As the market enters a gap between Q1 and Q2 earnings seasons, interim reports from Costco, Ford, and The Buckle will provide critical insights into consumer spending and economic health. Despite high inflation and consumer anxiety, actual spending data shows resilience, with April retail sales rising 0.5% month-over-month. These three companies represent different retail segments and will test whether the 'buy-now-worry-later' consumer behavior persists heading into summer.

Buckle reported Q1 2026 net income of $46.9 million ($0.92 per share), up from $35.2 million ($0.70 per share) year-over-year, with net sales increasing 6.1% to $289 million and comparable store sales up 5.1%. The company saw strong performance in women's merchandise (up 11%) and kids' sales (up 16%), while gross margin declined 50 basis points due to tariff pressure and higher occupancy costs. Management opened 6 new stores year-to-date and plans 9 additional openings, though acknowledged headwinds from fuel surcharges and occupancy expenses.

Many dividend investors overlook special and supplemental dividends when calculating true yields. A seven-stock portfolio appears to yield 6% based on headline figures, but actually delivers 10% when special dividends are included. The article examines retailers (Dillard's, Buckle), insurers (AMERISAFE, Old Republic International), and BDCs (Capital Southwest, Fidus Investment, Bain Capital Specialty Finance) that use special dividends to boost returns.

The Russell 2000 index has surged over 8% in the past 30 days and 40% over 12 months, with small-cap stocks trading at discounts to the S&P 500. Three small-cap stocks worth considering are Academy Sports and Outdoors (ASO), Buckle Inc. (BKE), and Core Molding Technologies (CMT), each offering potential catalysts for growth despite near-term consumer headwinds and valuation concerns.

Miller Value Partners exited its entire position in Buckle Inc. (BKE) in Q4 2025, selling 72,000 shares for approximately $4.2 million. The exit represents a 1.49% decrease in the fund's assets under management. Despite Buckle's strong one-year performance of 36.8%, the fund likely sought higher returns elsewhere due to the company's low single-digit net income growth and expected slowdown to just 0.15% in fiscal 2027.

The article highlights 5 companies that offer special dividends in addition to their regular dividends, resulting in yields of 9-14%. These companies include Buckle, Amerisafe, Gladstone Investment Corporation, Nuveen Churchill Direct Lending, and Barings BDC.

Technology stocks surged on Friday, rebounding sharply after Thursday’s decline, as investor confidence in the artificial intelligence-driven rally remained high. The Nasdaq 100 index jumped over 1%, reaching 18,820 points by 1 p.m. in New York, setting the stage for a record high close and marking its fifth consecutive week of gains — the longest streak since January. The S&P 500 rose 0.7%, though it only partially recovered from Thursday’s losses. Small-cap stocks saw robust gains, with the iShares Russell 2000 ETF (NYSE:IWM) up 1%, while blue chips increased by just 0.2%. Chipmakers, solar and power utilities were the top-performing industries, as traders appeared to broaden their focus to a wider array of AI-related beneficiaries. Treasury yields remained stable as Thursday’s inflation concerns eased slightly following the University of Michigan’s downward revision of consumer inflation expectations. As a result, the U.S. dollar index ...Full story available on Benzinga.com

Wall Street is eyeing a return to winning ways on Friday after the lackluster sentiment seen in the past two sessions. The index futures held modestly higher in early trading. The spotlight is likely to be on a Fed speech scheduled for the day and the inflation expectations readings of the University of Michigan’s consumer sentiment report. Traders may also look ahead to the durables goods orders report to gauge the strength of the economy, especially in light of the recent weak economic data. Futures Performance (+/-) Nasdaq 100 +0.29% S&P 500 +0.29% Dow +0.15% R2K +0.32% In premarket trading on Friday, the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:SPY) climbed 0.28% to $527.45 and the Invesco QQQ ETF (NASDAQ:QQQ) traded up 0.30% at $455.0, according to Benzinga Pro data. Cues From Previous Session U.S. stocks clocked back-to-back losses on Thursday notwithstanding the nearly 10% rally seen in market heavyweight Nvidia Corp. (NASDAQ:NVDA). Data showing weekly jobless claims falling more than expected in the recent reporting week and better-than-expected S&P Global final private sector purchasing managers indices weighed down on sentiment. The strong data trimmed the odds of multiple Fed rate cuts this year, dampening the market mood. The major indices opened higher and then took divergent routes. The Dow Industrials of which Nvidia is not a component fell steadily in the morning and sharply in the afternoon, with all 30 index components closing in the red. The Nasdaq Composite and the S&P 500 Index hovered above the unchanged line until the mid-session, thanks to the Nvidia prop, but succumbed to rate worries thereafter. Ten of the 11 S&P 500 sector ...Full story available on Benzinga.com

This article highlights upcoming events in the financial world, including quarterly earnings reports, IPOs, investor events, and market volatility updates.

Shares of Jabil Inc. (NYSE: JBL) fell sharply during Friday’s session after the company reported financial second-quarter results and issued FY25 guidance below estimates. Jabil posted adjusted earnings of $1.68 per share, beating estimates of $1.66 per share. The company’s quarterly sales came in at $6.77 billion, missing expectations of $6.89 billion. Jabil shares dipped 14.2% to $126.56 on Friday. Here are some other stocks moving in today's mid-day session. Gainers Verb Technology Company, Inc. (NASDAQ: VERB) shares jumped 189% to $0.4047. VERB's MARKET.live launched Facebook and Instagram social shopping technology integration. Better Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: BTTX) surged 108% to $0.0728. Better Therapeutics recently said it will seek strategic alternatives and will be delisted from the Nasdaq. Jet.AI Inc. (NASDAQ: JTAI) shares climbed 76.7% to $1.1950. Cardlytics, Inc. (NASDAQ: CDLX) rose 57.1% to $12.86 after the company reported better-than-expected fourth-quarter earnings. American Vanguard Corporation (NYSE: AVD) climbed 25.8% to $13.32 following fourth-quarter financial results. Blend Labs, Inc. (NASDAQ: BLND) climbed 24.3% to $2.92 after the company reported fourth-quarter financial results. HCM Acquisition Corp (NASDAQ: HCMA) gained 22.8% to $12.00. Solidion Technology Inc. (NASDAQ: STI) rose 22.2% to $1.5897. The company announced the pricing of a $3.85 million private placement. Tredegar Corporation (NYSE: TG) surged 18% to $4.73 following fourth-quarter financial results. BranchOut Food Inc. (NASDAQ: BOF) rose 17.3% to $2.20. BranchOut Food will debut new products at Natural Products Expo West. Madrigal Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: MDGL) rose 16.3% to $283.29 after the company announced FDA approval of Rezdiffra for the treatment of patients with noncirrhotic NASH with moderate to advanced liver fibrosis. Secoo Holding Limited (NASDAQ: SECO) gained 16% to $0.5017. Direct Digital Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: DRCT) jumped 15.1% to $31.81. Roth MKM recently maintained a Buy rating on the stock and raised its price target from $12.50 ...

U.S. stocks were lower, with the Dow Jones index falling around 100 points on Friday. Shares of Blend Labs, Inc. (NASDAQ: BLND) rose sharply during Friday’s session after the company reported fourth-quarter financial results. Blend Labs posted quarterly loss of 9 cents per share, in-line with market estimates of 9 cents per share. The company’s quarterly sales came in at $36.10 million versus estimates of $36.93 million, according to data from Benzinga Pro. Blend Labs shares jumped 24.3% to $2.92 on Friday. Here are some other big stocks recording gains in today’s session. Cardlytics, Inc. (NASDAQ: CDLX) jumped 57.1% to $12.86 after the company reported better-than-expected fourth-quarter earnings. American Vanguard Corporation (NYSE: AVD) rose 25.8% to $13.32 following fourth-quarter financial results. Tredegar Corporation (NYSE:

The market mood appears to have improved after Thursday’s inflation-induced sell-off, with stock futures rising modestly early Friday. Earnings news has been largely negative, potentially acting as a pushback. Bond yields are slipping as traders continue to harbor hopes that the Federal Reserve, led by Jerome Powell, would lean toward a dovish stance and signal rate cuts at the upcoming meetings. Traders may also sift through a few key economic reports due for the day with an eye on the upcoming week’s Fed meeting. Cues From Previous Session: The much hotter-than-expected February producer price inflation report spooked traders on Thursday, with small-caps bearing the brunt of the selling. The weakness in the small-cap space could be explained by the fact that they are very sensitive to interest rates, given that the bulk of their financing would be in the form of bank loans. The major averages opened higher but returned their gains immediately after and spent the rest of the session below the unchanged line. On a positive note, the key indices snapped back some of their losses in late trading before closing off the session’s lows. The tech-Nasdaq Composite and the broader S&P 500 Index ended lower for a second straight session, pulling further away from their all-time highs. Nine of the 11 S&P 500 sectors closed lower, with only energy and communication services stocks bucking the downtrend. Real-estate, financial, and utility stocks were among the worst decliners. Index Performance (+/-) Value Nasdaq Composite -0.30% 16,128.53 S&P 500 Index -0.29% 5,150.48 Dow Industrials -0.35% 38,905.66 Russell 2000 -1.96% 2,031.18 Analyst Color: Following Thursday’s “disastrous” PPI report, fund manager Louis Navellier said the Fed will ...Full story available on Benzinga.com