New York, Feb 11, 2026, 15:30 EST — Regular session.
- Best Buy shares fell about 1.6% in afternoon trade, giving back Tuesday’s gains.
- Strong U.S. jobs data pushed yields up and trimmed rate-cut bets, keeping pressure on rate-sensitive retailers.
- Investors are watching Friday’s CPI report and Best Buy’s March 3 earnings call for demand and margin signals.
Best Buy Co., Inc. shares were down about 1.6% at $66.93 in afternoon trading on Wednesday, after opening higher and swinging between $68.56 and $66.75.
The move came as Treasury yields climbed after U.S. payrolls beat expectations, a combination that has kept markets rethinking how soon the Federal Reserve can ease again. The Labor Department reported 130,000 jobs added in January versus forecasts for 70,000. (Reuters)
That matters for Best Buy because it sells big-ticket goods that can wobble when borrowing costs stay high and shoppers turn cautious. A day earlier, U.S. retail sales were flat in December and receipts at electronics and appliance stores slipped 0.4%. (Reuters)
Thomas Ryan, North America economist at Capital Economics, said “signs of earlier consumer strength may be starting to falter,” even as some stimulus could show up later in the quarter. (Reuters)
Investors will get another read on inflation on Friday, when the January CPI report is due. Julia Hermann, global market strategist at New York Life Investments, called the jobs report “constructive” because the economy is “not in dire need of rate cuts.” (Reuters)
Best Buy had closed up 1.43% on Tuesday at $68.04, outperforming some large-cap tech and retail names on a mixed day for U.S. stocks. (MarketWatch)
The Richfield, Minnesota-based retailer is set to host its fiscal fourth-quarter earnings call on March 3 at 8:00 a.m. ET. (Bestbuy)
When it last updated investors on the year, Best Buy lifted its fiscal 2026 comparable-sales outlook and forecast adjusted profit per share of $6.25 to $6.35. Truist analyst Scot Ciccarelli said the chain could benefit from Windows upgrades and new AI laptops, but needs a “more consistent product refresh cycle” to sustain growth. (Reuters)
For this quarter, traders will focus on whether demand in computing, mobile and appliances holds up, and how much discounting the company needs to keep traffic moving. Inventory levels and services revenue will also be under a microscope.
A risk for the stock is that inflation comes in hotter than expected and rate cuts get pushed out again, tightening financial conditions just as the industry heads deeper into spring promotional season. (Reuters)
Next up: Friday’s CPI report (Feb. 13) and then Best Buy’s March 3 results and outlook, which could reset expectations for the retailer and its consumer-discretionary peers. (Bureau of Labor Statistics)
