Lennar Q3 Revenue Falls 8.7% to $8.05 Billion, Missing Estimates
Lennar missed Wall Street's revenue expectations in its third quarter, with sales falling 8.7% year on year to $8.05 billion against analyst estimates of $8.31 billion, a 3.2% miss. Adjusted earnings per share came in at $1.23, 4.5% below the consensus estimate of $1.29, while operating margin dropped to 5.7% from 7.9% a year earlier and backlog declined 4.5% year on year to $6.3 billion. Chief Executive Officer Stuart Miller said interest rates and consumer confidence constrained the improvement the company had anticipated going into the quarter, and Lennar responded by increasing sales incentives and adjusting prices, particularly in its largest markets of Texas and Florida, where resale listings have grown and intensified price competition. Chief Financial Officer Diane Bessette said the company's metrics remain dependent on market conditions, and management expects margins to stay under pressure as it works through higher-cost land acquired in a more favorable market, calling land the one input it cannot reengineer. Lennar offset some of the pressure with record-low construction cycle times of 116 days, unsold inventory reduced to 1.8 homes per community, and a 12% year-over-year cut in divisional headcount, while its asset-light model leaves 98% of land controlled and 2% owned. The stock traded at $79.54, up from $78.12 just before the earnings.
UBS Cuts Nike Price Target to $42, Warns of Further Earnings Cuts
UBS cut its price target on Nike to $42 from $48, maintaining a Neutral rating as analyst Jay Sole said channel checks show the company's global sales growth trend has worsened over the past three months. UBS expects Nike to miss fiscal first-quarter 2027 earnings estimates by about 5 cents per share and to guide fiscal second-quarter EPS to roughly 31 cents to 43 cents, well below the Street's 53-cent estimate. The firm also sees a risk that Nike uses the upcoming earnings report to lower fiscal 2027 expectations ahead of its November investor day, and it believes investors remain too optimistic about the magnitude of potential earnings revisions. Options markets are pricing in an approximately 8% move around the event, compared with Nike's historical average move of about 6.7%. Nike recently traded around $35.78, just above its 52-week low of $35.76, and the stock has fallen roughly 49% over the past year, with Morgan Stanley, BMO and UBS all highlighting downside risks.
lululemon Cuts Fiscal 2026 Outlook as Q2 Revenue Falls 4%
lululemon athletica inc. reported second-quarter fiscal 2026 results that paired tariff-related earnings support with continued demand weakness, and lowered its full-year outlook. The company recognized $134.5 million of IEEPA tariff refunds and $4.1 million of associated interest, which increased diluted earnings per share by $0.86, while second-quarter gross margin rose 200 basis points year over year to 60.5%, primarily on the refund benefit. Even so, operating income declined 13% year over year to $453.7 million and operating margin fell to 18.8%, as revenue declined 4% to $2.4 billion and comparable sales fell 9% and 10% on a constant-dollar basis. The Americas remained the largest pressure point with an 8% revenue decline and a 12% drop in comparable sales, while China Mainland revenue rose 4% on a reported basis but fell 2% in constant dollars. Management now expects full-year revenue of $10.35 billion to $10.50 billion, a decline of 5% to 7%, with earnings per share of $9.48 to $9.73, and third-quarter revenue of $2.29 billion to $2.32 billion, a decline of 10% to 11%, with earnings per share of 93 cents to 98 cents.
lululemon Cuts Fiscal 2026 Outlook as Q2 Revenue Falls 4%
lululemon athletica inc. lowered its fiscal 2026 outlook after second-quarter revenue declined 4% year over year to $2.4 billion and comparable sales fell 9%, or 10% on a constant-dollar basis. The Americas was the weakest region, with revenue down 8% and comparable sales down 12%, while leggings sales dropped roughly 20% as consumers shifted to looser silhouettes. Management now expects full fiscal 2026 revenue of $10.35 billion to $10.50 billion, a decline of 5% to 7%, and earnings per share of $9.48 to $9.73; for the third quarter it guided revenue of $2.29 billion to $2.32 billion, down 10% to 11%, and earnings per share of 93 cents to 98 cents versus $2.59 a year earlier. Second-quarter operating income fell 13% to $453.7 million and operating margin slipped to 18.8%, though the quarter included $134.5 million in tariff refunds that added 560 basis points to gross margin and $0.86 per share after tax. The company ended the quarter with $1.4 billion in cash and cash equivalents, $593.7 million of available revolver capacity and $1.7 billion of inventory, down 1% year over year, and repurchased 2.7 million shares for $330 million while operating 825 company-operated stores globally as of Aug. 2, 2026.
lululemon Refocuses on New Styles as Leggings Sales Fall 20%
lululemon athletica inc. is refocusing its growth strategy around product creation, product activation and enterprise enablement, aiming to restore full-price sales growth and strengthen long-term brand health. Management said it is updating core franchises, reducing SKUs and improving inventory discipline while increasing chase capabilities, and the company is chasing about 20% more volume this year compared with last year. The strategy follows uneven product performance, with sales in traditional leggings declining approximately 20% in second-quarter fiscal 2026 as consumer preferences shifted toward looser silhouettes, though newer away-from-body women's bottoms such as the Groove Wide-Leg, Align Foldover Jogger, Breezily and updated Dance Studio Pant showed positive momentum, along with favorable response to Scuba, Steady State and Define franchises and continued strength in men's Metal Vent Tech tees and golf tops. Second-quarter fiscal 2026 results showed overall product launches remained uneven, contributing to weaker traffic and conversion trends in key markets. Shares of lululemon have lost 39.9% in the past six months, and the Zacks Consensus Estimate for fiscal 2026 and 2027 earnings suggests a year-over-year decline of 28.1% and 5.5%, respectively.
KB Home Set to Report Q3 Fiscal 2026 Results on Sept. 22
KB Home is scheduled to report its third-quarter fiscal 2026 results, for the period ended Aug. 31, on Sept. 22 after market close. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for adjusted earnings per share has remained unchanged at 88 cents over the past 30 days, a 45.3% decline from the year-ago quarter's $1.61 per share, while the consensus revenue estimate stands at $1.29 billion, down 20.2% year over year. KB Home expects housing revenues of $1.2-$1.35 billion, down from $1.61 billion a year ago, home deliveries of 2,600 to 2,800 units versus 3,393 units a year earlier, and adjusted housing gross margin of 16-16.6% versus 18.9%. The company guides selling, general and administrative expenses to 11.3-11.9% of housing revenues, compared with 10.7% a year ago. KB Home carries an Earnings ESP of -5.32% and a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell), and the model does not predict an earnings beat this time around.
HUMAN MADE rises for fifth straight session, opening first flagship store HUMAN MADE TOKYO in Harajuku on September 26
HUMAN MADE extended its gains sharply for a fifth consecutive session. On the 17th, the company announced that it will open its first flagship store, HUMAN MADE TOKYO, in Harajuku, Tokyo, on September 26. HUMAN MADE TOKYO will be the brand's largest flagship store by floor area and is positioned as a new base for broadcasting to the world from Tokyo.
Somnigroup International completed its all-stock combination with Leggett & Platt on August 26, a deal first announced April 13 and valued at roughly $2.3 billion based on Somnigroup's closing price the day before. The transaction folds a components manufacturer with nearly 140 years of history into a bedding company that already owns some of the best-known names in sleep, giving Somnigroup direct control over a piece of its own supply chain. Net leverage fell to roughly 2.8 times adjusted EBITDA at close, down about 0.2 times, and management is targeting the middle of its 2.0 to 3.0 times range by year-end. Management also lifted the annual run-rate synergy target to $75 million from an initial $50 million estimate. The combined company now runs more than 170 manufacturing facilities across 37 countries with over 36,000 employees. Three weeks before the deal closed, Somnigroup reported second-quarter 2026 results showing adjusted earnings per share up 9.4% to $0.58 even as total net sales slipped 3.0% to $1,823.5 million, with gross margin expanding to 44.8% from 44.0% and a record $236 million in operating cash flow; the company raised its full-year adjusted EPS guidance to a range of $2.85 to $3.15, roughly 11% above 2025 at the midpoint. Somnigroup expects about $50 million a year in non-cash expense from marking the acquired business up to fair value, mostly hitting cost of goods sold, plus another $10 million in non-cash interest expense from revaluing Leggett & Platt's bonds, and it hosts a business update call on September 2 to detail how the synergies get realized.
Mattel Launches Thomas & Friends Content and Bluey Licensing Deal With BBC Studios
Mattel has launched a new Thomas & Friends: Railway Stories content line and signed a Bluey licensing deal with BBC Studios, placing fresh content and toys at the center of its strategy. The moves come as Mattel shares trade at US$13.31, up 1.10% on the day but down 33.58% year to date, with a 1-year total shareholder return of negative 23.20%. The most followed analyst narrative pins Mattel's fair value at $26.97, framing the current price as 51% undervalued, on the view that creative IP revitalization, major licensing partnerships and a push into movies and streaming content can unlock higher-margin recurring revenue beyond traditional toy sales. That bullish case could crack if digital entertainment keeps pulling children away from physical play, or if brand fatigue hits legacy franchises like Barbie and Hot Wheels harder than expected.
SABINA Signals Q3 2026 Retail Sales Recovery, Backs New Collections and Activewear to Drive Growth
Duangdao Mahanavanont, Chief Executive Officer of Sabina Public Company Limited, or SABINA, disclosed that sales in the third quarter of 2026, from July through the present, have begun to recover in the retail channel, which is the main channel with the largest share of sales, covering both sales through Sabina shops and Sabina counters in department stores. She expects the key factor to be the launch of new product collections across both the lingerie and non-lingerie groups, which have been well received by consumers. Earlier, SABINA reported second-quarter 2026 results showing that the retail channel, which accounts for 56% of revenue, saw sales fall 9.4% compared with the same period a year earlier, while the no-store retail channel, or NSR, which accounts for 35%, saw sales drop 13.5%, and the original equipment manufacturing channel, or OEM, which accounts for 9%, saw sales rise 1.5%. Duangdao said the return of sales in the retail channel in the third quarter is starting to be a clearer positive signal, even though overall purchasing power may be lower because of household debt problems and the shift into an ageing society. The company will turn these obstacles into opportunities by offering good-quality products at prices that are not too high, while managing costs efficiently in both sourcing and raw material cost management, and she is confident it can maintain profitability, especially the net profit margin, or NPM, this year in line with the target set. In dealing with Chinese goods in the online channel, SABINA is focusing on research and development of new innovations such as SMART STRETCH lingerie, and stated that it has not been significantly affected by online platforms raising their gross profit, or GP, fees, because it is one of the leading brands in the online market and still maintains good margins from the platforms. As for its strategy going forward, it will add new product lines, especially activewear in line with the exercise trend, such as HYROX competitions and running, which is expanding the non-lingerie product portfolio, and it is expected to rise to 5% of the total portfolio this year in line with the target.
Amer Sports Beats Q2 Guidance, Raises Full-Year 2026 Outlook
Amer Sports reported second-quarter results on August 18 that beat its own guidance and then raised its full-year outlook. Revenue climbed 32% to $1.63 billion, adjusted operating profit nearly tripled, and diluted earnings per share reached $0.18, with every region and segment posting double-digit growth. Technical Apparel grew 32% to $674 million, Outdoor Performance rose 37% to $569 million, and Ball & Racquet Sports increased 24% to $390 million. The company raised full-year 2026 guidance to roughly 24% reported revenue growth, a gross margin of 60.5% to 61.0%, an operating margin of 14.2% to 14.5%, and diluted EPS of $1.27 to $1.30. Gross margin expanded 710 basis points to 65.6%, but 390 of those points came from net tariff refunds, and third-quarter revenue growth is guided at 18% to 20%, well below the 32% just reported.
Barratt Redrow reported fiscal 2026 revenue of more than GBP6 billion, driven by higher home completions and a higher average selling price, with adjusted operating profit of GBP598.1 million slightly ahead of last year. Home completions rose 5% to 17,667, while adjusted profit before tax fell to GBP572.8 million on higher net interest costs and lower joint venture profits, and adjusted gross margin slipped to 15.3% with adjusted gross profit of GBP926.6 million. The company confirmed all GBP100 million of Redrow cost synergies in the second half, delivering a GBP73 million profit and loss benefit in FY26 and an expected annual contribution of approximately GBP95 million in FY27. Barratt Redrow ended the year with a net surplus position of GBP61.4 million, versus net indebtedness of GBP37 million a year earlier, and guided to FY27 completions of between 17,500 and 17,900, a year-end cash position of GBP400 million to GBP500 million, and a total capital return of GBP400 million including a GBP386 million share buyback plus an additional buyback of at least GBP100 million. Build cost inflation was 2% underlying for the year and is guided at 3% to 4% for the year ahead, while the land bank stands at 5.2 years of supply and the embedded gross margin fell 160 basis points to 17.3% from 18.9% at the end of December.
Huaci Shares Hit Limit Up Six Seconds After Open for Fourth Straight Board; Company Flags Tiny Zirconia Business
Huaci Shares hit the daily limit up just six seconds after the market opened on September 18, notching a fourth consecutive limit-up board. The company mainly designs, develops, produces and sells ceramic products. According to its 2026 semi-annual report, its technical ceramics business made major progress, with zirconia powder entering the supplier qualification stage for Chaozhou Three-Circle's MLCC powder. Recently the company clarified market rumors about MLCC powder, the zirconia business, a Wuxi semiconductor precision ceramics industry seminar, and the commissioning of its Vietnam plant, saying the powder sold to Chaozhou Three-Circle is still in a small-volume qualification stage, has not yet achieved large-scale batch supply, and has not yet formed stable sales revenue. The company also cautioned that zirconia product prices are affected by multiple factors including upstream raw materials, downstream demand and market competition, so whether the price rally can continue is uncertain. New production line plans face the risk that construction progress falls short of expectations, and downstream new energy and electronics industry fluctuations will also directly affect market demand for zirconia products. The company further reminded investors that powder product qualification cycles are long, and whether new customers will approve the products is highly uncertain. In the first half of 2026, the new ceramic materials business including zirconia generated revenue of only 6.64 million yuan, accounting for 1.15 percent of the company's total revenue, a very small business.
China Railway Assembly Under CSRC Investigation for Suspected Information Disclosure Violations
China Railway Assembly announced on September 18 that it had received a case filing notice from the China Securities Regulatory Commission that day. Because the company is suspected of violating laws and regulations on information disclosure, the CSRC has decided to open an investigation. After conducting an internal review, the company said the case may involve related business carried out before a change in its actual controller. After the change, the company stopped carrying out such business in accordance with relevant regulations, and it has not yet received the CSRC's final investigation conclusion. The company said all production and operating activities are proceeding normally, the above matter will not have a material impact on normal production and operations, and it will actively cooperate with the CSRC in all work during the investigation. China Railway Assembly is the only high-tech innovative prefabricated construction business platform under China Railway Group, with its actual controller being the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council. In the first half of 2026, it achieved operating revenue of 882 million yuan, up 1.28 percent year on year, while net profit attributable to shareholders of the listed company was negative 49 million yuan, down 31.64 percent year on year. As of the close on September 18, the company's share price had fallen 31.72 percent cumulatively since the start of the year.
Tokyo Game Show opens with first-time exhibitors from other industries including Sanrio and Kioxia
At Tokyo Game Show 2026, which opened on the 17th, companies from outside the gaming industry are drawing attention with their first-ever exhibits, including Sanrio, which announced in April that it was making a full-scale entry into the gaming business, and major semiconductor maker Kioxia. Sanrio is developing games that make use of the world of its popular characters, and unveiled titles including Sanrio Party Land, scheduled for release in October as its first offering, while Hello Kitty appeared on stage to entertain visitors. Senior Managing Executive Officer Kosuke Hamazaki said, "We want even people who don't play games much to give them a try." Commercial kitchen equipment maker Nakanishi Manufacturing exhibited for the first time a game set in a cafeteria in another world, and many companies took on the challenge, with PARCO showing three indie titles that can be developed on a low budget and Toei also setting up a booth where visitors can try three titles before their release. Kioxia displayed high-speed storage devices for game consoles of the kind also used in international esports competitions, while Mizuno introduced its latest game controllers and high-performance gaming chairs. Atsuo Nakayama, a specially appointed professor at Nihon University who is well versed in the entertainment industry, said, "Games can keep users engaged for a long time, so every industry is always looking to move in. The market is expanding, and there is still room to enter."
V.F. closed at $12.93, up 1.57% from the prior session, outpacing the S&P 500's 1.14% gain. The company is expected to report earnings per share of $0.51 for its forthcoming quarter, a 1.92% decline from the year-ago period, on revenue of $2.7 billion, down 3.67%. For the full year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates anticipate earnings of $1.08 per share and revenue of $9.56 billion, shifts of +31.71% and -0.51% respectively. Over the past 30 days the consensus EPS projection has moved 0.83% higher, and V.F. currently holds a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold). The stock trades at a forward P/E of 11.78, a discount to its industry's average of 14.85, with a PEG ratio of 0.91.
Nike Shareholders Reject Climate Disclosure Proposal Backed by Norway's Wealth Fund
Nike shareholders rejected a proposal urging greater transparency on how the company plans to meet its 2030 emissions-reduction targets, despite support from Norway's sovereign wealth fund, Nike's 11th-largest shareholder. The board had urged a "no" vote, arguing management is "best positioned to determine the targets and related disclosures that are appropriate." Shareholders separately approved the company's executive compensation proposal, including more than $36 million in total compensation for CEO Elliott Hill for fiscal 2026, a vote that had faced opposition from Norway's wealth fund and major proxy advisers. Nike reported an 11% reduction in supply-chain emissions from its 2015 baseline in fiscal 2024, while its 2030 targets call for a 65% reduction in operational emissions and a 30% reduction across its supply chain. Shares have fallen around 40% in 2026 as the company deals with slumping sales and skepticism over Hill's turnaround nearly two years into his tenure.
Panasonic HD: Smart Life the only segment in operating loss for fiscal year ending March 2026
Panasonic Holdings' consolidated results for the fiscal year ending March 2026 came in at revenue of 8.0487 trillion yen, operating profit of 236.4 billion yen, and net profit of 189.5 billion yen. The operating margin was just 2.9% and ROE 3.8%, far below the electrical equipment sector medians of 6.7% and 7.7%. Of the six reporting segments, the only one in operating loss was Smart Life, which includes home appliances, posting an operating loss of 37.3 billion yen and a 5.2% year-on-year decline in revenue, the only segment among the six to see revenue fall. The profit engine, by contrast, was Connect, which handles corporate systems, with operating profit up 30.6% year-on-year to 100 billion yen and an operating margin of 7.6%. Energy posted operating profit of 69.7 billion yen and an operating margin of 7.4%, but its operating profit fell 41.9%. The Other category, which is not included in the reporting segments, also generated operating profit of 50.8 billion yen.
Lululemon Cuts Full-Year Outlook Again Days Before New CEO Heidi O'Neill Takes Over
Lululemon athletica inc. cut its full-year revenue and profit forecasts for the second time this year, days before incoming CEO Heidi O'Neill, a former Nike executive, takes over on September 8. The company now expects fiscal 2026 revenue of $10.35 billion to $10.5 billion, down from a prior forecast of $11.0 billion to $11.15 billion, after second-quarter revenue fell 4% to $2.42 billion and comparable sales dropped 9% globally. Shares tumbled 18% to an eight-year low, extending the stock's decline this year to roughly 52%. Americas revenue fell 8% in the quarter while international revenue rose 4%, and management expects another 10% to 11% revenue decline in the third quarter. Hedge fund holders fell to 51 in the second quarter from 61 in the first, with combined position value nearly halving to $612 million from $1.14 billion.
Lennar Q3 Earnings Miss Estimates as Housing Demand Softens
Lennar Corporation reported weaker-than-expected third-quarter fiscal 2026 results, with adjusted earnings of $1.23 per share missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.29 by 4.7% and falling 38.5% from $2.00 a year ago. Total revenues of $8.05 billion missed the consensus estimate of $8.33 billion by 3.4% and declined 8.6% year over year, as lower deliveries and weaker pricing weighed amid affordability pressure. Within the homebuilding segment, revenues decreased 6% year over year to $7.76 billion, home deliveries declined 3.4% to 20,840 homes, and the average sales price of homes delivered fell 2.9% to $372,000, reflecting about 12% in incentives. New orders dropped 9.2% to 20,879 homes and gross margin on home sales contracted to 15.8% from 17.5%. For the fourth quarter of fiscal 2026, Lennar expects new orders of 19,500-20,500 homes and deliveries of 22,000-23,000 homes, and management reduced its full-year fiscal 2026 delivery target to about 80,000-81,000 homes from 82,000-83,000, citing continued interest-rate pressure and weaker market conditions.
UBS Warns of Weak Nike Guidance Ahead of Q1 Results
UBS has warned of a negative catalyst ahead for Nike, saying in a note Thursday that the sportswear giant's first-quarter results are likely to bring weak guidance and downward earnings revisions. Analyst Jay Sole forecast a 5-cent miss on first-quarter earnings and an implied second-quarter outlook of 31 to 43 cents, below the Street's 53-cent estimate, and said he expects Nike's stock price to fall due to weak guidance. Sole added that UBS's channel checks suggest Nike's global sales growth has deteriorated over the past three months, with pressure across U.S. and European direct-to-consumer sales, the European wholesale channel and China, alongside elevated promotions. He said the market still underestimates the magnitude of the coming downward EPS revisions, noting short interest recently hit a five-year peak and the shares trade at 21 times forward earnings versus a 34 times five-year average. UBS lowered its price target 13% to $42 but kept a Neutral rating on the shares, and Sole said Nike's stock would likely fall if the company guides to fiscal 2027 earnings below the buyside consensus of around $1.55, with UBS's own estimate at $1.30 and the options market pricing a move of about 8% around the event.
Deckers Outdoor Raises Full-Year EPS and Gross Margin Guidance
Deckers Outdoor raised its full-year EPS and gross margin guidance following its Q1 2027 earnings update, a move that has investors reassessing the stock's recent underperformance. The shares have fallen 13.5% over the past month and about 27% year to date, with a 1-year total shareholder return down 34.3%, so the guidance upgrade lands against fading momentum. Deckers Outdoor last closed at $77.96, while the most widely followed analyst narrative puts fair value at about $122.81, framing the weakness as a sizeable discount. Analysts are divided, with the most bullish price target at $184.0 and the most bearish at just $85.0. Risks to that undervalued story include a weaker consumer backdrop hitting UGG or HOKA demand, or a more promotional market pressuring margins.
Lennar Cuts Full-Year 2026 Delivery Target Again as Q3 Earnings Fall
Lennar cut its full-year 2026 home delivery target for the second time, blaming rising mortgage rates and deteriorating market conditions, as third-quarter profit and revenue fell from a year earlier. The Miami-based homebuilder now expects to deliver between 80,000 and 81,000 homes for the full year, down from its previous guidance of 82,000 to 83,000, and below the 82,300 deliveries analysts polled by FactSet had expected. Third-quarter net earnings attributable to Lennar fell to $284 million, or $1.19 per diluted share, from $591 million, or $2.29 per diluted share, a year earlier, while adjusted earnings of $1.23 per diluted share missed the $1.28 analysts expected. Total revenue for the quarter ended Aug. 31 fell to $8.05 billion from $8.81 billion a year prior, short of the $8.32 billion analysts had expected, as deliveries slipped 3% year over year to 20,840 homes and new orders fell 9% to 20,879 homes. Executive chairman, chief executive officer and president Stuart Miller said the 30-year mortgage rate stood at approximately 6.8% at quarter end and has risen since, adding that consumer confidence has declined as rates and affordability drive more consumers to slow their purchase decisions. For the fourth quarter, Lennar guided for between 22,000 and 23,000 deliveries at an average price of $370,000 to $380,000, with gross margin on home sales of 15.5% to 16%.
Tapestry Enables In-App Shopping for Coach and Kate Spade via Google Gemini
Tapestry has enabled in-app shopping for Coach and Kate Spade through Google's Gemini app and Google Search. The rollout connects Tapestry's product catalog to Google's AI shopping tools, letting users browse and buy without visiting brand websites. Transactions use Universal Commerce Protocol to support direct, secure checkout for Coach and Kate Spade inside Google's platforms. The company runs global luxury brands across accessories and lifestyle products, so the move plugs its Coach and Kate Spade labels into one of the largest AI-enabled shopping funnels available to US consumer companies. Rivals such as LVMH and Capri Holdings are also pushing harder into AI-driven discovery, leaving open whether Tapestry's brands can convert that traffic into full-price, high-margin demand.
Nike Appoints LVMH Executive Alexandre Arnault to Board of Directors
Nike appointed Alexandre Arnault to its Board of Directors, bringing the LVMH executive in as a new outside voice. Arnault joins after senior roles at LVMH brands, where his work included brand refreshes, digital projects, and technology-focused partnerships. Nike signaled that Arnault will focus on product, communication, and digital strategy as it works to strengthen direct consumer connections. The board appointment is one piece of a broader turnaround plan that already leans on sport performance, digital integration, and brand storytelling, and it does not by itself resolve risks around weaker sales trends, markdowns, or the slower reset analysts have been debating. The practical checkpoint will be Nike's next fiscal Q4 and full year 2026 earnings cycle, when investors can look for concrete commentary on how Arnault is influencing product, digital, and communication priorities.
CUBE and IBM Partner to Embed AI Regulatory Intelligence in watsonx.governance
CUBE, the AI-native regulatory intelligence company, announced a collaboration with IBM to add a new Regulatory Horizon Scanning capability within IBM watsonx.governance. The integration embeds CUBE's global regulatory intelligence directly into watsonx.governance, giving enterprises continuous visibility into regulatory developments affecting their AI systems worldwide. The capability continuously monitors AI-related regulatory developments from authoritative sources, automatically capturing updates from regulators, legislative bodies, standards organisations and industry associations, and making them available within existing AI governance workflows. The collaboration follows partnerships CUBE announced earlier this year with Microsoft and ServiceNow, and comes as requirements emerge across jurisdictions ranging from the EU's AI Act to the NIST AI Risk Management Framework. Ben Richmond, Founder and CEO of CUBE, said regulatory intelligence is becoming a foundational layer of how AI itself is governed, while Maryam Ashoori, VP of watsonx.governance Product and Engineering at IBM, said CUBE brings a depth of regulatory expertise and global reach few providers can match.
Generac Soars 33% on Amazon Data Center Generator Deal
Generac struck a deal with Amazon to supply backup power generators for its data centers, sending the generator maker's shares up 33% in premarket trading. Initial deliveries are expected to total $2.4 billion between 2027 and 2028, and Generac also granted Amazon the right to buy up to $340 million worth of its stock; Amazon shares rose 1.3%. Lennar fell 1.2% after reporting third-quarter earnings of $1.19 per share, short of the $1.28 expected by analysts polled by FactSet and nearly half of what it saw this time last year, with revenue of $8.05 billion versus the $8.23 billion consensus estimate. Fluence Energy tumbled 22% after cutting its full-year guidance to $2.4 billion in revenue for 2026 from a prior range of $2.9 billion to $3.1 billion, and now anticipates a $200 million loss before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization versus its previous guidance range of a $30 million loss to $10 million EBITDA. Nike rose 1.5% after announcing the appointment of Alexandre Arnault, Deputy CEO of LVMH's Moët Hennessy, to its board, and Arm Holdings gained roughly 4% after CEO Rene Haas told CNBC's Jim Cramer he is increasingly confident the company can meet demand for its new data center chip.
Richemont Declares $0.54 Per Share Dividend With 2026 Ex-Dividend Date
Compagnie Financiere Richemont SA announced a total dividend of $0.54 per share, consisting of a $0.12 per share special dividend and a $0.41 per share cash dividend, with an ex-dividend date of 2026-09-17 and payment on 2026-10-13. The luxury goods conglomerate, whose Jewellery Maisons including Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels account for over 70% of revenue, carries a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 1.76% and a forward yield of 1.91%. Its annual dividend growth rate was 7.90% over three years, 20.30% over five years, and 5.90% over the past decade, giving a five-year yield on cost of approximately 4.43%. As of 2026-03-31, the payout ratio stood at 0.53, with a profitability rank of 10 out of 10 and a growth rank of 10 out of 10, though three-year earnings per share declined about 5.20% annually and revenue grew roughly 0.30% per year.
Apollo to Sell 30% Miller Homes Stake to Daiwa House
Apollo-managed funds have agreed to sell an approximately 30% minority stake in UK housebuilder Miller Homes to Daiwa House, with Apollo Funds remaining the controlling shareholder. Miller Homes, founded in 1934, is the UK's largest private housebuilder, completing approximately 5,000 homes a year across England, Scotland and Wales, and targets delivering 7,000 new homes per year. Daiwa House, a Japanese construction and real estate group operating in 28 countries with roughly 55,000 employees, said the investment will support Miller Homes' continued profitable growth and its multi-tenure model. The transaction is subject to closing conditions including regulatory approvals and is expected to close later this year. Rothschild & Co advised Apollo Funds and Miller Homes, while A&O Shearman and Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP provided legal counsel to Apollo Funds.
PUMA Chief Commercial Officer Matthias Baeumer has chosen to leave the Management Board for personal reasons, with CEO Arthur Hoeld temporarily taking direct control of the sales organisation. The leadership change comes as PUMA shares trade at €22.36, down 12.76% over 30 days and 20.77% over 90 days, with a 5 year total shareholder return down 76.11%. The most followed valuation narrative pegs fair value at €29.36, implying the stock is 24% undervalued, hinging on whether PUMA's reset away from mass merchants and its China partnership can lift gross margin and EBIT. That reset has already been linked to currency adjusted sales declines and inventories of around €2.1b, so slower cleanup or weaker sell through could challenge the bullish case.
SABINA hints at Q3 2026 revenue recovery driven by retail channels
Sabina Public Company Limited, or SABINA, disclosed that sales in the third quarter of 2026, from July to date, have begun to recover, particularly through retail channels, which are the main channel accounting for the largest share of sales, including sales through Sabina shops and Sabina counters in department stores. Chief Executive Officer Duangdao Mahanavanont stated that a key factor was the launch of new product collections in both the lingerie and non-lingerie groups, which were well received by consumers. Although overall purchasing power may be lower due to household debt problems and the transition into an aging society, the company has shifted to focus on efficient cost management and is confident it can maintain profitability, especially the net profit margin this year, in line with its target. As for coping with Chinese products in online channels, the company has continuously monitored and assessed the impact, focusing on research and development of new innovations. Regarding the increase in online platform fees, the company has not been significantly affected, since SABINA is one of the leading brands in the online market and continues to maintain good margins from online platforms. In addition, the company aims to increase its portfolio of non-lingerie products to 5% of the total portfolio within this year, in line with its plan.
SABINA eyes Q3 retail sales recovery after new product launches
Duangdao Mahanavanont, Chief Executive Officer of Sabina Public Company Limited, or SABINA, disclosed that sales in the third quarter of 2026, starting from July, have begun to show a recovery in the retail channel, which is the company's main channel with the largest share of sales, covering both sales through Sabina shops and Sabina counters in department stores. She expects the key factor to be the launch of new collections in both the lingerie and non-lingerie product groups, which have been well received by consumers. Earlier, SABINA reported its second-quarter 2026 results, with the retail channel, which accounts for 56% of revenue, seeing sales fall 9.4% compared with the same period a year earlier. The non-store retail channel, or NSR, which accounts for 35%, saw sales drop 13.5%, while the original equipment manufacturing channel, or OEM, which accounts for 9%, posted sales growth of 1.5%. The company said it remains on track to maintain its net profit margin target for this year as planned, and expects its portfolio of non-lingerie products to expand to 5% of the total portfolio within this year, in line with its target.
AMATA draws Chinese firm Homa to invest 3.1 billion baht, setting up refrigerator production base to supply Europe
Amata Corporation Public Company Limited, or AMATA, disclosed that Homa, a major global refrigerator and freezer manufacturer from China, will establish a production base in Amata Industrial Estate in Chonburi with an investment budget of over 3.1 billion baht, a production capacity of approximately 1.5 million units per year, and is expected to generate export value of up to 12 billion baht per year. The production base will focus on manufacturing high-efficiency refrigerators, smart refrigerators, and high-standard freezers that comply with European Union energy regulations. Michael Yao, President of Homa Appliance (Thailand) Company Limited, said this investment will create approximately 1,400 jobs in the first phase and is expected to rise to 3,000 jobs within one to two years, with a goal of increasing the use of domestic components to 50 to 60 percent. Meanwhile, Vikrom Kromadit, Chief Executive Officer of AMATA, stated that Chinese investors remain continuously interested in investing in Thailand, increasingly viewing the country as a production base for exporting to global markets, shifting from a previous focus on production for the domestic market.
ST Konka A Plans Voluntary Delisting as Shareholders Approve Termination Resolution
ST Konka A announced on September 17 that the company passed a resolution to terminate its listing at an extraordinary shareholders' meeting on September 14, 2026, and will submit an application for voluntary delisting to the Shenzhen Stock Exchange within fifteen trading days after the shareholders' meeting adopts the termination resolution. In the first half of 2026, ST Konka A achieved revenue of 3.852 billion yuan and a net loss attributable to the parent company of 173 million yuan.
Supreme People's Court rejects Eastern Venture Capital's retrial application, closing the 752 million yuan contract dispute involving Konka Group A
On September 17, Konka Group A announced that the Supreme People's Court had rejected the retrial application filed by Shenzhen Eastern Venture Capital Co., Ltd. in its contract dispute lawsuit against the company. The amount involved in the case reached 752 million yuan. In the first half of 2026, Konka Group A achieved revenue of 3.852 billion yuan and a net loss attributable to the parent company of 173 million yuan.
Oppein Home's first-half net profit halved and operating cash flow fell 94.45%, Chairman Yao Liangsong admits misjudgment at the start of the year
Oppein Home Chairman and President Yao Liangsong admitted in two investor exchanges within half a month that the company misjudged the market at the start of the year, and that the company is in its most severe deep adjustment period in more than 30 years since its founding. In the first half, Oppein Home achieved operating revenue of 5.95 billion yuan, down 27.79% year on year, and net profit attributable to the parent of 442 million yuan, down 56.62% year on year. Net cash flow from operating activities fell from 1.667 billion yuan in the same period last year to 92 million yuan, a drop of 94.45%. Wardrobes and supporting furniture products, which contribute nearly half of revenue as the core business, posted first-half operating revenue of 2.776 billion yuan, down 34.51% year on year, a larger decline than the company's overall revenue decline. As of the end of June, the total number of stores was 6,903, a net decrease of 442 from the end of 2025. Yao Liangsong admitted that reforms in the main business fell short of expectations and did not give a clear timetable for when profit would stop falling and stabilise, while finance chief Zhao Lili said there is a possibility that full-year results will decline year on year.
Konka initiates voluntary delisting: liabilities exceed assets by over 6 billion yuan, ending a 34-year A-share journey
Konka Group Company Limited has formally entered the execution stage of a voluntary delisting. ST Konka A and ST Konka B issued a reminder announcement on September 17 regarding the distribution of cash option rights. Earlier, on September 14, the company's extraordinary shareholders' meeting had approved the proposal to voluntarily terminate its listing through a shareholders' resolution. This veteran home appliance maker, which topped China's colour TV market in the 1990s, is leaving the Shenzhen Stock Exchange on its own initiative after roughly 34 years of listing. The direct trigger is insolvency: in 2025, net profit attributable to the parent company recorded a loss of 12.582 billion yuan, net assets attributable to the parent company stood at a loss of 6.083 billion yuan at year-end, and the asset-liability ratio was about 126.22 percent. In the first half of 2026, revenue was 3.852 billion yuan, down 26.6 percent year on year, net profit attributable to the parent company recorded a loss of 173 million yuan, net assets attributable to the parent company further deteriorated to a loss of 6.227 billion yuan, and the asset-liability ratio rose to 133.01 percent. The company's shares have been suspended from trading since the market opened on September 4, 2026. It will submit an application for voluntary delisting to the Shenzhen Stock Exchange within fifteen trading days after the shareholders' meeting passes the resolution to terminate listing. A-share shareholders may apply to exercise cash option rights at 2.48 yuan per share, and B-share shareholders at 0.73 Hong Kong dollars per share. Konka's net profit attributable to the parent company after deducting non-recurring items has been negative for fifteen consecutive years from 2011 to 2025, and from 2022 to 2025 the four-year combined loss in net profit attributable to the parent company was about 20.289 billion yuan. In July 2025, Overseas Chinese Town transferred its equity interest at the controlling shareholder level of Konka to the China Resources system, and the actual controller changed to China Resources. After China Resources took over, it mainly maintained the company's operations through loans, guarantees, perpetual bonds and other means, and did not inject high-quality assets on a large scale.
Oppein Home's first-half net profit halved and cash flow plunged 94%, Chairman Yao Liangsong publicly admitted mistakes
Yao Liangsong, chairman and president of Oppein Home, a leading domestic custom home furnishing company, publicly admitted for the first time at an investor communication meeting that the company misjudged the market at the beginning of the year, saying that the reform of its main front did not meet expectations. The 2026 semi-annual report shows that Oppein achieved operating revenue of 5.95 billion yuan in the first half of the year, down 27.79% year-on-year; net profit attributable to shareholders of the listed company was 442 million yuan, down 56.62% year-on-year; net cash flow from operating activities was only 92.4974 million yuan, plunging 94.45% year-on-year, marking the company's worst interim performance since its listing. By business segment, revenue from wardrobes and supporting products was 2.776 billion yuan, down 34.51%; revenue from kitchen cabinets was 1.748 billion yuan, down 27.37%; revenue from bulk business was 655 million yuan, down 50.74% year-on-year. In the first half of the year, Oppein implemented total cash dividends of about 1.5 billion yuan, equivalent to 3.39 times the current period's net profit attributable to the parent company, while according to the 2024-2026 dividend plan, this year is the last year of the annual dividend scale of no less than 1.5 billion yuan. Oppein's predicament is also a systemic predicament for the entire custom home furnishing industry. Data from the National Bureau of Statistics shows that from January to June 2026, furniture manufacturing enterprises above designated size nationwide achieved operating revenue of 257.61 billion yuan, down 8.6% year-on-year, with total profit of 4.57 billion yuan, down 52.7% year-on-year, and the industry's average profit margin fell to about 1.8%.
Lennar Misses Q3 CY2026 Revenue Estimates as Sales Fall 8.7%
Lennar missed Wall Street's revenue expectations in Q3 CY2026, with sales falling 8.7% year on year to $8.05 billion against analyst estimates of $8.31 billion, a 3.2% miss. GAAP profit came in at $1.19 per share, 7.6% below the consensus estimate of $1.29 and down from $2.31 in the same quarter last year. Operating margin narrowed to 5.5% from 7.9% a year earlier, while backlog stood at $6.3 billion at quarter end, down 4.5% year on year. Executive Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President Stuart Miller said the results reflect a challenging economic environment that has deteriorated since the last earnings call. The stock traded down 2.5% to $76.28 immediately following the results.
Lennar Corporation reported third quarter 2026 net earnings attributable to Lennar of $284 million, or $1.19 per diluted share, down from $591 million, or $2.29 per diluted share, a year earlier. Excluding mark-to-market losses of $53 million on technology investments and one-time items of $39 million, net, in the Financial Services segment, earnings were $294 million, or $1.23 per diluted share. New orders fell 9% to 20,879 homes and deliveries slipped 3% to 20,840 homes, while total revenues came in at $8.0 billion and homebuilding operating earnings were $502 million. Gross margin on home sales was 15.8%, with S,G&A at 9.2% of home sales revenue and a net margin of 6.6%, and the company repurchased 3 million shares for $256 million while redeeming $400 million of 5.25% senior notes due June 2026. For the fourth quarter, Lennar guided to new orders of approximately 19,500 to 20,500 homes, deliveries of approximately 22,000 to 23,000 homes, an average sales price of $370,000 to $380,000, gross margin of 15.5% to 16.0% and SG&A of 8.7% to 9.0%, and it moderated its target full-year 2026 deliveries to approximately 80,000 to 81,000 homes from the 82,000 to 83,000 homes discussed last quarter.