The Sector Beat: Materials – Q1’24

As we look at the broader landscape and try to read the tea leaves on behalf of our clients this quarter, the Materials sector – a barometer for the economy – is showing signs of slow, but steady stabilization. Indeed, Materials, one of the “canary in the coal mine” sectors, has now moved to a “variable degree” of optimism, a better place than we were last quarter and the boom-and-bust nature that played out from the Covid-induced cycle. However, with many companies exposed to the consumer, progression will most likely be choppy and bounce along versus linear.

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The Sector Beat: Consumer Discretionary – Q1’24

There is a noticeable change in executive tone this quarter — one of more caution — as much of the sector grapples with fluctuating and bifurcating consumer buying habits, with pronounced pullbacks this quarter in discretionary spending evident across several industries, including dining and retail. Much hinges on the consistently strong employment environment, though we continue to see a bevy of layoffs as companies manage profitability in a slowing growth environment and as pricing power has slowed at the same time labor costs are climbing.

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The Sector Beat: Industrials – Q1’24

As we noted heading into earnings season, investor optimism, including that captured in our Industrial Sentiment Survey®, is seemingly outpacing corporate reality at this time, but executive commentary suggests increasing hope and optimism around normalization and back-half acceleration. Flagging headwinds are hampering straight-line momentum and the U.S. Presidential Election is more and more cited as curtail capex confidence, especially large, long-cycle projects. Year-over-year, the tone is improved.

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The Sector Beat: U.S. Banks – Q1’24

While overall Bank positioning paints the picture of increasing optimism, there remains a continued dosage of caution, and many executives were careful to call an outright turnaround in conditions just yet. But, when we assess tone quarter-to-quarter, it continues to inflect more positively… another sign that 2024 is starting off strong.

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Commencing the Quarter – Q1’24

We hope you find our primary research timely, insightful, and actionable, beginning with today’s “Commencing the Quarter” and throughout the Q1’24 earnings season as we report on trends and share our data-driven insights.

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Closing the Quarter – Q4’23

Despite warning signs that have caused concerns in prior economic cycles, many companies at a minimum seem increasingly less worried, and in some cases, outright more confident based on recent quarterly management commentary. Capital allocation trends suggest companies are eyeing growth mode again, particularly with most forecasting a stronger back-half of the year.

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Earnings Snap – Q4’23

We hope you find our primary research timely, insightful, and actionable. In today’s short-and-sweet thought leadership, we cover: Key Events from this week and Earnings Snap, covering the S&P 500 stats to date

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The Sector Beat: Technology – Q4’23

Despite near-term softness across some portions of the sector, most tech annual top- and bottom-line guides are setting the stage for growth in 2024, as nets have been cast on the comet known as AI, which blazes faster and brighter.

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The Sector Beat: Consumer Discretionary – Q4’23

The better-than-expected U.S. GDP, consumer confidence, and spending in various areas certainly point to a more buoyant U.S. consumer, but on the flipside is the burden of record credit card debt and borrowings – the current concern about which can best to described as a bombastic shoulder shrug.

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