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Harley-Davidson reported a wider net loss of $279 million ($2.44 per share) in Q4, driven by reduced consumer spending on recreational vehicles amid inflation pressures. The results underscore how rising costs have forced Americans to cut back on big-ticket purchases like motorcycles, prompting the legacy brand to pursue cost-cutting measures and develop more affordable models.

• Inflation has squeezed household budgets, leading consumers to rethink major discretionary purchases such as motorcycles
• The company is relying on cost cuts and demand for higher-margin touring and custom bikes from wealthier customers to maintain margins amid softer sales volumes
• Harley announced plans to develop a smaller, lower-priced 'Sprint' model to attract entry-level and younger riders

Coca-Cola is set to report fourth-quarter earnings on Tuesday, with Wall Street expecting $12.03 billion in revenue. The beverage giant has experienced softening demand from low-income consumers cutting grocery spending, though premium brands like Fairlife and Smartwater remain strong. This marks CEO James Quincey's final earnings report before COO Henrique Braun succeeds him on March 31.

• Demand has weakened in recent quarters as low-income shoppers reduce spending on beverages
• Premium brands including Fairlife and Smartwater show continued strength among high-income consumers willing to pay more
• Leadership transition underway with COO Henrique Braun becoming CEO on March 31, while Quincey moves to executive chair role

CVS Health reported fourth-quarter earnings and revenue that exceeded Wall Street estimates and reaffirmed its 2026 profit guidance, signaling progress in its turnaround plan under CEO David Joyner. The company sees full-year profit of $7 to $7.20 per share and maintains 2026 revenue guidance of at least $400 billion despite $20 billion in headwinds. The results come as CVS cuts costs, restructures operations, and works to restore margins at its Aetna insurance business, fueling a roughly 40% stock rise over the past year.

• Q4 earnings of $1.09 per share (adjusted) beat estimates on revenue of $105.69 billion vs. $103.59 billion expected, with growth across all three business segments.
• The company faces $20 billion in revenue headwinds for 2026, roughly half from exiting the individual exchange market and half from lower drug prices due to Trump's 'most favored nation' deals with pharmaceutical companies.
• Aetna insurance unit showed strong performance with medical benefit ratio holding at 94.8%, as Medicare Advantage business continues path toward target margins of 3% to 4% by 2028.

Apple and Google have agreed to make their mobile app stores fairer and more transparent for developers following pressure from Britain's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). The CMA designated both companies as having 'strategic market status' in smartphones, giving it power to demand specific changes to boost competition. Nearly all smartphones in Britain run either Apple iOS or Google's Android operating systems.

• The companies committed to reviewing apps in a fair, objective and transparent way under the new agreement
• Developers will gain access to more Apple iOS features to create competing products, including for digital wallets and live translation
• Both companies defended their practices, with Apple citing 'fierce competition' and Google stating its existing developer practices were already fair

Barclays reported a 12% increase in annual profit to £9.1 billion for 2025 and announced new performance targets through 2028, focusing on its home UK market and AI-driven cost reduction. The bank raised its return on tangible equity target to greater than 14% by 2028, up from a previous 12% target for 2026, and plans to return over £15 billion in capital to shareholders.

• Profit before tax reached £9.1 billion ($12.45 billion) in 2025, up from £8.1 billion in 2024 and in line with analyst forecasts of £9 billion
• The bank announced £1 billion in cost-cutting measures and plans over £15 billion in capital returns to shareholders through 2028
• Barclays joins other UK banks like NatWest and HSBC in setting more ambitious targets as British lenders benefit from favorable interest rates and nearly two decades of post-2008 restructuring finally coming to an end

BP suspended share buybacks and reported Q4 2024 profit of $1.54 billion, meeting expectations but reflecting pressure from declining oil prices. Full-year 2024 net profit of $7.49 billion missed analyst estimates and fell from nearly $9 billion in 2023, highlighting challenges across Europe's oil and gas sector as crude prices hit multi-year lows.

• BP's Q4 underlying replacement cost profit of $1.54 billion matched expectations, but full-year profit of $7.49 billion missed the $7.58 billion consensus estimate
• The buyback suspension follows similar moves by rivals Equinor and Shell, both of which reported weaker earnings due to lower crude prices and oversupply concerns
• Oil prices reached their lowest levels since the Covid-19 pandemic in 2024, putting pressure on Big Oil's shareholder returns and profitability

Honda Motor reported a 61.4% decline in third-quarter operating profit, marking its fourth consecutive quarterly year-on-year decrease. The Japanese automaker's profit fell to 153.4 billion yen ($987 million), missing analyst expectations, due to pressures from U.S. import tariffs and challenges in the electric vehicle market.

• Operating profit of 153.4 billion yen missed the analyst consensus of 174.5 billion yen and was significantly below the 397.3 billion yen earned in the same quarter last year
• This marks the fourth consecutive quarter of year-on-year profit decline for Japan's second-largest automaker
• Key headwinds include U.S. import tariffs and shifting market conditions in the electric vehicle sector

Kering reported a smaller-than-expected 3% decline in Q4 sales, with flagship brand Gucci down 10% (better than the forecasted 12% drop). New CEO Luca de Meo described the recovery as 'fragile but real' as he works to stabilize the luxury group facing high debt, reduced profitability, and investor scrutiny following years of declining sales.

• Kering's annual operating income fell to 1.63 billion euros, less than one-third of its 2022 level, with operating profit margins dropping from 28% to 11% group-wide and from 36% to 16% at Gucci over three years
• CEO de Meo sold Kering's beauty business to L'Oréal for 4 billion euros to address debt problems, with net debt now standing at 8 billion euros plus 5 billion euros in long-term lease liabilities
• The company reduced its store network by 75 boutiques with more closures planned, while Gucci saw improvement in 'almost all regions' helped by new product introductions and handbag sales

Tesco has successfully transformed rapid-delivery from a competitive threat into a growth driver, with its Whoosh service now operating from 1,600 stores and reaching over 70% of UK households. The service grew 47% year-on-year over 19 weeks to January 3, adding 250,000+ new customers as rivals retreat from the quick-commerce market. Tesco aims to leverage this momentum to regain a 30% UK grocery market share.

• Whoosh sales jumped 47% year-on-year in the 19 weeks to January 3, contributing to Tesco's 11.2% total online sales growth and 37% online grocery market share
• The UK quick-commerce market was valued at £2.4 billion in 2025 and is forecast to grow at 10.1% annually through 2030, benefiting Tesco after rivals like Getir exited
• Despite strong execution, Tesco trades at a significant valuation discount (15x forward earnings vs. Walmart's 40x+), with investors citing limited U.S. appreciation for UK grocery dynamics

Taiwan has rejected U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick's proposal to relocate 40% of Taiwan's semiconductor supply chain to the United States, calling it 'impossible.' Taiwan's Vice Premier Cheng Li-chiun emphasized that the island's semiconductor ecosystem, built over decades, cannot simply be moved. The dispute highlights tensions over U.S. chip onshoring ambitions and Taiwan's strategic interest in maintaining its technological dominance.

• Under a recent U.S.-Taiwan trade deal, Taiwan committed $250 billion in tech investments with an additional $250 billion in credit for U.S. production expansion, while the U.S. reduced tariffs on most Taiwanese goods from 20% to 15%
• TSMC has already committed over $65 billion to U.S. manufacturing with plans to expand to $165 billion, but Taiwan maintains an 'N-2 rule' requiring overseas plants to use chip technologies at least two generations behind Taiwan's most advanced production
• Lutnick warned that Taiwan-based chip companies not building in the U.S. could face 100% tariffs, part of a broader plan to create '$500 billion' semiconductor industrial parks in America

SoftBank Group Corp shares surged over 10% after its telecom subsidiary raised its full-year profit outlook and renewed optimism around Arm Holdings boosted sentiment toward the group's AI exposure. SoftBank Corp reported record revenue of 5.2 trillion yen for the first nine months of fiscal 2025, up 8% year-over-year, prompting an upward revision of its annual forecast.

• SoftBank Corp raised its full-year revenue forecast to 6.95 trillion yen from 6.7 trillion yen and increased its operating income target to 1.02 trillion yen
• Arm Holdings rally provided additional boost due to SoftBank's large stake, with Arm's data-center royalty revenue growth and AI-driven demand exceeding analyst estimates at $1.242 billion
• Arm is targeting to supply half of the CPUs used by major cloud computing hyperscalers by year-end, reflecting strong AI-linked growth beyond smartphones

Salesforce has cut fewer than 1,000 jobs in early February 2026, according to a Business Insider report citing a person familiar with the matter. The workforce reduction represents the latest layoff announcement from the enterprise software company, though Reuters has not independently verified the details.

• The job cuts occurred at the beginning of February 2026 and affected under 1,000 employees
• Business Insider reported the layoffs based on information from a single source familiar with the matter
• Reuters was unable to immediately verify the reported workforce reduction independently

Oil prices dipped 0.4% on Tuesday as traders evaluated supply disruption risks following U.S. warnings to commercial vessels about transiting the Strait of Hormuz amid U.S.-Iran tensions. Brent crude fell to $68.79 per barrel and WTI to $64.13, retreating after a 1% gain on Monday when the U.S. Maritime Administration issued guidance for ships to avoid Iranian territorial waters.

• About one-fifth of global oil consumption passes through the Strait of Hormuz, making it a critical chokepoint for crude exports from Iran, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, and Iraq to Asia
• The U.S. issued maritime warnings despite Iran's foreign ministry reporting 'good start' to Oman-mediated nuclear talks, keeping a modest risk premium in oil markets
• The EU proposed extending Russia sanctions to include ports in Georgia and Indonesia handling Russian oil, while India bought 6 million barrels from Africa and Middle East, avoiding Russian crude amid U.S. trade deal negotiations

The Trump administration plans to exempt major tech companies including Amazon, Google, and Microsoft from upcoming semiconductor tariffs, according to the Financial Times. The carve-outs would be tied to investment commitments from Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), which is investing $165 billion in Arizona factories. The plans remain in flux and have not yet been signed by President Trump.

• The exemptions would be provided by the Commerce Department and specifically target firms building AI data centers
• TSMC, the world's largest contract chipmaker, is investing $165 billion to build manufacturing facilities in Arizona
• The tariff carve-outs are contingent on investment commitments but plans are still under development and await presidential approval

Target is eliminating approximately 500 jobs in distribution centers and regional offices while simultaneously increasing investment in store staffing to address customer complaints about poor store conditions, out-of-stock items, and long checkout lines. New CEO Michael Fiddelke, who took the helm this month, is implementing these changes to revive growth after four years of flat annual sales.

• Target is cutting about 100 positions at the store district level and 400 across supply chain sites while redirecting funds to add more labor hours and guest experience training for frontline store employees
• The company has faced declining customer satisfaction as shoppers report Target has lost its edge in attentive service and trendy merchandise that once earned it the 'Tarzhay' nickname
• Annual sales have remained roughly flat for four years as Target struggles with increased operational complexity from fulfilling online orders in stores and stiffer competition from rivals like Walmart

Nike-owned Converse is implementing job cuts and team reorganization as part of strategic changes aimed at recapturing sales growth. Employees were instructed to work from home this week while the company announces new roles and team moves. This follows Nike's broader cost-cutting efforts, including previous workforce reductions at both Nike and Converse in 2024.

• Converse CEO Aaron Cain announced the restructuring in a memo, with changes including new roles and team moves for affected staff
• Nike has been cutting costs across the organization, having eliminated nearly 1% of corporate workforce in August 2024 and over 1,600 jobs (2% of workforce) in February 2024
• The parent company is struggling to reestablish itself as the world's leading sportswear brand after losing market share, with CEO Elliott Hill leading turnaround efforts since taking over in 2024

Morgan Stanley has rehired veteran dealmaker Michael Grimes as chairman of investment banking following his tenure as a senior advisor at the Commerce Department. Grimes, who spent over three decades at the bank and led major IPOs including Meta and Uber, returns as the firm positions itself for a wave of high-profile tech listings, including a potential SpaceX IPO that could value the company over $1.5 trillion.

• Grimes will be based in Menlo Park, California, managing relationships with major global corporate, venture capital, private equity, and sovereign clients
• His return positions Morgan Stanley as a leading contender for Elon Musk's SpaceX IPO, building on previous work on Tesla's IPO and the $44 billion Twitter acquisition
• Morgan Stanley reported a 47% jump in investment banking revenues in Q4, with dealmaking momentum expected to continue through the year

Autodesk has filed a trademark infringement lawsuit against Google in San Francisco federal court, alleging Google's AI movie-making software 'Flow' infringes on Autodesk's Flow trademark used since September 2022. Autodesk claims Google misrepresented its commercialization plans and used a trademark filing in Tonga to circumvent public scrutiny while targeting the same visual effects and production management customers.

• Autodesk alleges Google promised not to commercialize Flow, then filed a trademark application in Tonga in May 2025 to avoid public disclosure before seeking broader protection
• Despite Autodesk's $51 billion market value, the company warns that Google's $3.9 trillion parent Alphabet could 'overwhelm' its Flow products in the market
• Autodesk is seeking unspecified compensatory and punitive damages for consumer confusion and irreparable harm, while recently announcing 1,000 job cuts (7% of workforce)

The FDA issued a warning letter to Novo Nordisk on February 5, stating that a television advertisement for the company's weight loss pill is 'false or misleading'. This regulatory action challenges the drugmaker's marketing practices for its obesity treatment product.

• The FDA's letter specifically targeted a television ad for Novo Nordisk's weight loss pill, citing false or misleading content
• The warning was formally dated February 5, indicating recent regulatory scrutiny of the pharmaceutical company's advertising practices
• This development comes as Novo Nordisk faces increasing regulatory attention in the competitive obesity treatment market

Uber has agreed to acquire the delivery business of Turkey's Getir, a once high-flying startup previously valued at $12 billion. Uber will purchase Getir's food delivery business outright and pay $100 million for a 15% stake in its grocery, retail, and water delivery operations, with plans to complete full acquisition over the next few years. The deal comes after Getir scaled back dramatically from its pandemic-era expansion, exiting the U.S. and European markets in 2024.

• Getir's food delivery business alone recorded gross bookings of over $1 billion in 2025, up 50% year-over-year, despite the company's valuation collapse from $12 billion to group assets worth $374 million
• Uber will combine Getir's services with Trendyol Go, a Turkish delivery service Uber acquired for $700 million in May 2025, strengthening its position in a key growth market
• The acquisition from Getir's largest investor Mubadala follows years of turmoil including mass layoffs, market exits, and internal legal battles over restructuring that saw a co-founder sue over an 'illegal coup'