Q2 2026 U.S. Retail Preview: Broadline Retail Drives Growth

The U.S. consumer remains resilient enough to support earnings growth, but that resilience is increasingly concentrated. The LSEG U.S. Retail and Restaurant Q2 earnings index, which tracks changes in the growth rate of earnings within the sector, is expected to show a 67.0% growth over last year's levels. Of the 185 retailers tracked by LSEG, the Broadline Retail sector, representing a wide variety of consumer goods, is headed for the highest earnings growth rate in the second quarter, recording a 231.1% surge over last year's level.

Seeking Alpha • Aug 17, 2026

Should You Invest in the iShares U.S. Consumer Discretionary ETF (IYC)?

If you're interested in broad exposure to the Consumer Discretionary - Broad segment of the equity market, look no further than the iShares U.S. Consumer Discretionary ETF (IYC), a passively managed exchange traded fund launched on June 12, 2000.

Zacks Investment Research • Jul 21, 2026

Why Investors Shouldn't Count Out Consumer Stocks

Consumer spending has held up well despite economic headwinds. The state of inflation and the labor market will be key to watch.

Seeking Alpha • Jul 9, 2026

Mid-Year 2026 U.S. Retail/Restaurant Outlook

The LSEG Retail/Restaurant Index reported Q1 2026 earnings growth of 27.2%. Retail earnings in the first quarter of 2026 received a significant boost from a historic tax refund season, reinforcing consumer spending at a time when the labor market remained resilient. Q2 2026 earnings are currently expected to mark the weakest growth rate of the year, with consensus forecasts calling for a gradual improvement during the second half of the year.

Seeking Alpha • Jul 7, 2026

Retail Sector Recap: Consumers Pull Back On Weak Outlook

The latter half of the quarterly earnings season has been dominated by a heavy dose of retailer updates. Names reporting earnings include Walmart, Target, and other mainstay consumer discretionary retailers.

Seeking Alpha • Mar 7, 2026

IYC: Now's Not The Time To Buy U.S. Consumer Discretionary Stocks

IYC tracks an Index of U.S. Consumer Discretionary stocks. It has a 0.38% expense ratio and $1.4B in assets and launched nearly 26 years ago, making it an extremely well-established ETF. IYC has historically performed well when earnings growth rates were above market. However, that's not the case today, and IYC has further headwinds with poor earnings surprises and earnings revisions. IYC also doesn't hold a value or quality advantage over the Russell 3000 Index. My analysis highlights its elevated 23.45x forward P/E ratio and operating margins that lag by 13%.

Seeking Alpha • Feb 24, 2026

Final Trades: Amazon, Affiliated Managers Group, Uber and the IYC

CNBC's “Halftime Report” Investment Committee discuss their top stocks to watch for the second half of the day's trading session.

CNBC Television • Jan 6, 2026

Final Trades: Ascendis Pharma, Monolithic Power, the IYC and the GPIQ

The Investment Committee give you their top stocks to watch for the second half.

CNBC Television • Dec 8, 2025

IYC: Paycheck-To-Paycheck Living Is Bad News For Consumer Discretionary Spending

iShares US Consumer Discretionary ETF is rated a sell due to growing economic risks and deteriorating consumer health in the US. Bank of America Institute data shows 24% of Americans now live paycheck-to-paycheck, with particular pressure on older cohorts and slow improvement for younger adults. IYC's fundamentals are not the main issue; rather, the sector faces headwinds from layoffs, weak job prospects, and limited discretionary spending.

Seeking Alpha • Nov 18, 2025

Final Trades: Welltower, Dell, Microsoft, and the IYC

The Investment Committee give you their top stocks to watch for the second half.

CNBC Television • Nov 5, 2025