Shares of Apogee Enterprises ( APOG ) surged to new highs following a strong second-quarter earnings report that exceeded expectations. The company, which provides architectural products and services, reported $342.4 million in sales for Q2, surpassing the consensus estimate of $335.3 million. This marks a 2% beat despite a 3.2% year-over-year revenue decline, reflecting Apogee’s ability to navigate a challenging market. While volume dropped, Apogee improved its gross margin by 140 basis points to 28.4%. This was driven by favorable pricing, a shift in its project mix within Architectural Services, and lower costs for materials and insurance. The company also raised its full-year earnings forecast, boosting investor confidence. Apogee now expects fiscal year 2025 adjusted EPS to fall between $4.90 and $5.20, up from its previous guidance of $4.65 to $5.00. Strategic Focus: Navigating Market Softness with Margin Expansion Apogee’s performance this quarter underscores its strategic pivot

Oil markets have been volatile this week as fears mount over potential disruptions in the global oil supply chain due to escalating tensions between Israel and Iran. U.S. crude oil prices have gained about 8%, reflecting the market’s anxiety over a potential retaliation from Israel, which could target Iran’s oil infrastructure. On Thursday, oil prices surged by approximately 5% after President Joe Biden hinted at discussions surrounding an Israeli strike on Iran's oil facilities. Geopolitical risks in the Middle East are at their highest since the Gulf War, according to analysts. West Texas Intermediate (WTI), the U.S. oil benchmark, hit an intraday high of $73.95 per barrel, and Brent crude, the global benchmark, also spiked in response to the turmoil. A significant disruption in oil production could push prices even higher. OPEC+ Capacity Holds Prices Steady – For Now Despite the mounting tension, oil prices have not run completely out of control. Analysts point to OPEC+’s spare

Nike’s ( NKE ) stock took a sharp tumble after the athletic giant reported fiscal first-quarter results that disappointed investors. Despite beating earnings estimates, the company’s revenue fell short, with sales dropping 10% from the previous year. Nike’s revenue for the quarter totaled $11.59 billion, missing analysts’ estimates of $11.65 billion. The decline in sales marked Nike’s worst performance since the pandemic-affected quarter in 2020. Direct-to-consumer sales fell 13% to $4.7 billion, and wholesale revenues also dipped by 8% to $6.4 billion. These setbacks have been attributed to Nike’s struggle to regain market share after competitors capitalized on gaps left by its shifting strategies. Leadership Change Brings New Hope, But Challenges Remain Nike’s leadership transition adds another layer of uncertainty. CEO John Donahoe is set to retire in October, with company veteran Elliott Hill taking over the helm. While Hill’s appointment has been welcomed as a positive step, with

United Natural Foods Inc. ( UNFI ) posted a solid performance in its fourth-quarter earnings report, pushing its stock higher after a challenging year. The company saw a 10% year-over-year increase in sales to $8.15 billion, surpassing the consensus estimate of $7.94 billion. This positive result was largely driven by inflation and an uptick in unit volume as the quarter progressed. UNFI’s quarterly earnings of $0.01 per share beat expectations of a loss of $0.08, signaling the company’s ability to outperform during a difficult period. The earnings surprise of 112.50% reflects the positive impact of efficiency initiatives and improved operational metrics, as UNFI successfully reversed the $0.25 per share loss recorded in the same quarter last year. Turnaround Efforts Start to Pay Off The company's recent struggles, including a 56% stock decline since the start of 2023, were driven by a tough operating environment. However, its turnaround plan is beginning to show results. In Q4, UN