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Burberry flag store
(Dave Rushen via Getty Images)

Europe’s luxury stocks have boomed in the last decade*

*Except Burberry, which has gone backwards

Burberry just reported a seriously unfashionable first quarter.

Retail revenues at the iconic British fashion house dropped 22%, the company’s CEO stepped down, the regular dividend was suspended, and sales in all but one of its major regions were down double digits (except Japan, which was up 6%) — sending shares in the company down more than 18% as of 2:45pm in London.

Plaid out

For a long time, Burberry's iconic trench coats were a must-have for the aspirational elite of UK society and beyond. Originally designed for military use in World War I, by the mid-1990s 1-in-5 coats exported from the UK bore the Burberry name. But, as the global middle class expanded, particularly in China, the company targeted a wider appeal at lower price points — diluting the brand's exclusive appeal. This contributed to a flood of knock-offs and controversies, with some bars and pubs going as far as to ban customers who wore the Burberry label in the early 2000s.

Burberry share price

Since then, the brand has undergone reinvention after reinvention. Its latest efforts have mostly focused on elevating the brand’s status, even at the risk of alienating customers with higher prices, as it seeks to replicate the success of other European top-tier labels. Indeed, Europe doesn’t do big tech — it does big luxury, with the soaring stock prices of companies like LVMH and Hermès emblematic of booming demand for European luxury products.

Burberry, unfortunately, hasn’t been able to ride the wave, standing out as one of the few European luxury goods companies to have seen its share price go backwards over the last decade. The brand’s new boss, who has been CEO of both Coach and Michael Kors, is tasked with turning the ship around.

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Nike sinks to lowest level since 2014 after warning of “challenged” sales environment in Q4 report

Did Nike do it?

Investors had a mixed reaction after the global sports apparel company reported its fourth quarter earnings on Tuesday after the bell. Shares initially rose 5% as Nike beat out Wall Street expectations amid a hefty tariff refund bonus. However, the stock then sank to its lowest level since August 2014 in postmarket trading.

Here are the Q4 numbers:

  • Revenue of $11.0 billion (estimate: $10.8 billion).

  • Adjusted earnings per share of $0.20 (estimate: $0.12).

Ahead of this report, Nike warned that results would be flattered by a one-time tariff refund (now estimated at roughly $0.52 per share for the bottom line). That gave the company an extra cushion in snapping its streak of seven quarters of year-over-year profit declines.

Over the past year, the company had been punished by tariffs on imported goods, stagnant consumer spending, and increasing competition from other footwear brands like New Balance, Adidas, and Hoka.

Outgoing CFO Matthew Friend deemed it an “increasingly challenging operating environment, where sell-through remains challenged.”

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Rocket Lab deal lifts space stocks

Shares of Rocket Lab are surging after announcing an $8 billion acquisition of satellite communications operator Iridium Communications, helping lift a broader basket of space-related stocks as investors piled back into the sector.

Planet Labs, AST SpaceMobile and Redwire all traded higher alongside Rocket Lab, extending gains in an industry that has drawn enhanced investor attention in recent months in light of the strategic importance that governments place on space and satellite communications infrastructure.

In a presentation, Rocket Lab’s management called the purchase “a shortcut” for its satellite communications business.

Under the terms of the agreement, Iridium shareholders will receive $27 in cash and Rocket Lab stock, valuing Iridium at $54 per share. Backed by a $3.6 billion bridge loan committed by Deutsche Bank and Wells Fargo, Rocket Lab absorbs Iridium’s globally licensed spectrum and an active base of 2.5 million subscribers.

Rocket Lab has also remained one of the most active launch providers in the sector. The company completed its 12th launch of the year last week, maintaining one of the highest launch cadences among commercial space companies.

Today's rally helps offset a brutal stretch for the group. Rocket Lab shares had fallen over 35% over the prior month, while Planet Labs stock was down more than 40% and AST SpaceMobile stock was down around 30% over the same window.

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Jake Lahut

Comcast shares rise on news of NBCUniversal spinoff deal

Comcast rose on the news that the telecom behemoth is spinning off NBCUniversal and Sky from its cable portfolio. 

Comcast initially jumped up to 17% in early trading, with the deal leaving management to focus on its core verticals of cable, wireless, and business services. 

NBCUniversal and Sky will form a new publicly traded company, similar to Versant Media, the holding company of CNBC and MS NOW that Comcast officially spun off in January. Bravo, one of the most lucrative properties that remained at Comcast, will remain part of NBCUniversal in the deal. The Universal theme parks and studios will also come with the new spinoff entity, along with Telemundo and Peacock.

Mike Cavanagh, the co-CEO of Comcast, will become the CEO for NBCUniversal, according to CNBC. 

The spinoff will be completed in about a year, according to a Comcast company statement. Its shareholders will also own shares in NBCUniversal, according to the same statement.

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