Markets
Levi's storefront
(Sean Gallup/Getty Images)

Levi’s says tariffs will have minimal impact on margins this quarter

The denim giant also topped Q1 earnings estimates thanks to a campaign-fueled demand boost.

Levi’s said it topped Q1 earnings and downplayed the effect of tariffs on its margins, but the stock couldn’t hold on to early gains Tuesday morning.

Shares, which had popped as much as 16% in early trading, recently declined 3%.

Levi’s, which dropped the results after the bell Monday, reported quarterly adjusted earnings per share of $0.38, topping the $0.28 forecast from FactSet and the company’s previous guidance. While revenue came in below forecasts at $1.5 billion for the quarter, the Levi’s signature brand saw an 8% sales jump. Demand was fueled by its buzzy “REIMAGINE” campaign with pop superstar Beyoncé — which racked up over a billion impressions and $65 million in estimated earned media. 

Despite ongoing tariff tensions, Levi’s said most of its spring and early summer product is already stateside and that it expects “minimal impact” on margins this quarter. Levi’s earns over half its revenue from outside the US and has suppliers in over a dozen countries, including China, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, and Turkey. Levi’s also said it plans to take a “very surgical” approach to price hikes when necessary.

“I’m confident in our ability to navigate these rapidly evolving times. As an iconic brand with more than 170 years of history, we’ve weathered challenging times before,” CEO Michelle Gass said on the company’s earnings call. “We have scale with an agile global supply chain, deep vendor relationships, and a strong balance sheet, all of which position us well to navigate this time of uncertainty.”

For the full year, Levi’s expects 3.5% to 4.5% revenue growth, and raised its operating profit margin outlook to 11.4% to 11.6% from 10.9% to 11.1%.

JPMorgan joined in the optimism on Tuesday, upgrading Levi’s stock to “overweight” (or buy) from “neutral,” despite cutting its price target to $17 from $19. Analysts highlighted the brand’s strong global reach, reliable supply chain, and steady demand growth. They also pointed out Levi’s strong appeal with the key 18-30 crowd, who are shopping more frequently and spending more per transaction. 

Levi’s stock is down by more than a third over the past year.

More Markets

See all Markets
markets

Alaska Airlines dips following weaker-than-expected 2026 earnings guidance

Alaska Airlines, America’s fifth-largest airline, reported its fourth-quarter and full-year results for 2025 after the market closed Thursday. Its shares fell 2% in after hours trading.

The airline reported adjusted fourth-quarter earnings of $0.43 per share, beating the $0.11 expected by Wall Street analysts polled by FactSet. Its Q4 passenger revenue climbed 2% to $3.25 billion.

For the current quarter, Alaska guided for a 1% to 2% increase in capacity and an adjusted loss of $1.50 to $0.50 per share, compared to the $0.77 loss per share expected by analysts. The airline forecast full-year earnings of between $3.50 and $6.50 per share for 2026. The $5 per share midpoint falls short of analyst estimates of $5.52.

“To hit the higher end of our guidance range we would require sustained macroeconomic recovery in 2026, at or improving on trends seen in the first three weeks of the year, and for fuel prices to stabilize,” the company said in its report.

Earlier this month, the carrier placed its largest ever plane order, securing 110 Boeing jets to support its international growth ambitions. It plans to add flights to Rome, London, and Iceland this summer, and has said it will boost its premium seat offerings this year — in-line with a wider trend of travel trends reflecting a “K-shaped economy.”

Intel Logo In front of Building

Intel slumps after Q1 guidance disappoints

The bad outlook offset strong Q4 results.

markets

Plug Power jumps amid surge in call activity as CEO Andy Marsh hosts AMA

Plug Power surged on Thursday, jumping nearly 17% amid elevated call activity as outgoing CEO Andy Marsh hosted an “ask me anything” on the r/PlugPowerStock subreddit.

As many as 192,581 call options changed hands, more than 4x the 20-day average — call options with a strike price of $4 that expire in mid-June were the most active contract.

Marsh’s appearance was aimed at building support for the board’s recommendations that its investors vote in favor of three proposals at a special meeting of shareholders slated for next week. These proposals include: allowing votes to be decided by a majority of voters rather than a majority of shareholders, enabling an increase in the company’s share count, and a third measure to delay this special meeting in the event that there aren’t enough votes for either of those two proposals to pass.

During the session, Marsh made the following points:

  • Management really doesn’t want to have to do a reverse stock split, but would feel forced to do so if the second proposal fails to pass. Per a recent filing from Plug, “Without additional authorized shares, the Company will not be able to: meet its contractual obligations to increase authorized shares of common stock by February 28, 2026; raise capital necessary for operations and growth; and execute on its business plans and strategy.”

  • Plug plans to lean even more into opportunities to offer power to AI data center customers, with Marsh writing that incoming CEO Jose Luis Crespo will offer more details on this in a follow-up AMA scheduled for March.

markets

Meta shares rally as Jefferies says it’s a bargain relative to Mag 7 peers

Shares of Meta rallied over 5% on Thursday, as Jefferies analyst Brent Thill doubled down on his buy rating for the company, calling the stock a relative bargain compared to its Magnificent 7 peers. The analyst set a price target of $910, well above the $645 where the stock is trading today.

News out of the World Economic Forum this week that Meta’s first models from its revamped AI teams are very goodaligns with Thill’s argument that the company is well positioned to get back in the AI race with the “all-star model,” which is expected to be released in the first half of the year.

Recent cuts to Meta’s Reality Labs also signal that the company is focusing its spending where it matters. The Jefferies note added that the recent monetization of Threads via ads will help boost revenue.

Next week, Meta reports its fourth-quarter earnings, and Thill expects that even if the company raises its 2026 capital expenditure outlook, investors won’t be spooked, as the company has been clear that spending may continue to be high.

Recent cuts to Meta’s Reality Labs also signal that the company is focusing its spending where it matters. The Jefferies note added that the recent monetization of Threads via ads will help boost revenue.

Next week, Meta reports its fourth-quarter earnings, and Thill expects that even if the company raises its 2026 capital expenditure outlook, investors won’t be spooked, as the company has been clear that spending may continue to be high.

Latest Stories

Sherwood Media, LLC produces fresh and unique perspectives on topical financial news and is a fully owned subsidiary of Robinhood Markets, Inc., and any views expressed here do not necessarily reflect the views of any other Robinhood affiliate, including Robinhood Markets, Inc., Robinhood Financial LLC, Robinhood Securities, LLC, Robinhood Crypto, LLC, or Robinhood Money, LLC.