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TheStreet aims to feature only the best products and services. If you buy something via one of our links, we may earn a commission.Why we love this dealWhat’s the point of having a nice television if you don’t have a sound system to match? While that used to mean you needed a full stereo receiver with surround sound speakers, things have changed. These days, if you get the right soundbar, you can create an immersive soundscape in your living room with a single device. Thanks to Best Buy, such a speaker is easier to find than ever. What’s more, they’re even more affordable than they’ve ever been. That may not stay in stock, according to the retailer, so getting a great deal now is probably the best thing you can possibly do. One of the electronics retailer’s best soundbars is on sale, and we think it’s worth your attention.The Insignia 32-Inch Bluetooth Soundbar is available for only $45. That’s a discount of 25% off the original price of $60. Even at the regular price, this soundbar was a steal, but at the sale price it’s borderline unbelievable. That’s why you’d be wise to grab one now while they’re still in stock.Insignia 32-Inch Bluetooth Soundbar, $45 (was $60) at Best Buy

Courtesy of Best Buy

Shop at Best BuyWhy do shoppers love it?This isn’t your average Bluetooth speaker. It’s a dual-channel stereo soundbar that expands the capacity of your television’s standard speakers. It has four distinct audio modes, including standard, theater, news, and night. Each mode offers a different sound profile to make whatever you’re watching as easy to hear and enjoyable as possible. What’s more, with the Bluetooth connection, you can hook into your phone, tablet, or any other device for streaming your favorite music as well.Another benefit of the Bluetooth connectivity is the plug-and-play nature of setup. It’s just about as easy to connect to this soundbar as it is to your headphones or any other portable audio equipment. If wireless isn’t your thing, the soundbar also comes equipped with an HDMI ARC port, so you can plug directly into the back of the television. It also includes a sturdy wall mount, so you can place the speaker out of the way, either above or beneath your TV.The speaker has an equalizer function as well, so you can adjust the bass and treble levels to get the perfect balance for your needs. Adding to the soundbar’s convenience are built-in buttons for controlling power and volume. You also get a remote control, allowing you to manage your home theater system from across the room. Because of its simple yet brilliant design, this soundbar is one of the most user-friendly models on the market. Thanks to the current sale price, it’s also currently one of the most affordable too.Related: Amazon is selling $160 noise-canceling earbuds for just $17Best Buy customers were as excited by this speaker as we are. One reviewer said they “bought two,” before adding that it was the “best soundbar I’ve owned…This sounds crisp, punchy, and solid. Incredibly easy to set up.”Shop more deals Onn 20-Inch Bluetooth Soundbar, $30 (was $40) at WalmartUltimea 16-Inch Bluetooth Smart Soundbar, $47 (was $76) at AmazonTCL S Class Bluetooth Soundbar, $130 at TargetIf you’re a fan of quick and easy setup paired with high-end sound, then the Insignia 32-Inch Bluetooth Soundbar is perfect for you. This sale price probably won’t last long, though. As such, we recommend taking advantage while you still can, because this sounds like a great deal.

Honeywell Aerospace (HONA) officially became an independent, publicly traded company on June 29, 2026, and Wall Street has already made up its mind on the stock.The company separated from Honeywell International on June 29, 2026, and landed on the Nasdaq as HONA.The parent kept the HON ticker and now operates as Honeywell Technologies. On Monday, July 6, 2026, Jim Cramer told viewers HONA had more room to run than Boeing or GE Aerospace. A day later, Morgan Stanley opened coverage with an Equal-weight rating. The bank’s outlook aligned with the market consensus that the company is a high-quality business currently trading at a fair price with limited immediate growth potential. Let’s see what that means for investors.Morgan Stanley starts Honeywell Aerospace at equal-weightAnalyst Kristine Liwag initiated coverage of Honeywell Aerospace on July 8 with an equal-weight rating and a $255 price target, Investing.com reported. Equal-weight is the bank’s neutral call, meaning it expects the stock to track the rest of its aerospace coverage over the next 12 to 18 months.Morgan Stanley is roughly the 10th firm to rate HONA since the spinoff, and its $255 target now sits just below a $263.50 consensus.Wells Fargo and TD Cowen both landed at $250, Jefferies went with $235, and RBC is the outlier at $300. HONA closed Wednesday at $224.35, according to Yahoo Finance.

Honeywell Aerospace began trading independently on the Nasdaq under the ticker HONA on June 29, 2026tupungato / Getty Images

Reasoning behind Morgan Stanley’s ratingLiwag’s team is not disputing the business. Honeywell Aerospace runs a “develop once, deploy everywhere” model. It builds a technology once and sells into commercial jets, business aviation, defense, and space.That model keeps margins high. Morgan Stanley projects an adjusted operating margin near 25.3% by 2028.This margin is among the highest in the industry, which the company has led since building the first autopilot in 1914.Related: History of Honeywell: Company timeline, milestones & factsHowever, revenue and operating profit are each forecast to grow about 8% a year in 2028, while peers grow closer to 10.5% and 12.5%. This means HONA’s margins near the top have little room to expand, and JPMorgan expects them to stay flat.High margins with slow growth earn a market multiple, not a premium.The commercial share loss that could shrink Honeywell’s best businessCommercial aftermarket, the parts-and-repair business that pays out for decades after a plane is sold, accounts for about 44% of Honeywell’s sales. This lucrative revenue stream is only possible because Honeywell won the initial equipment contracts.Morgan Stanley found Honeywell’s commercial and regional original equipment revenue in 2025 landed roughly 35% to 45% below its 2004 and 2009 levels.More Aerospace Stocks:Jim Cramer says it’s time to buy another aerospace stock before it takes offGoldman Sachs revamps SpaceX stock price target for 2026 Honeywell approves aerospace spinoff to launch 2 public companiesThis happened after the revenue was adjusted for inflation, and the industry delivered far more aircrafts.Rivals moved the other way. TransDigm (TDG) has said its content on the Boeing 787 climbed more than 35%. Collins, now part of RTX, also doubled content on new-generation jets.Older planes retire, and if Honeywell has less equipment on the jets replacing them, the aftermarket annuity shrinks quietly.The defense budget does the heavy lifting for HONA bull caseDefense and space contributed about 41% of 2025 revenue, and that is where the near-term momentum is. Honeywell holds content on 11 of the 12 high-priority munitions programs backed by the 2027 budget request. The request proposes roughly tripling missile procurement funding compared to 2026.The company signed a supplier framework agreement with the Department of War in March. It also committed $500 million to expand production of navigation systems, Assure missile actuators and electronic warfare hardware, Honeywell Aerospace confirmed.Not every framework agreement converts on schedule, and defense revenue moves with appropriations and export licenses.How Honeywell Aerospace could reach $355Morgan Stanley published three scenarios, and the spread is wide.Bull case, $355: Revenue grows about 10% a year, supply chains normalize, margins expand about 110 basis points, and free cash flow conversion hits roughly 100%.Base case, $255: Revenue grows about 8%, margins stay flat near 25.3%, and the stock earns a peer-average multiple.Bear case, $175: Revenue growth slows to about 5%, margins contract, and supply chain bottlenecks bite.Free cash flow conversion decides the outcome, and the bank forecasts about 93% in 2028 against a competitor benchmark near 97%. Free cash flow is cash left after operations and capital spending.Why Cramer and Morgan Stanley disagree about HONA stockCramer expects the pullback to continue as institutional investors finish repricing the newly independent company. However, that theory has a complication. HONA entered the S&P 500 and S&P 100 on its first trading day, S&P Global reported, so index funds had to buy it immediately.A stock every S&P 500 fund owns is not undiscovered.While Morgan Stanley focuses on where 2028 earnings will settle, the stock’s strong debut offers little insight into that.HONA is not a discount at $224, but rather a fairly valued supplier. While backed by a strong defense catalyst, uncertainty remains over the commercial franchise driving the bulk of its profit.Key metrics to watch include next-gen aircraft content wins and free cash flow conversion across the 2027 and 2028 reports.Related: Beaten-down stock lets you buy SpaceX below market price

Amazon Prime Day may be over, but the sales event gave one appliance maker a bigger Wall Street story.SharkNinja, the company behind Shark vacuums and Ninja kitchen appliances, has built a business around making everyday household products feel more exciting.The appliances are sold through major retailers, online channels, and direct-to-consumer platforms. This has given shoppers several ways to buy products that often gain traction through social media, reviews, and big retail events.And the strategy is showing up in the company’s sales data and analysts’ bets on the stock.Bank of America raises SharkNinja price targetIn a recent note shared with TheStreet, Bank of America reiterated its buy rating on SharkNinja and raised its price target to $165 from $145.BofA analyst Andrew Didora said Nielsen point-of-sale data showed domestic SharkNinja product sell-through increased 17% for the week ending June 20 and 86.2% for the week ending June 27.More Bank of America:Bank of America gives stock market investors a summer reality checkBank of America revamps interest-rate forecast for rest of 2026Bank of America takes firm position on inflation, economyOn a combined basis, sell-through grew 51.5% year over year, according to the note, which prompted the firm to raise SharkNinja’s price target.According to the data, the increase in sales was driven by Amazon’s Prime Day timing and viral interest in products such as the Ninja SLUSHi and Shark ChillPill.The new increase by BofA matters more because SharkNinja’s stock has already had a strong run. Latest data show the stock trading at $152.125, close to the company’s 52-week high of $154.04, reached on July 2. Overall, the company’s stock is up more than 36% year to date and 37% over the past year, at the time of writing.

SharkNinja’s stock is up 36% year to date.Foltin/SharkNinja via Getty Images

What is sell-through?Sell-through is important because it measures how many products move from retailers to shoppers, not just shipments into stores. That makes it a useful early signal ahead of earnings because it shows whether consumers are actually buying the products retailers have on shelves.BofA said SharkNinja’s second-quarter domestic sell-through is now tracking up 25.7%, compared with 18.4% two weeks earlier and well above 2.6% industry growth.The firm said the sharp increase was driven partly by the timing of Amazon’s Prime Day, which ran June 23 through June 26 this year, compared with July 8 through July 11 last year. This pulled some demand into late June, meaning SharkNinja will face tougher comparisons in early July.Still, BofA said the data was strong enough to support a higher valuation, and the firm remains comfortable with its 10% domestic growth estimate for the second quarter.The $165 target implied 10.8% upside from BofA’s July 7 price of $148.92. With the stock now closer to $152, the target still implies about 8.5% upside.Viral Shark and Ninja products boost salesSharkNinja is turning everyday appliances into products people talk about online, which has contributed to its viral growth.BofA said direct-to-consumer platforms add an estimated 200 to 300 basis points to SharkNinja’s sales growth. That makes viral moments on platforms like TikTok more important, as they can help push specific products into shoppers’ carts.Recent summer products appear to be helping. BofA said influencer videos highlighting the Shark ChillPill generated nearly 3 million views over the past week. Meanwhile, a recent post from tennis player Aryna Sabalenka surpassed 3 million views. The Ninja SLUSHi and Ninja Frost Vault Cooler also saw strong engagement, with three SLUSHi-related influencer videos accumulating more than 7 million views in recent weeks.An official SharkNinja SLUSHi Twist video reached 800,000 views in a few days, while a Ninja Frost Vault Cooler video topped 500,000 views after one day, according to the note.That kind of traction matters because small appliances are a competitive category, and many shoppers are still cautious about discretionary purchases. A viral product can help a company stand out in a market where shoppers are comparing price, usefulness, and reviews before buying.BofA also highlighted SharkNinja’s TikTok Shop bestsellers. For Ninja Kitchen, the top products included:Ninja Single-Serve Specialty Coffee MakerNinja Belgian Waffle Maker ProNinja SLUSHi Professional Frozen Drink MakerNinja CREAMi XL Ice Cream & Frozen Treat MakerNinja BlendBOSS Tumbler BlenderFor Shark Home, bestsellers included:Shark HydroDuoShark StainStrikerShark WandVac Cordless Handheld VacuumShark HEPA Air PurifierShark Navigator Lift-Away Deluxe Upright VacuumSharkNinja’s Q1 results reveals BofA’s interest in sales dataSharkNinja’s latest earnings provide more context to BofA’s bullish view.The company reported first-quarter net sales of $1.41 billion, up 15.6% year over year. Adjusted net income rose 25.1% to $154.8 million, and adjusted earnings per share increased 25.3% to $1.09.SharkNinja also raised its fiscal 2026 outlook. The company now expects net sales to increase 11.5% to 12.5%, above its prior forecast of 10% to 11%. It also expects adjusted earnings per share of $6.00 to $6.10, up from its earlier range of $5.90 to $6.00.The growth was broad enough to explain why BofA is paying attention to multiple product categories.Cleaning Appliances’ net sales rose 17% in Q1, driven by carpet extractors and corded vacuums. Cooking and Beverage Appliances rose 19.8%, helped by the Ninja Luxe Café espresso machine and Ninja Crispi. And Beauty and Home Environment Appliances jumped 40.8%, driven by skin care products.International growth was also strong. SharkNinja said international net sales rose 31.6% in the first quarter, helped by global expansion and the introduction of existing product categories into new markets.On the company’s earnings call, CEO Mark Barrocas said consumers were actively seeking out SharkNinja products and incorporating them into their daily lives. Management added that direct-to-consumer and TikTok Shop channels were growing faster than the overall domestic business, though the company did not break out exact figures for those channels.That fits BofA’s broader argument. SharkNinja is not just relying on one hit appliance. The company is trying to turn product innovation, social media, direct selling, and retail partnerships into a repeatable growth engine.SharkNinja still faces consumer and tariff risksThe bullish case has limits.BofA said downside risks to its SharkNinja price target include a slowing macro environment that could pressure higher-ticket product categories, increased tariffs, and increased competition. Those risks are not theoretical. SharkNinja said in its Q1 release that gross margin pressure was partly tied to tariff costs in the U.S. market. The company also warned that uncertainty around tariffs, geopolitics, and global economies could affect its outlook and future results.This is relevant not just to the company but also to consumers because tariffs and cost pressures can eventually influence pricing and promotions.It also matters for investors, since SharkNinja’s recent stock gains leave less room for disappointment if sales trends cool after Prime Day or if viral product demand proves temporary.For now, BofA sees the momentum continuing.For shoppers, the question is whether SharkNinja can keep creating products that feel useful, distinctive, and viral enough to justify the purchase. For investors, the question is whether that demand can keep outpacing the broader appliance market after Prime Day fades.Related: Bank of America sets alarming SpaceX stock price target

TheStreet aims to feature only the best products and services. If you buy something via one of our links, we may earn a commission.Why we love this dealFinding easy ways to keep your home tidy can help you feel more relaxed and streamline the daily tidying-up process. Oftentimes, we start to overlook piles of items around the house — such as bags and mail on the counter, jackets hanging on the bannister, and shoes piled in the entryway. Creating a designated storage spot for these items can keep them out of the way while also being easier to find. Opting for a small storage cabinet in the entryway or mudroom can make it easy to place your items as soon as you come through the door, making it easier to keep the space clean. It also allows you to save space, offering space to fit up to 24 pairs of shoes in the same area that five pairs may have previously taken up the same amount of space on the floor.The Semiocthome 6-Tier Adjustable Shoe Cabinet is a simple, chic, and easy storage solution to keep shoes, purses, mail, and accessories stored away but ready to use. By keeping your most used items by the door, you can easily grab them on your way out instead of searching the house before you leave every time. It’s also a useful option for displaying decorations and other items that can make your home feel well put together as soon as you or your guests enter. Originally $200, shoppers can get this storage cabinet for just $106, saving them a whopping $94 at Walmart. There’s also a $20 shipping fee.Semiocthome 6-Tier Adjustable Shoe Cabinet, $106 (was $200) at Walmart

Courtesy of Walmart

Shop at WalmartWhy do shoppers love it?This modern boho-style cabinet features three adjustable and two non-adjustable closed shelves and one static open shelf. The open shelf on the bottom is perfect for everyday shoes, and offers easy access for the little ones to grab their shoes for school. It’s made of medium-density fiberboard with solid wood legs, and features a walnut finish with lined-groove doors and gold-tone handles that add character without also making it difficult to match with other furniture. The decorative top surface has back and side walls to prevent items from falling or rolling off, making it great for holding jewelry pieces, plants, lamps, pictures, and other decorations. Related: Walmart’s $200 versatile farmhouse-style shoe cabinet is just $100The traditional cabinet doors allow you to easily grab shoes on your way out the door, while still maximizing inner storage capacity. Measuring 43.7 inches tall, 14.5 inches deep, and 29.5 inches long, it can easily fit into narrow entryways or small laundry rooms while still providing tons of storage. It also has a 5-inch area underneath to store slippers and other house shoes.  It’s available in both a Natural and Walnut finish, but the Walnut is the best deal. The pros and cons of this dealProsFlexible storage: This unit holds up to 24 pairs of shoes, but it can also hold other accessories like sweaters, purses, mail, and more. Hidden and open storage: With two storage options, this cabinet stays convenient while also hiding clutter. Cons Heavy: At over 70 pounds, this cabinet is on the heavier side, but it does include an anti-tipping device for safety.Colors: There are only two colors to choose from.”It’s beautiful and just like the picture. It holds all my shoes and is sturdy,” said one reviewer.Another shopper said, “I love this cabinet. I bought this because I need it to hold boots as well as shoes, and it’s very sturdy.”Shop more dealsFlycity Rattan Shoe Cabinet, $78 (was $160) at WalmartOlakula 4-Tier Open Shoe Rack, $19 (was $30) at WalmartSemiocthome 2-Flip Drawer Shoe Cabinet, $90 (was $160) at WalmartWhether you need a place to store all the shoes clogging the entryway or want a better solution for laundry room storage, the stylish Semiocthome 6-Tier Adjustable Shoe Cabinet is a great choice. Shoppers can save 47% at Walmart, paying just $106 plus shipping.

Salesforce (CRM) rarely draws a downgrade from two research firms at once. This week it did.On Thursday, July 9, KeyBanc Capital Markets and Bernstein downgraded Salesforce to a Hold. The stock fell roughly 3% to 4% at its low before steadying the next day.However, what matters beyond the price drop is why both firms stepped back at the same time, and what that means for anyone who owns the stock.The message inside the Salesforce downgradesKeyBanc moved Salesforce to Sector Weight from Overweight. Bernstein also downgraded the stock to Sector Weight from Outperform, according to Investing.com. Both firms had the same concern. The adoption of Agentforce, the company’s flagship AI agent platform, is progressing more slowly than the headline numbers suggest.According to Benzinga, KeyBanc analyst Jackson Ader was blunt, saying the only real reason to buy the stock now is that it’s cheap. More AI stocks:Wall Street expects ServiceNow stock to gain 52%, despite AI threatMorningstar drops bombshell warning on AI stocks’Big Short’ investor Michael Burry issues blunt 4-word warning on AI stocksAder’s team kept noting the same thing: customer data is not organized enough for real AI work, and Agentforce “just isn’t there” yet as a product, TipRanks reported.A recent survey of chief information officers, the executives who control software budgets, deepened the worry. More of them plan to trim Salesforce spending over the next year than raise it. The downgrades quickly spread caution across other software names, Barron’s noted.

Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff staked the company’s next decade on Agentforce, the AI product now drawing analyst skepticism.Frank Brennan / Getty Images

What “Agentforce isn’t there yet” means for CRM shareholdersAgentforce is Salesforce’s wager that AI agents, software that carries out tasks on its own instead of just answering questions, will power its next decade of growth.Here is the catch for shareholders:Salesforce has sold its software the same way for 25 years, charging per user, or “per seat.” If agents handle work people used to do, customers may need fewer seats, which could shrink revenue rather than grow it. The company is now trying to charge for the work its agents complete instead of for headcount, though that model is still unproven at scale.Related: Salesforce bets another $1 billion despite AI spending cratering its stockThe analyst checks matter because they test the changes the company wants to make against reality. If customers need months to get their data ready before agents can run, the revenue Salesforce promises will arrive later than bulls expect.The numbers Salesforce leans on to defend AgentforceSalesforce released its first-quarter fiscal 2027 report on May 27. According to Salesforce, Agentforce’s annual recurring revenue reached $1.2 billion.That’s up 205% from a year earlier, which is the fastest ramp of any product in its history. Revenue also rose 13% to about $11.1 billion, operating margins set a record, and management raised its full-year guidance, according to an SEC release. CEO Marc Benioff has kept spending into the shift, pledging $1 billion to Switzerland this week on top of earlier commitments to Italy and France, Salesforce reported.That is the standoff. Management points to booming AI metrics, while the analysts who just downgraded the stock hear hesitation from the customers who have to deploy the technology. It is a rare split between what a company reports and what its buyers say on the ground.What CRM investors should watch nextFor readers, the question is simple. Will Agentforce show up in the growth numbers, or stay a promise?Three signals that would ease the bear caseSigned deals set to become revenue over the next year growing in the mid-teens or better.Agentforce revenue climbing well beyond $1 billion on new customers, not just upsells to existing ones.Guidance that beats Wall Street when the company reports next.The stock is hardly expensive after a roughly 37% slide this year. CRM trades near 19 times earnings, pays a dividend, and sits about 80% below its post-2020 free-cash-flow peak, GuruFocus data shows. For perspective, CRM has been one of the Dow’s weakest members in 2026, even as the wider market climbed. Even so, being cheap did not stop the downgrades, as both firms argued that the discount would fade once slower growth is priced in.Salesforce is still a deeply rooted platform, its customers are unlikely to walk away from it. The unresolved question is whether Agentforce becomes a real growth engine. The next earnings report will provide more answers.Related: Top Analyst strongly resets AMD stock price target

Consumers frequently claim that the American shopping mall is dying. Yet a 44-year-old nostalgic mall retailer recently proved that structural changes, including aggressive store optimization, are actually saving it. As part of my recent retail tracking coverage for TheStreet, I’ve documented how several major mall staples are executing similar strategies to protect their profit margins: Michael Kors (Capri Holdings): Shuttered 139 stores over a three-year optimization window.Vera Bradley: Quietly closed 13 underperforming retail locations.Marshall Rousso & Misura: Closed 14 locations with additional consolidations planned.Fossil Group: Shuttered 7 stores during the first quarter of 2026 alone.These localized closures don’t signal a retail apocalypse, but rather an uneven landscape heavily dependent on mall layout and tier rankings.In fact, according to the June 2026 Placer.ai Mall Index, foot traffic actually rose 5.7% year-over-year at open-air shopping centers and 1.9% at indoor malls. A report by Cushman & Wakefield citing Green Street data further underscores this divide, showing that top-tier malls maintain a healthy 95% occupancy rate, while lower C-rated properties languish at just 72%.Ultimately, modern consumers are shifting toward shorter, mission-driven visits under 30 minutes, causing focused spending across fewer stores per visit. Now, an iconic staple of youth culture and fashion has trimmed stores from its footprint, aiming to boost sales at its remaining locations. Tilly’s closed 28 stores over the past two years Mall staple Tilly’s is known for its cool, youthful vibe. The retailer’s vast offering for teens and young adults ranges from graphic tees to Vans sneakers to Santa Cruz skateboards and gear, embodying the unique skater culture that ruled ‘90s and 2000s fashion. Tilly’s recently reported its first quarter of fiscal 2026 results. Total net sales were $124.7 million, up 15.9% compared to the same period in 2025. Tilly’s Q1 fiscal 2026 earnings highlights: Net sales from physical stores were $96.3 million, an increase of 12.1%. Net sales from e-commerce were $28.4 million, an increase of 30.9%. E-com net sales represented 22.8% of total net sales this year, compared to 20.2% of total net sales last year. Gross profit was $36.1 million, or 28.9% of net sales, compared to $21.3 million, or 19.8% of net sales, last year.Net loss improved to $8.0 million, or $(0.26) per share, compared to a net loss of $22.2 million, or $(0.74) net loss per share, last year.
Source: Tilly’s Q1 Fiscal 2026 Earnings Document on SEC.gov 
In the report, the company confirmed it has closed a total of 18 stores, cutting its traditional mall footprint by more than 7.6% in 12 months. After analyzing Tilly’s previous reports, I discovered that Tilly’s has closed 28 stores in two years, reducing its footprint by 11%. Based on its latest earnings report, the brand has 220 operational stores remaining, down from the 248 it had at the end of the first quarter of fiscal 2024. 

Tilly’s has closed more than two dozen stores over the past two years.Wolterk / Getty Images

Why has Tilly’s been closing stores? Analyzing Tilly’s latest earnings report, it becomes clear that the company’s performance improved after its quiet downsizing. Net sales from physical stores grew 12.1% year over year, even though the company operated 18 fewer stores than in the comparable quarter. “Net sales from physical stores represented 77.2% of total net sales this year compared to 79.8% of total net sales last year,” the report added. Related: Discount grocery giant shuts 100 stores, completely exits 3 statesTilly’s management explained that margins also improved because of improved full-price selling and lower buying, distribution, and occupancy costs “due to decreased occupancy costs associated with reduced store count. “Fiscal 2025 was a year of significant store optimization, resulting in 21 total store closures,” Tilly’s CEO Nate Smith said during Tilly’s fourth quarter and full year 2025 earnings conference call, as reported by MarketBeat. “We are proud of the fact that we were able to deliver sales growth in the fourth quarter with 17 fewer net stores.” Smith emphasized that downsizing was a difficult but necessary decision to get back to historical sales levels.“It requires discipline, focus, and a willingness to make difficult decisions day after day,” the CEO said, adding that “returning to historical levels of store sales, productivity, and the operating performance this business is capable of is the goal we’re driving toward, and we know there is meaningful work still ahead of us to get to that point.” “There have certainly been some high-profile failures this year, but a lot of space that’s come on the market has been quickly released,” according to Neil Saunders, a retail analyst and managing director of analytics firm GlobalData.”Vacancy rates remain relatively low. In general, there is too much headline grabbing [a]round store closures. People like to make a thing about physical retail is dead or dying, which is completely untrue.”Tilly’s is powerhouse behind fashion brands RSQ, West of MelroseTilly’s was founded back in 1982 by former Israel Navy officer Hezy Shaked and his wife Tilly Levine. The couple divorced in 1989, but Levine continued to work for the company as director of vendor relations.Originally known as World of Jeans and Tops, over the years the retailer grew to a national scale. The company went public in May 2012, raising $124 million through its initial public offering of stock.The Irvine, California-headquartered retailer sells branded apparel, accessories, shoes, and more, including some company-owned brands.Tilly’s-owned brand names: RSQFull TiltWest of MelroseTilly’s Additionally, Tilly’s features about 200 different brands, from Asics and Nike to Levis and Von Dutch. You can track its full list of brands here. What’s next for Tilly’s It’s evident from the earnings results and the company management’s comments that Tilly’s is not backing down; rather, it is optimizing its operations to improve margins. Downsizing appears to be working for Tilly’s, which plans not only to close more stores but also to open new ones. During the first quarter, Tilly’s opened one store and closed four. For the rest of the year, it plans to “open 2 new stores in late July, and 1 more in late October, and to close 1 existing store in mid July and another at the end of the fiscal year,” Smith said.The CEO added that management is optimistic about the possibility of expanding its net store footprint. These moves align with the recent mall data, suggesting that top-tier malls are seeing more foot traffic, pushing many brands to close underperforming stores in malls that don’t see enough traffic. Based on Tilly’s Form 10-K filing with the SEC, the company’s store count spread across Regional Malls, off-mall locations, and outlets as of Jan. 31, 2026, was: Regional mall: 128Off-mall: 79Outlet: 16 “Visits to indoor malls, open-air shopping centers, and outlet malls all remained in positive YoY territory in June 2026, with indoor mall visits up 1.2%, open-air shopping center visits up 5.1%, and outlet mall visits up 1.0% compared to June 2025,” according to Placer.ai. Additionally, the company plans to invest and launch an “AI-driven merchandise allocation tool before the holiday season to help us improve initial allocation accuracy across our stores and online.”   Related: We compared Walmart’s new prices to Target and Kroger

June was a brutal month for the Magnificent Seven. The group shed roughly $2.3 trillion in market value and is down more than 13% since mid-May. While memory chip makers and networking vendors supplying the AI buildout have outperformed, the hyperscalers writing the checks have taken the hit.Jim Cramer owns six of the seven in his Charitable Trust. On July 9, he told Mad Money viewers who are thinking about selling that they are misreading what is actually going on.Jim Cramer’s warning to investors selling Mag 7 stocksCramer’s message on Mad Money was aimed at a specific habit he sees investors falling into: treating the Magnificent Seven as a single trade. Buying or selling all seven as a block, without distinguishing between their individual businesses and AI timelines, is where he thinks people are going wrong.”One day, one of these companies is going to announce on its conference call that it is raising forecast because of its AI products, and you are going to see a rally in all of them, a rally that will be so powerful that you kick yourself for missing out on it,” Cramer said.”We get one, just one, of these heavy hitters saying its AI business is now profitable, then you can forget about owning a commodity semiconductor stock,” he added. “Instead, you’ll go for the hyperscaler that’s spewing so much cash flow it won’t even know what to do with the money.”Why Cramer says the Mag 7 selloff is a misread of what is actually happeningInvestors have been watching these companies pour hundreds of billions of dollars into AI infrastructure and asking when the returns show up. Until a hyperscaler announces on an earnings call that AI is driving revenue growth, the spending reads like a cost center. That is what has been weighing on the group all summer.Cramer’s read is different. He thinks these companies are not spending blind. They are looking at demand signals Wall Street does not have access to, and the capex reflects what they are seeing in their own pipeline, not recklessness.Related: Jim Cramer recommends buying these 5 stocksHe used Meta as a specific example. The company announced on July 9 that it plans to begin manufacturing its own AI chip in September 2026, expanding computing capacity to 14 gigawatts next year, according to Reuters. Investors sold the stock on the news, interpreting it as a sign that capital spending has no ceiling. Cramer said that reading misses the point.”I think that they’re looking at a book of demand, saying it’s really good, and we’re going to be able to make it so that we can meet that demand,” he said. On Zuckerberg specifically: “Maybe we should lean in and recognize that he knows more about his company’s prospects than we do. He’s demonstrated that time and again.”

Cramer thinks that trade reverses the moment a hyperscaler shows AI is working.Jonas/Getty Images

The mistake Cramer says investors keep making with Mag 7 stocksEach of the seven companies has a different AI story. Alphabet’s runs through Google Search and Cloud. Amazon’s flows through AWS. Microsoft’s is in Azure and Office. Meta’s is embedded in its ad stack and increasingly its own hardware. Apple’s lives inside devices. Nvidia makes the chips everyone else buys. Tesla is building autonomous driving systems.More Jim Cramer:Jim Cramer delivers strong buy call on fast-growing digital bankCramer’s Intel bet rests on one unproven numberWhy Jim Cramer says Ford’s real story isn’t trucks or EVsLumping all of that into one trade and selling it when any one name disappoints is what Cramer thinks investors are doing. He has stayed long six of the seven through the entire correction because his read is that this is a sentiment problem, not a business problem.The companies are still generating huge cash flows. The AI buildout they are funding is not going away. Cramer’s position is that the investors waiting for certainty before buying back in will find they have missed the move by the time that certainty arrives.What Cramer says could trigger a powerful Mag 7 rallyOne earnings call. That is Cramer’s catalyst. He needs one major hyperscaler to announce it is raising guidance because AI products are profitable, and he believes the rally that follows would sweep across all seven names, regardless of which company made the announcement.The Q2 earnings season starts later this month. Meta reports on July 29. Alphabet and Microsoft follow in late July. Amazon reports in early August. Each of those calls is a window, as TheStreet reported in covering Cramer’s recent views on the group.What Mag 7 investors should watch in the second half of 2026The trade that has worked in 2026 is owning the AI suppliers and avoiding the AI spenders. Micron jumped nearly 8% on July 9. Sandisk has outperformed. The logic is simple: These companies get paid regardless of whether the hyperscalers’ AI bets work out.Cramer thinks that trade reverses the moment a hyperscaler shows AI is working. When that happens, money rotates back into the Mag 7, and the investors who sold into the correction find themselves chasing.The Magnificent Seven still control the AI infrastructure the rest of the economy is being built on. Their combined market cap is in the tens of trillions. These are not companies the market forgets about. Cramer’s point is that investors who are treating the current underperformance as a verdict on the group are going to find out they were wrong when the next earnings season gets going.Related: Jim Cramer sends strong signal to Nvidia stock investors amid rumors

A lender dispute over millions of dollars has led a Hardee’s restaurant franchisee to file for bankruptcy to invoke an automatic stay of all legal actions against the debtor.Hardee’s restaurant franchisee Superior Star LLC filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, facing an alleged seller financing dispute, according to court papers.

Hardee’s franchisee Superior Star LLC files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy facing a lender dispute.Shutterstock

Hardee’s franchisee files for bankruptcyThe Phoenix-based franchisee filed its petition in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Kentucky on July 9, listing $10 million to $50 million in assets and liabilities, according to PacerMonitor.The debtor’s largest creditors include Starcorp LLC, owed $7.04 million in a disputed seller note subject to setoff; Lionsgate Investment, owed over $184,000 in terminated leases; Kosmides Family Trust, owed over $147,000 in a settlement; FJ Enterprises LLC, owed over $144,000 in a settlement agreement; McLane Company Inc., owed over $138,000 for food products; and MB2K LLC, owed over $123,000 in rent, according to court papers.Superior Star, which purchased 93 Hardee’s locations in 10 states from Starcorp in 2023, currently operates 59 locations in Midwestern states. The company closed about 12 locations in 2025, according to Nation’s Restaurant News.The debtor and Starcorp are entangled in a financing dispute over a $7.04 million seller note. “We are aware that Hardee’s franchisee Superior Star, which independently owns and operates certain Hardee’s restaurants primarily in the Midwest region, has filed a voluntary petition for relief under Chapter 11 of the U.S. bankruptcy code,” franchisor Hardee’s said in a statement.Hardee’s comment on dispute”Superior Star’s decision to file is based on its own specific financial and business circumstances. We remain focused on continuing to strengthen the Hardee’s system and deliver quality experiences for our guests,” Hardee’s said.Burger chain franchisor CKE Restaurants Holdings, which franchises Hardee’s and Carl’s Jr restaurants, has been in a battle with some of its franchisees as it tries to collect revenue, such as franchise fees, digital fees, advertising fees, and rent.One such dispute led a franchisee to file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy liquidation.CKE affiliate Hardee’s Restaurants LLC sued franchisee ARC Burger LLC for alleged breach of contract, seeking to recover over $6.5 million in unpaid franchise fees and other obligations, according to Law.com.ARC Burger LLC, closed all 77 of its locations after Hardee’s Restaurants LLC filed a lawsuit against the franchisee in November 2025, for alleged failure to pay franchise fees and other obligations.ARC filed Chapter 7 bankruptcyThe franchisee subsequently filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy liquidation on April 20, 2026, which invoked an automatic stay while its bankruptcy case proceeded.Hardee’s, however, reopened 25 of the ARC locations as company-operated stores and plans to reopen more, according to Nation’s Restaurant News.Another Hardee’s franchisee, Paradigm Investment Group, battled franchisor CKE Restaurants Holdings over the parent’s demands that the franchisee’s restaurants stay open past 2 p.m., pay digital fees, and adhere to loyalty program mandates.CKE Restaurants indicated that it would terminate Paradigm’s franchise agreements if the franchisee — which operated 76 Hardee’s restaurants in Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, and Tennessee — did not make the changes and payments. The franchisee refused, and CKE on Jan. 15, 2025, sent Paradigm a notice of default and termination, threatening to cancel the franchise agreements on April 15, 2025.CKE Restaurants operates over 3,800 Hardee’s and Carl’s Jr. restaurants across 44 states and 43 countries.Superior Star location territoriesIowaIllinoisIndianaKentuckyMinnesotaMissouriNorth DakotaOhioSouth DakotaTennesseeSource: Nation’s Restaurant NewsRelated: Major tire and auto repair franchisee files Chapter 11 bankruptcy

The 2026 housing market has been unpredictable. It feels a bit like riding a shoddily maintained roller coaster, if I’m being honest.Mortgage rates spiked a couple of months ago — then we finally experienced a little relief once tensions in the Middle East settled down. But now rates are back up as the situation between the U.S. and Iran worsens.Home price growth is much calmer than a few years ago. However, prices are still inflated due to values spiking during the COVID-19 pandemic.As a real estate journalist, I’ve witnessed the ups and downs of the 2026 housing market. Sometimes things don’t feel so bad. Other times, they seem horrible.Real estate technology company Redfin released housing market data for the four-week period of June 8-July 5. These numbers provide a glance into what’s going on in the real estate market, from housing prices to inventory to sales trends.Truthfully, the Redfin Weekly Housing Market Tracker numbers did not make me feel like we are getting off the roller coaster anytime soon. This doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a bad time to buy a house, though.Home prices keep ticking upThe median home sale price is $408,808. That is actually down a smidge from the previous four-week period, June 1-28, when the median price was $409,388.However, it’s a year-over-year increase of 2.2%.”In most of the country, it’s still a buyer’s market, meaning there are more homes for sale than people looking to buy a home,” Daryl Fairweather, chief economist at Redfin, told TheStreet. “While that puts buyers who can afford a home in the driver’s seat, it doesn’t change that overall housing costs –– including home prices –– are higher than many would-be buyers can afford to pay.”Related: Americans must face long-term reality after mortgage rate newsMortgage rates have held steady at around 6.5% for two months. Due to geopolitical tensions and inflation, rates are unlikely to decrease significantly in the near future.Fairweather said that since there isn’t much reason to hold out for lower mortgage rates, Americans who can afford to buy or need to move have no reason to wait on the sidelines anymore.”Regardless, all buyers should consider their total monthly payments when making the decision to buy a home –– including their mortgage rate, yes, but also closing costs and other associated monthly payments like HOA fees, insurance costs, and utilities,” she said.

Home prices have increased 2.2% annually, but it could still be a good time to buy.Smith Collection/Gado / Getty Images

Pending home sales rise — but this trend might not continueWeek-over-week pending home sales increased by 1.3% during the four-week period ending July 5. A Redfin report partly attributes this uptick to lower mortgage rates. Interest rates inched down the week of July 2, largely due to easing tensions between the U.S. and Iran. The lower rates resulted in the lowest median monthly housing payment in six weeks: $2,598.Annual pending sales also increased. There were 337,402 pending sales in this four-week period, up 6.3% year over year. That’s the largest incline since the period ending in Mid-may. More Housing Market:Zillow sees change in housing market, home valuesNew home-selling strategy poses threat to buyersGoldman Sachs issues major prediction for U.S. housing marketHowever, the issue once again goes back to interest rates. Freddie Mac mortgage rates have bounced back up since July 5, and they will probably stay relatively high. Redfin mostly attributes the pending sales increase to the previous dip in mortgage rates. It’s possible that pending home sales data will weaken in upcoming weekly reports from Redfin.What Redfin’s data means for buying a house right nowHome sale prices will keep increasing. It’s a general rule of thumb that property values grow over time. Besides stagnant mortgage rates, this is another reason I agree with Fairweather’s take that people don’t necessarily need to wait to buy homes. The longer you wait, the more expensive housing will become — meanwhile, you could have spent that time building equity in a home.Home price growth depends on where you live.Redfin broke down the year-over-year median home price change in the 50 largest U.S. metro areas. The cities with the strongest price growth were Pittsburgh (9.1%), San Francisco (8.2%), and West Palm Beach, Florida (7.7%). Those with the lowest were San Jose (-5.6%), Seattle (-4.5), and Miami (-1.3).Future pending home sales data is unpredictable. I mentioned that future pending home sales data could decrease now that we expect mortgage rates to stay around 6.5% for a while. However, plenty of homebuyers are tired of waiting on the sidelines and entering the housing market anyway, according to the National Association of Realtors. Buyers are now receiving messaging that mortgage rates are stuck, so maybe more will actually stop holding out and start buying houses. We’ll see.We are still a buyer’s market. Fairweather said it herself: America is a buyer’s market. This is a stark difference from a few years ago, when we were a strong seller’s market and buyers were forced to enter bidding wars, offer over listing price, and waive contingencies if they wanted a house. Overall, it is actually a much calmer time to buy now than earlier in the 2020s.Related: Dave Ramsey, Vanguard warn Americans on housing costs

Investors came into July expecting a familiar stock market setup leaning on resilient earnings and AI spending, along with a seasonal stretch favoring equities.Though Morgan Stanley doesn’t feel that setup has gone away, it warns of a much narrower margin for error.There’s a major $1.2 trillion question hanging over Big Tech’s AI buildout. If hyperscalers continue bumping capex, the market’s leadership can look a lot more justified. If they slow down, that pressure would spread well beyond chip stocks.Investors have to contend with this amid a rally that’s still powered by optimism but increasingly vulnerable to one weak signal from earnings, the Fed, or geopolitics.Morgan Stanley’s $1.2 trillion question for the stock market Morgan Stanley said AI spending is one of the stock market’s biggest supports, according to a report from Business Insider. The rally continues benefiting as Wall Street repeatedly raises capex estimates for Big Tech, reinforcing the view that the AI trade remains durable.Moreover, Morgan Stanley’s base case is still aggressive. More Wall Street:Wall Street has a new problem, and it’s not the technologyWall Street’s biggest banks just landed the AI IPO of the yearWall Street’s top analysts just doubled down on 3 stocksThe bank currently expects AI investment to jump from nearly $800 billion in 2026 to roughly $1.2 trillion in 2027, a scale that will continue feeding into demand for chips, data centers, cloud infrastructure, and power.However, the big risk emerges if Q2 earnings show hesitation. Morgan Stanley’s Andrew Sheets warned that some major AI spenders have underperformed of late, Business Insider noted. This makes investors a lot less patient with heavy capex and uncertain returns.Nevertheless, AI spending has powered the market’s earnings story, which is why it’s arguably the biggest factor driving the rally.FactSet data back up those claims as analysts continue growing more bullish on earnings during the quarter. S&P 500 Q2 2026 profits are now expected to rise 23.3%, up from 18.8% on March 31, spearheaded by the AI-heavy Information Technology sector, which is expected to grow earnings 63.3%, versus 48.6% earlier. Additionally, tech earnings estimates jumped  9.9% to $223.6 billion, helped by Micron, Nvidia, Apple, and Sandisk.

The S&P 500 rally faces a fresh test from Big Tech spending.Spencer Platt/Getty Images

Wall Street price targets for S&P 500According to the Associated Press, the S&P 500 closed at 7,543.64, up 10.2% year to date, while MarketWatch shows a 20.1% gain over the past year at the time of writing.That said, here are some Wall Street targets from major banks. Citigroup: 8,100, citing resilient earnings and an AI-driven growth cycle.Goldman Sachs: 8,000, saying earnings growth is powering the market’s return.Morgan Stanley: 8,000, with a separate 12-month target of 8,300 tied to earnings strength.Wells Fargo: 7,950, pointing to stronger profits and easing macro risks.J.P. Morgan: 7,800, citing AI investment, resilient growth and earnings momentum.
Sources: Reuters, AP, MarketWatch, Investing.com, KITCO, Yahoo Finance
Why the summer rally still has room to stumble Morgan Stanley analysts warn that the market’s margin for error has narrowed, and aside from capex concerns, the market is up against a couple of major headwinds. The first big risk is oil. A lot of the stock market’s bull case depends on maritime traffic and normalization through the Strait of Hormuz, oil supply returning to pre-war levels, and Brent crude dropping back toward $75 a barrel over the next 12 months. However, if we see major escalation with Iran again, those assumptions get a lot tougher to defend.Naturally, a big spike could bleed into transport, goods prices, and inflation expectations, compelling investors to effectively rethink the soft-landing trade.The second major risk is the Fed. Morgan Stanley argues that it is partly built on the belief that policymakers can keep rates steady through year-end. But if inflation pressure builds, the Fed may have less room to wait.Markets are already alert to that risk, with the CME FedWatch tool showing an 82% chance of at least one hike by year-end.BofA and Deutsche Bank are perhaps the clearest big-bank hawks, with Reuters reporting that both shifted to Fed rate hikes this year.I covered the BofA story recently, and the big bank expects three 25-bp increases, while Deutsche Bank expects 50 bps. There’s BNP Paribas, and Macquarie is also in the minority looking for hikes. Naturally, the rate-cut skepticism has jumped on the back of sticky inflation, the labor market staying resilient, and Reuters saying the Fed’s latest minutes showed policymakers’ inflation concerns had grown substantially. Related: Bank of America warns America now has 2 economies