter of a percentage point, and officials largely agreed that, at the current trend, one more hike would be needed in 2026.
The decision lifted the federal funds rate to a target range of 3.75% to 4%, in line with market expectations heading into the September meeting.
Kyle Walters, a PE ******* yst at PitchBook, described the rate hike as "directionally negative for PE exit activity," though it is unlikely to cause significant damage on its own.
"The larger question is whether this rate hike is a one-off or if more are to follow. If it's the latter, that would have a more negative impact on monetization efforts, as most LBO debt is floating rate, which results in higher interest expense on these companies, and can damage the financial statements prospective buyers look at."

#interest #damage #reserve

Walmart exists to serve, said David Guggina, the president and CEO of its U.S. division.
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#david #fast #pass #Trump

Interested in Walmart Inc.? Here are five stocks we like better.
Target trades at roughly 15 times earnings with a 3% yield, presenting value relative to Walmart and Costco ahead of the holiday season.
Aggressive price cuts on over 10,000 items and October Deal Days discounts of up to 40% could drive market-beating Q3 and holiday results.
Dividend growth exceeding 50 years, buyback capacity, and heavy institutional ownership near 80% help limit downside risk into 2026.
Believe it or not, the holiday shopping season is here, so it's time to consider the best plays. As it stands, seasonal sales growth is expected to accelerate year over year to 4.55% to 4.8%, topping $1.7 trillion for the first time, underpinned as always by e-commerce. Digital sales are expected to top 8% seasonally and may outpace expectations as AI adoption accelerates. Hyperscalers, business services, and merchants are embedding AI throughout the digital retail stack, and it is resonating with consumers. An estimated 25% to 30% of shoppers say they will use AI this season for help with research, price comparisons, and budgeting.

#time

The pre-market for Amazon looks a bit bullish, although I wouldn't call it overly bullish. We are in an area that should be interesting for technical traders, though, as the last earnings call produced a massive gap and we find ourselves at the 61.8% Fibonacci retracement level.
We are getting close to an oversold condition in the stochastic oscillator, and the 10-year yield is now at 5% again, so that has its own part to play here.
I do think we have a situation where traders continue to look at this as a potential value play, but it is also going to be heavily influenced by the U.S. consumer and how it is feeling. Interest rates rising and inflation rising are not good things, but so far it looks like we are at least finding some type of support.
Walmart is doing very little in pre-market trading. It is currently finding the 50-day EMA as a potential barrier, and as a result, it might be worth looking at this through the prism of whether or not we can get above there. We are in the overbought condition in the stochastic oscillator, so maybe a little bit more consolidation. That would not be overly surprising because after all, most of the day is going to be waiting around for the Federal Reserve interest rate decision, and perhaps more important than that will be the press conference.
Target looks as if it is going to basically open up where it closed during the previous session, which was pretty ugly for Target. We are sitting just above the 50-day EMA, and it is in a nice uptrend. We are oversold in the stochastic oscillator now, so I'll be looking for some type of bounce.

#looks #overly

Walmart and SCAN Health Plan announced a partnership on Wednesday to offer co-branded Medicare Advantage plans in two states, targeting a pool of more than two million Medicare enrollees.
The plans, pending regulatory approval, may include pharmacy, vision, food, and over-the-counter benefits, the companies said. Open enrollment for Medicare Advantage begins Oct. 15, according to MarketWatch.
A central feature of the partnership is Walmart's Everyday Health Signals platform, an AI tool designed to provide personalized nutrition and wellness guidance based on members' shopping preferences and self-reported wellness goals. The companies said they plan to make that capability available to participating plan members as part of broader coaching and wellness support.
"By combining Walmart's technology capabilities and consumer retail expertise with SCAN's Medicare product experience, we have an opportunity to develop products that translate those insights into meaningful support that helps members make more informed choices about their health and well-being," said Zack Myers, national general manager of SCAN Health Plan, in a statement.
Walmart Group Director for Consumer Health and Data Solutions Pravene Nath said the collaboration is distinct because of Walmart's role in customers' everyday lives. "Because customers regularly turn to Walmart for groceries and other everyday essentials, we have an opportunity for those who choose to participate, to use insights from their shopping experiences to make nutrition guidance more relevant and actionable," Nath said in a statement.

#Wellness #members #scan #advantage

Inquiring about Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT) on September 10, a caller asked if they should "keep it." Mad Money host Jim Cramer replied:
I got to tell you, this one is a short and long-term, okay? Short-term, I think I know what Walmart's doing. I think that they're letting their customers have a big break. They're not passing along all of these costs. That is going to earn them tremendous love when things get better. So the wise situation is to say this: Walmart trades at 36 times earnings. It deserves to trade lower just because of what's happening at the company now and higher what's happening at the company when this inflation bout ends. So you buy some at $106, $105, and then buy some at $95. And yes, it could trade to $95. It does not have yield support. This is not like Target, which had that yield support. Target's doing better than Walmart right now. It is.
Walmart Inc.'s (NASDAQ:WMT) second-quarter fiscal 2027 revenue rose 5.9% year over year to $187.9 billion, while global e-commerce sales increased 23%. Global advertising revenue rose 38%, and membership-fee revenue increased 17% globally. Walmart U.S. comparable sales, excluding fuel, grew 2.6%. The company is also using tariff refunds to support lower prices. It said tariff refunds increased its gross profit rate during the quarter, while price investments partially offset the benefit.
Target Corporation (NYSE:TGT) has stronger recent comparable-sales momentum. Its second-quarter sales rose 5.3%, comparable sales increased 3.8%, and traffic rose 3.6%. The company also raised its full-year sales-growth outlook to approximately 5%. Its second-quarter GAAP and adjusted EPS were $4.11, including a $1.65 benefit from tariff refunds. Excluding tariff refunds, GAAP and adjusted EPS increased 20% year over year. CEO Michael Fiddelke said Target had reduced prices on more than 10,000 frequently purchased items over the past year and acknowledged that "there's still meaningful work ahead."
Walmart Inc.'s (NASDAQ:WMT) biggest risk is valuation. Its premium forward PE of 36.76 leaves the stock more exposed if U.S. comparable-sales growth remains modest while the company continues investing in prices. Walmart's 2.6% U.S. comparable-sales growth also trails Target's 3.8%.

#increased #rose

Auxier ******* et Management, an investment advisory firm, released its second-quarter 2026 investor letter. The letter can be downloaded here. Following a strong rebound from the first-quarter decline, the S&P 500 gained 15.2% as accelerating capital spending toward artificial intelligence infrastructure drove significant gains across technology hardware companies. Semiconductor and data-center-related businesses benefited from supply constraints and strong demand, while enterprise software remained under pressure as investors reassessed AI disruption risks and compressed valuations. In the quarter, Auxier Focus Fund's Investor Class gained 8.82% and 10.70% for the six months ended June 30, 2026. Despite strong earnings growth across the broader market, Auxier highlighted concerns around rising margin debt, increased leverage, and elevated capital flows into high-growth technology areas that could amplify future volatility. The firm continues to focus on identifying enduring businesses with strong competitive advantages, resilient cash flows, and sustainable long-term growth potential. Also, check the fund's top five holdings to see its best picks in 2026.
In its second-quarter 2026 investor letter, Auxier ******* et Management highlighted The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR). The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) is a leading supermarket chain that operates combination food and drug stores, multi-department stores, marketplace stores, and price impact warehouses. On September 14, 2026, The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) closed at $60.91 per share. Over the past month, The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) returned 10.12%, but its shares are down 7.06% over the past year. The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) has a market capitalization of $37.32 billion, and its stock has traded within a 52-week range of $54.15 to $76.58.
Auxier ******* et Management stated the following regarding The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) in its Q2 2026 investor letter:
"Consumer staples underperformed during the quarter. Elevated inflation, high interest rates and rising gas prices contributed to lower consumer spending, impacting companies like The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) and PepsiCo. Although Kroger's stock has been weak, its new CEO Greg Foran brings exceptional leadership that promises positive change. While he was President of Walmart US from 2014-2019, the company achieved 20 consecutive quarters of same-store sales growth and scaled its online grocery pickup. Since joining Kroger he has aggressively reduced prices and boosted the growth in private label and organic offerings. The stock trades at a mere 12 times earnings which is a significant discount to both Costco and Walmart."

#Growth #asset

LAW AND ORDER: Kering has promoted Sophie Maddaloni, its longtime group tax director, to general secretary of the group, effective immediately.
Maddaloni, who is based in Paris, also joins Kering's executive committee and reports to Jean-Marc Duplaix, group chief operating officer.
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#dinner

Jim Cramer raised concerns about The TJX Companies, Inc. (NYSE:TJX) during the September 10 episode of Mad Money, as he said:
We had our CNBC Investing Club meeting today… I review each of the Charitable Trust positions on the call. This time, it was pretty clinical until I got to TJX, the off-price retailer. Candidly, I lost it on TJX. I've owned the stock for the Trust for as long as I can remember, and I've never felt so worried about this franchise. They have a bunch of divisions, but the biggest one, Marmaxx, consisting of TJ Maxx and Marshalls, really blew it. Management told us that they had figured out what had gone wrong and they've already fixed it, but because of competitive reasons or whatever, they wouldn't tell us what went wrong and they wouldn't tell us how they fixed it. I found that infuriating…
I came close to saying, forget it, Jim, it's retail. Sometimes retail is seductive. I love my local TJ Maxx, and I think Home Goods is a fun place to shop. The company's almost always about the best in the industry, crushing Burlington and Ross Stores. But this time, shockingly, Ross Stores upside surprised. It crushed TJX, much better than expected... So why bother sticking your neck out for something in this group? Simple. Because some of the greatest stories of all time have come from retail. Costco's been an incredible long-term performer. Walmart's been terrific. And TJX, it's been a wonder, one of the best stocks ever.
Could they really suddenly have lost it? Did they go all LULU? I don't think so. What happens, though, is you have to be conscious that TJX is right now being buffeted by its group, which is trading down because of the decline in discretionary income from the tax that is higher gasoline. We can't tell how much of its underperformance comes from that alone or maybe the mistakes that management made and says they've corrected. In other words, these retail stocks are very hard to own, even as they seem so easy to grasp.
TJX Companies, Inc. (NYSE:TJX) reported second-quarter fiscal 2027 sales of $15.18 billion, up 5% year over year, while consolidated comparable sales increased 4%. Adjusted diluted EPS rose 11% to $1.22, and the company raised its full-year diluted EPS outlook to $5.31-$5.36, or $5.15-$5.20 excluding an expected $0.16 net benefit from tariff refunds. The weakness was concentrated in Marmaxx, which includes TJ Maxx, Marshalls and Sierra. Comparable sales increased just 1%, down from 6% in the first quarter, while HomeGoods, TJX Canada and TJX International each posted comparable-sales growth of 6% or more.

#year

Bank of America Corporation (NYSE:BAC) expects third-quarter investment banking fees to fall by at least 10% year over year, which highlights a broader normalization across capital markets after an unusually strong first half of 2026. BofA expects investment banking fees of roughly $1.6 billion to $1.8 billion in the third quarter, compared with $2 billion a year earlier. CEO Brian Moynihan said the broader investment banking market is also down around 10%, suggesting that the softer quarter reflects a cooling in industry activity rather than a company-specific breakdown.
The comparison with the second quarter illustrates how sharp the normalization is. BofA's investment banking fees had risen 50% year over year to $2.1 billion in Q2, while sales and trading revenue reached a record $7.1 billion. The current outlook therefore represents a pullback from elevated levels rather than a reversal of the broader recovery in dealmaking. Global M&A activity remained substantial in the first half of 2026, with more than $3 trillion of announced transactions, providing evidence that corporate deal appetite has remained relatively healthy even as quarterly activity fluctuates.
Pixabay/Public Domain
From a longer-term perspective, the normalization does not necessarily undermine Bank of America Corporation (NYSE:BAC)'s capital-markets franchise. Investment banking revenues remain well above the depressed levels seen during the earlier downturn in deal activity, while the bank continues to have a substantial pipeline of potential transactions. Moynihan's comments that the pipeline remains strong suggest that some of the current weakness could reflect the timing of transactions rather than a fundamental loss of corporate demand for M&A, financing or advisory services.
BofA also has a diversified earnings base that makes it less dependent on any single capital-markets cycle. Its second-quarter net interest income increased 9% to $16 billion, while average loans and leases grew 8%. That provides a more stable source of revenue as investment banking normalizes. In this context, the Q3 decline can be viewed as a shift away from exceptionally strong capital-markets contributions rather than evidence that the bank's broader earnings trajectory has deteriorated.

#billion #year #rather

The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) cut its full-year 2026 identical-sales forecast excluding fuel to 0.2%–0.8% from 1%–2%, reflecting a sharper-than-expected slowdown in consumer demand. Second-quarter identical sales rose just 0.2%, down from 3.4% a year earlier and below the 0.9% ****** yst estimate.
The weakness reflects pressure on middle- and lower-income consumers, while a Cyclospora outbreak reduced quarterly identical sales by roughly 35 basis points and Medicare prescription-drug pricing changes created an approximately 140-basis-point headwind for pharmacy revenue. Importantly, Kroger maintained its full-year adjusted FIFO operating-profit forecast of $5.0 billion–$5.2 billion and delivered adjusted EPS of $1.09, ahead of the $1.06 consensus.
The strongest bullish argument is that The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) is currently protecting earnings despite the deterioration in sales momentum. Second-quarter adjusted EPS increased 5% year over year to $1.09, while adjusted FIFO operating profit was $1.076 billion. Kroger's gross margin rate actually increased by 13 basis points, although the overall gross-margin percentage was 22.4% versus 22.5% a year earlier, suggesting that pricing, sourcing, and cost-management initiatives are helping offset weaker volumes. The company's higher-margin businesses are also becoming increasingly important: adjusted e-commerce sales grew 20% in the quarter, and Kroger Precision Marketing profit increased 24%. That mix shift gives Kroger an earnings lever even when supermarket traffic and comparable sales are weak.
There is also evidence that management is actively responding to the competitive pressure rather than simply accepting slower growth. CEO Greg Foran has been pursuing tighter sourcing, simpler operations and lower prices, with Reuters reporting plans to cut prices across thousands of products to regain shoppers from Walmart, Costco and Aldi. The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR)'s balance sheet provides room to fund that strategy: its net debt-to-adjusted-EBITDA ratio was 1.91x, below its stated target range of 2.30x–2.50x, while the company repurchased $1.0 billion of shares in the second quarter and $1.2 billion year to date. It also raised its dividend 11%, marking the 20th consecutive year of increases. If sales stabilize while e-commerce, retail media and cost efficiencies continue expanding, the unchanged $5.0 billion–$5.2 billion operating-profit forecast could prove more important to valuation than the reduced top-line outlook.

#year

Auxier ***** et Management, an investment advisory firm, released its second-quarter 2026 investor letter. The letter can be downloaded here. Following a strong rebound from the first-quarter decline, the S&P 500 gained 15.2% as accelerating capital spending toward artificial intelligence infrastructure drove significant gains across technology hardware companies. Semiconductor and data-center-related businesses benefited from supply constraints and strong demand, while enterprise software remained under pressure as investors reassessed AI disruption risks and compressed valuations. In the quarter, Auxier Focus Fund's Investor Class gained 8.82% and 10.70% for the six months ended June 30, 2026. Despite strong earnings growth across the broader market, Auxier highlighted concerns around rising margin debt, increased leverage, and elevated capital flows into high-growth technology areas that could amplify future volatility. The firm continues to focus on identifying enduring businesses with strong competitive advantages, resilient cash flows, and sustainable long-term growth potential. Also, check the fund's top five holdings to see its best picks in 2026.
In its second-quarter 2026 investor letter, Auxier ***** et Management highlighted The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR). The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) is a leading supermarket chain that operates combination food and drug stores, multi-department stores, marketplace stores, and price impact warehouses. On September 14, 2026, The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) closed at $60.91 per share. Over the past month, The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) returned 10.12%, but its shares are down 7.06% over the past year. The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) has a market capitalization of $37.32 billion, and its stock has traded within a 52-week range of $54.15 to $76.58.
Auxier ***** et Management stated the following regarding The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) in its Q2 2026 investor letter:
"Consumer staples underperformed during the quarter. Elevated inflation, high interest rates and rising gas prices contributed to lower consumer spending, impacting companies like The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) and PepsiCo. Although Kroger's stock has been weak, its new CEO Greg Foran brings exceptional leadership that promises positive change. While he was President of Walmart US from 2014-2019, the company achieved 20 consecutive quarters of same-store sales growth and scaled its online grocery pickup. Since joining Kroger he has aggressively reduced prices and boosted the growth in private label and organic offerings. The stock trades at a mere 12 times earnings which is a significant discount to both Costco and Walmart."

#NYSE #quarter #Growth #strong

Jim Cramer raised concerns about The TJX Companies, Inc. (NYSE:TJX) during the September 10 episode of Mad Money, as he said:
We had our CNBC Investing Club meeting today… I review each of the Charitable Trust positions on the call. This time, it was pretty clinical until I got to TJX, the off-price retailer. Candidly, I lost it on TJX. I've owned the stock for the Trust for as long as I can remember, and I've never felt so worried about this franchise. They have a bunch of divisions, but the biggest one, Marmaxx, consisting of TJ Maxx and Marshalls, really blew it. Management told us that they had figured out what had gone wrong and they've already fixed it, but because of competitive reasons or whatever, they wouldn't tell us what went wrong and they wouldn't tell us how they fixed it. I found that infuriating…
I came close to saying, forget it, Jim, it's retail. Sometimes retail is seductive. I love my local TJ Maxx, and I think Home Goods is a fun place to shop. The company's almost always about the best in the industry, crushing Burlington and Ross Stores. But this time, shockingly, Ross Stores upside surprised. It crushed TJX, much better than expected... So why bother sticking your neck out for something in this group? Simple. Because some of the greatest stories of all time have come from retail. Costco's been an incredible long-term performer. Walmart's been terrific. And TJX, it's been a wonder, one of the best stocks ever.
Could they really suddenly have lost it? Did they go all LULU? I don't think so. What happens, though, is you have to be conscious that TJX is right now being buffeted by its group, which is trading down because of the decline in discretionary income from the tax that is higher gasoline. We can't tell how much of its underperformance comes from that alone or maybe the mistakes that management made and says they've corrected. In other words, these retail stocks are very hard to own, even as they seem so easy to grasp.
TJX Companies, Inc. (NYSE:TJX) reported second-quarter fiscal 2027 sales of $15.18 billion, up 5% year over year, while consolidated comparable sales increased 4%. Adjusted diluted EPS rose 11% to $1.22, and the company raised its full-year diluted EPS outlook to $5.31-$5.36, or $5.15-$5.20 excluding an expected $0.16 net benefit from tariff refunds. The weakness was concentrated in Marmaxx, which includes TJ Maxx, Marshalls and Sierra. Comparable sales increased just 1%, down from 6% in the first quarter, while HomeGoods, TJX Canada and TJX International each posted comparable-sales growth of 6% or more.

#sales #time #NYSE

Bank of America Corporation (NYSE:BAC) expects third-quarter investment banking fees to fall by at least 10% year over year, which highlights a broader normalization across capital markets after an unusually strong first half of 2026. BofA expects investment banking fees of roughly $1.6 billion to $1.8 billion in the third quarter, compared with $2 billion a year earlier. CEO Brian Moynihan said the broader investment banking market is also down around 10%, suggesting that the softer quarter reflects a cooling in industry activity rather than a company-specific breakdown.
The comparison with the second quarter illustrates how sharp the normalization is. BofA's investment banking fees had risen 50% year over year to $2.1 billion in Q2, while sales and trading revenue reached a record $7.1 billion. The current outlook therefore represents a pullback from elevated levels rather than a reversal of the broader recovery in dealmaking. Global M&A activity remained substantial in the first half of 2026, with more than $3 trillion of announced transactions, providing evidence that corporate deal appetite has remained relatively healthy even as quarterly activity fluctuates.
Pixabay/Public Domain
From a longer-term perspective, the normalization does not necessarily undermine Bank of America Corporation (NYSE:BAC)'s capital-markets franchise. Investment banking revenues remain well above the depressed levels seen during the earlier downturn in deal activity, while the bank continues to have a substantial pipeline of potential transactions. Moynihan's comments that the pipeline remains strong suggest that some of the current weakness could reflect the timing of transactions rather than a fundamental loss of corporate demand for M&A, financing or advisory services.
BofA also has a diversified earnings base that makes it less dependent on any single capital-markets cycle. Its second-quarter net interest income increased 9% to $16 billion, while average loans and leases grew 8%. That provides a more stable source of revenue as investment banking normalizes. In this context, the Q3 decline can be viewed as a shift away from exceptionally strong capital-markets contributions rather than evidence that the bank's broader earnings trajectory has deteriorated.

#investment #banking #year

Walmart and SCAN Health Plan announced a partnership on Wednesday to offer co-branded Medicare Advantage plans in two states, targeting a pool of more than two million Medicare enrollees.
The plans, pending regulatory approval, may include pharmacy, vision, food, and over-the-counter benefits, the companies said. Open enrollment for Medicare Advantage begins Oct. 15, according to MarketWatch.
A central feature of the partnership is Walmart's Everyday Health Signals platform, an AI tool designed to provide personalized nutrition and wellness guidance based on members' shopping preferences and self-reported wellness goals. The companies said they plan to make that capability available to participating plan members as part of broader coaching and wellness support.
"By combining Walmart's technology capabilities and consumer retail expertise with SCAN's Medicare product experience, we have an opportunity to develop products that translate those insights into meaningful support that helps members make more informed choices about their health and well-being," said Zack Myers, national general manager of SCAN Health Plan, in a statement.
Walmart Group Director for Consumer Health and Data Solutions Pravene Nath said the collaboration is distinct because of Walmart's role in customers' everyday lives. "Because customers regularly turn to Walmart for groceries and other everyday essentials, we have an opportunity for those who choose to participate, to use insights from their shopping experiences to make nutrition guidance more relevant and actionable," Nath said in a statement.

#plan #Wellness #members #advantage

Walmart (WMT) recently took another step into restaurant delivery, announcing a national partnership with Inspire Brands that puts it more directly in competition with DoorDash (DASH) and Uber Technologies' (UBER) Uber Eats. But the expansion announced recently is still largely limited to restaurants operating as tenants inside Walmart stores, where the logistics are considerably easier to manage. The bigger question is what happens when the company moves beyond these in-store tenants and takes on the more difficult parts of the restaurant delivery market. Until then, the current expansion says more about Walmart's ambition than its ability to become a structural competitor to the established players.
Walmart is expanding its restaurant delivery strategy through a new collaboration with Inspire Brands, whose portfolio includes Arby's, Jimmy John's, Dunkin, Baskin-Robbins, and Sonic. The partnership will bring restaurant delivery into Walmart's app. Dunkin' will be the first brand to launch, starting with 150 in-store tenant locations. Walmart and Dunkin' then plan to expand the offering to most of Dunkin's roughly 10,000 U.S. restaurants, including locations outside Walmart's stores. The broader opportunity is built around Walmart's existing physical footprint. A customer could place a restaurant order alongside a Walmart purchase and receive both through the same delivery. The retail giant says its footprint is located within 10 miles of about 90% of the U.S. population.
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#uber #Stock #inspire #launch