Finances

McCormick & Co. Inc. (MKC) announced its first quarter results on Tuesday, March 31. The company reported sales that exceeded revenue estimates, causing shares to increase by over 5% following the release.

The company reported net sales of $1.87 billion for the first quarter. This was up from $1.61 billion reported during the same quarter last year and above analysts' estimates of $1.78 billion.

“We are pleased to begin the year with first quarter results that demonstrate the strength and resilience of our business,” said McCormick & Co. Inc. CEO, Brendan M. Foley. “Our fundamentals remain strong, supported by our advantaged portfolio, disciplined execution, and continued investment, positioning us to drive sustained, profitable growth. We remain on track to achieve our 2026 outlook and remain committed to our vision of being a global flavor leader, while continuing to drive shareholder value.”

For the quarter, the company reported net income of $1.02 billion or $3.77 per diluted share. This is up from net income of $162.3 million or $0.60 per diluted share last year at this time.

The Hunt Valley, Maryland-based spice company reported that sales in its Consumer segment increased 24.5% compared to the prior year. The increase was attributed, in part, to the acquisition of McCormick de Mexico, favorable currency impacts and an increase in organic sales. Consumer segment sales in the Americas region increased 30.4% in the quarter. Sales in the Europe, Middle East and Africa region increased by 15.5%. Consumer segment sales in the Asia-Pacific region increased by 6.2%. The company’s Flavor Solutions segment saw year-over-year growth with a 6.2% increase in sales. For full-year fiscal 2026, the company reaffirmed its guidance and expects organic sales to remain flat and adjusted earnings per share in the range of $3.05 to $3.13.

McCormick & Co. Inc. (MKC) shares ended the week at $48.85, down 8% for the week.

Nike Reports Quarterly Results

Nike, Inc. (NKE) reported its fiscal third quarter results on Tuesday, March 31. Despite the company reporting better-than-expected earnings, shares fell more than 8% following release of the report.

Nike posted third quarter net revenue of $11.28 billion. This is mostly unchanged from $11.27 billion reported in the same quarter last year but slightly surpassed $11.24 billion in revenue that analysts expected.

"This quarter we took meaningful actions to improve the health and quality of our business," said Nike CEO, Elliott Hill. "The pace of progress is different across the portfolio and the areas we prioritized first continue to drive momentum. The work is not finished, but the direction is clear, our teams are moving with focus and urgency, and our foundation is getting even stronger to build the future of NIKE."

The company reported net income of $520 million or $0.35 per adjusted share for the quarter. This was down 35% from net income of $794 million or $0.54 per adjusted share reported last year.

Nike Brand revenue was $11.0 billion during the quarter, up 1% from this time last year. Nike Direct segment sales fell 4% to $4.5 billion, which was partially attributed to a 9% decrease in Nike Brand Digital sales. Nike’s inventories were $7.5 billion in the quarter, down 1% compared to a year ago. Wholesale revenues were up 5% to $6.5 billion. The company’s gross profit margin fell 130 basis points to 40.2%, primarily due to higher tariffs in North America.

Nike, Inc. (NKE) shares ended the week at $44.19, down 14% for the week.

Dave & Buster’s Releases Earnings Report

Dave & Buster’s Entertainment, Inc. (PLAY) released its fourth quarter and full year earnings report on Tuesday, March 31. The company’s stock fell almost 3% following the earnings release after the company reported lower-than-anticipated sales for the quarter.

Revenue reached $529.6 million for the fourth quarter. This was approximately a 1% decrease in revenue from $534.6 million reported in the same quarter last year and below analysts’ expectations of $557 million. For the full year, revenue came in at $2.1 billion, down from $2.13 billion reported last year.

“I am pleased to report that our back-to-basics strategy continues to gain meaningful traction, with same-store sales trends improving throughout the prior year,” said Dave & Buster’s CEO, Tarun Lal. “In 2026, we will make meaningful improvements to the business, sharpening our marketing to drive brand consideration, refining our pricing and menu architecture, launching a powerful lineup of culturally relevant new games, and implementing our refreshed remodel program. We believe we have the right strategy, the right team, and the right momentum to create meaningful value for our guests and shareholders.”

Dave & Buster’s reported a quarterly net loss of $39.8 million or $1.15 per adjusted share. Last year at this time, the company reported net income of $9.3 million or $0.24 per adjusted share. Full-year net income came in at a net loss of $48.7 million, compared to net income of $58.3 million one year ago.

Dave & Buster’s combined comparable store sales decreased 3.3% compared to the same time last year. The company’s Entertainment segment reported revenue of $313 million while Food and Beverage revenue came in at $216.6 million for the quarter. Store operating income before depreciation and amortization was $139.2 million, reflecting a decrease from $154.4 million the prior year. The company opened two new stores in the quarter for a total of 243 locations by the end of the fourth quarter.

Dave & Buster’s Entertainment, Inc. (PLAY) shares closed at $12.35, up 22% for the week.

The Dow started the holiday-shortened week of 3/30 at 45,283 and closed at 46,505 on 4/2. The S&P 500 started the week at 6,403 and closed at 6,583. The NASDAQ opened the week at 21,096 and closed at 21,879.

Treasury yields fell at the beginning of the week as investors assessed the latest economic conditions. Yields declined at the end of the week as the latest employment reports showed the economy remained resilient despite uncertainties related to the conflict with Iran.

On Tuesday, the Conference Board reported that its consumer confidence index for March increased slightly to 91.8, up from 91.0 in February. This was above economists’ expected reading of 87.9. While the index rose, concerns about higher prices due to tariffs and oil prices have contributed to the consumer confidence index remaining at the lowest levels seen in a decade.

“Consumer confidence ticked up again in March, as a modest improvement in consumers’ views of current conditions outweighed a slight downshift in expectations for the future,” said chief economist at the Conference Board, Dana Peterson. “Three of five components of the Index firmed in March, and overall confidence improved modestly for a second month. Nonetheless, the Index has been on a general downward trend since 2021.”

The benchmark 10-year Treasury note yield opened the week of March 30 at 4.44% and traded as low as 4.26% on Wednesday. The 30-year Treasury bond opened the week at 4.97% and traded as low as 4.86% on Wednesday.

On Thursday, the U.S. Department of Labor reported that initial claims for unemployment decreased by 9,000 to 202,000 for the week ending March 28, lower than economists’ expectations of 212,000 claims. Continuing claims increased by 25,000 to 1.84 million. On Friday, the Bureau of Labor Statistics released its monthly jobs report for March which indicated the unemployment rate was 4.3%, a decrease from 4.4% reported in February. The report also noted an increase of 178,000 jobs in March, above economists’ forecasts of 59,000.

"We expect weaker job growth and a higher unemployment rate for 2026 than we had been forecasting prior to the war," said lead U.S. economist at Oxford Economics, Nancy Vanden Houten. "But the war's impact on the labor market will take a bit more time to materialize."

The 10-year Treasury note yield finished the week of 3/30 at 4.32% while the 30-year Treasury note yield finished the week at 4.92%.

Freddie Mac released its latest Primary Mortgage Market Survey on Thursday, April 2. The survey showed mortgage rates increased for the fourth week in a row. 

This week, the 30-year fixed rate mortgage averaged 6.46%, up from last week’s average of 6.38%. Last year at this time, the 30-year fixed rate mortgage averaged 6.64%.

The 15-year fixed rate mortgage averaged 5.77% this week, up from last week’s 5.75%. During the same week last year, the 15-year fixed rate mortgage averaged 5.82%.

"The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage edged up, averaging 6.46% this week," said chief economist at Freddie Mac, Sam Khater. “With spring homebuying season in full swing, aspiring buyers should remember to shop around for the best mortgage rate, as they can potentially save thousands of dollars by getting multiple quotes.”

Based on published national averages, the savings rate was 0.39% as of 3/16. The one-year CD averaged 1.52%.

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