New York, Feb 11, 2026, 15:30 EST — Regular session.
- Best Buy shares dropped roughly 1.6% in afternoon trading, erasing the gains from Tuesday.
- Robust U.S. jobs figures drove yields higher and reduced expectations for rate cuts, weighing on retailers sensitive to interest rates.
- Friday’s CPI report and Best Buy’s March 3 earnings call are in investors’ sights, as they hunt for clues on demand and margins.
Shares of Best Buy Co., Inc. slipped roughly 1.6% to $66.93 in Wednesday afternoon trading, after starting the day stronger and fluctuating between $68.56 and $66.75.
Treasury yields jumped after U.S. payrolls outpaced forecasts, prompting fresh doubts over when the Federal Reserve might ease policy next. The Labor Department confirmed 130,000 new jobs in January, well above the 70,000 expected.
Best Buy’s in a tough spot since it deals in pricey items that tend to stumble when borrowing costs rise and shoppers pull back. Just the day before, U.S. retail sales held steady in December, while electronics and appliance stores saw a 0.4% drop in receipts.
Thomas Ryan, Capital Economics’ North America economist, noted that “signs of earlier consumer strength may be starting to falter,” despite the possibility of some stimulus appearing later in the quarter. Reuters
Friday brings another inflation update with the January CPI report. Julia Hermann, global market strategist at New York Life Investments, described the jobs report as “constructive,” noting the economy doesn’t urgently need rate cuts. Reuters
Best Buy ended Tuesday up 1.43%, closing at $68.04, outpacing several big tech and retail stocks amid a choppy day for U.S. markets.
Richfield, Minnesota-based Best Buy will hold its fiscal Q4 earnings call on March 3 at 8:00 a.m. ET.
Best Buy recently raised its fiscal 2026 comparable-sales forecast and now expects adjusted earnings per share between $6.25 and $6.35. Truist analyst Scot Ciccarelli noted the retailer might gain from Windows upgrades and fresh AI laptop models but stressed the importance of a “more consistent product refresh cycle” to keep growth steady. Reuters
This quarter, traders are watching closely to see if demand for computing, mobile, and appliances stays strong, and how steep the discounts might get to maintain sales. They’ll also be scrutinizing inventory levels and services revenue.
A risk to the stock is that inflation runs hotter than anticipated, delaying rate cuts once more and tightening financial conditions right as the industry moves further into the spring promotional season.
On deck: Friday’s CPI report (Feb. 13), followed by Best Buy’s March 3 earnings and guidance. These updates might shake up forecasts for the retailer and other consumer-discretionary stocks.
