Costco delivered strong quarterly results supported by tariff refunds and robust membership growth, while MAIR Group expanded its portfolio by acquiring a majority stake in Turkish coffee chain owner Eslab. Conversely, HelloFresh slashed its full-year guidance following marketing cutbacks, and President Trump scaled back federal fuel economy standards aimed at EV adoption. Meanwhile, Google began testing direct Flipkart integration in India, and Levoit introduced a new pet air purifier.
01Earnings
HelloFresh Slashes 2026 Revenue Guidance Following Marketing Cuts
HelloFresh slashed its full-year 2026 after dialing back marketing spending and failing to attract enough customers during the back-to-school period. The Berlin-based meal-kit company now projects constant-currency annual revenue will fall 9% to 11%, a sharp downgrade from its prior view for a 3% to 6% decline. Management also reduced its expected full-year adjusted to between €350 million and €370 million, down from an earlier range of €375 million to €425 million. For the third quarter, the company anticipates revenue will decline 11% to 12% year-on-year, while adjusted EBITDA is expected to land between €45 million and €55 million. The cuts reflect a steeper reduction in marketing expenditures compared to the first half of the year, which hobbled subscriber during a crucial campaign window. Investors punished the shares on Friday, sending them down as much as 15% before they recovered slightly to close lower by 9.4% at €2.29 in Frankfurt. The company's 2031 dropped as much as 6.8 cents per euro on Friday to trade at 82.4 cents, marking its steepest decline since issuance. Analysts at Stifel and Barclays warned that the pullback in customer acquisition points to ongoing softness heading into next year. HelloFresh will publish its final third-quarter financial results on November 5, 2026.
Google Tests Purchasing From Flipkart via Gemini AI in India
Google is testing a direct purchasing feature for Walmart-owned Flipkart products within Gemini and Mode in India, TechCrunch reported. Users in the limited test see a Buy button on select product listings that opens a Flipkart-branded checkout flow without leaving the AI interface. The initial trial covers smartphones, electronics, and mobile accessories for a small group of users. Google plans a broader rollout in October ahead of India's festive shopping season. The feature separates itself from Google's previously demonstrated Universal Commerce Protocol by directing users into a Flipkart-operated checkout experience rather than a Google-hosted one. Rival listings from companies like Amazon appear in the interface without the direct purchase . Google previously invested about $350 million in Flipkart during a 2024 funding round led by Walmart, establishing both a financial and technological partnership.
Trump Approves Rollback of Biden-Era Fuel Economy Standards
President Donald Trump announced on Saturday that he approved new fuel economy standards that roll back stricter policies instituted under former President Joe Biden, according to CNBC. The previous rules would have required automakers to increase passenger car and light truck fuel efficiency to roughly 50 miles per gallon by 2031 to incentivize electric vehicle adoption. Trump stated the revision will lower prices for consumers and remove manufacturing waste, though final standards have not yet been publicly detailed. Weaker economy targets allow automakers to increase production of more profitable pickup trucks and SUVs while diminishing the regulatory push toward electric vehicles. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy previously indicated that the final replacement standards would be sharply lower than the Biden-era policies.
Costco Reports 14.9% Net Income Growth in Fiscal Q4
Costco Wholesale posted fiscal fourth-quarter of $2.998 billion, or $6.75 a share, topping Wall Street estimates on the back of a non-recurring refund. The result marked a 14.9% increase from $2.610 billion, or $5.87 a share, in the same period a year earlier. Total for the 16-week quarter ended August 30 rose to $95.72 billion from a comparable prior-year level, beating analyst forecasts of $94.86 billion. Net sales grew 11.2% to $93.9 billion. The quarterly figures included a $0.15-per-share benefit from International Emergency Economic Powers Act tariff refunds after Costco received $184 million in refunds and interest. Chief Financial Officer Gary Millerchip stated that the company reinvested part of that sum into lower prices on produce, meat, beverages, and non-food items, with management planning to direct most future refunds into member value. Excluding the net refund, underlying rose 12.4% to $6.60. Comparable sales increased 9.4%, or 6.7% when stripping out gasoline prices and currency fluctuations. Membership fee income climbed 7.3% to $1.85 billion, extending a pattern of decelerating growth following the September 2024 fee increase. Paid memberships reached 84.1 million, an increase of 3.8%. Total expenditures for fiscal 2027 are projected at approximately $7.5 billion as the warehouse club targets 33 new openings, building on a total of 939 warehouses at the end of fiscal 2026. Costco shares traded flat in after-hours sessions following the report.
Levoit Launches New Air Purifier Designed for Pet Odors
Levoit launched the Vital Pet Pro Air Purifier for $189.99, TechCrunch reported. Designed for pet-friendly households, the machine combines a three-stage filtration system featuring 140 grams of activated carbon with a U-shaped air inlet to capture fur and reduce odors. The device removes up to 70% of odors within an hour, according to the manufacturer. It includes an automatic cleaning technology that sweeps hair into a removable tray and a companion app with an Auto Plus Mode and a Pet Mode. The Pet Mode runs the fan at its highest speed for 15 minutes before switching to a lower speed for 60 minutes. Air quality is indicated through a color system utilizing red, orange, green, and cyan rather than a numerical display. The purifier is available on Levoit's website, Amazon, Chewy, and other retailers.
Costco Wholesale Reports Q4 and Full-Year Fiscal 2026 Results
Costco Wholesale Corporation reported fourth-quarter of $2.998 billion, or $6.75 per diluted share, as sales rose 11.2% to $93.87 billion for the 16 weeks ended August 30, 2026. Net income for the same period a year earlier was $2.610 billion, or $5.87 per diluted share, on net sales of $84.43 billion. The fourth-quarter results included a nonrecurring benefit of $0.15 per diluted share from refunds under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, net of partial reinvestment in lower prices for members. Excluding that benefit, net income increased 12.3% and diluted rose 12.4%. For the full fiscal year, net sales increased 10.1% to $297.2 billion from $269.9 billion, while net income reached $9.226 billion, or $20.76 per diluted share, compared to $8.099 billion, or $18.21 per diluted share, in the prior fiscal year. Comparable sales for the fourth quarter rose 9.4%, or 6.7% after adjusting for gasoline-price and . Digitally enabled comparable sales increased 19.5% in the quarter and 20.9% for the full fiscal year. Membership-fee income rose 7.3% to $1.849 billion, driven by higher executive membership penetration and growth in the membership base. Paid executive members reached 42.3 million, up 9.4% from a year earlier, while total paid members reached 84.1 million. The U.S. and Canada renewal rate was 92.3%, and the worldwide renewal rate was 89.8%. expenditures totaled $2.21 billion in the fourth quarter and $6.4 billion for the fiscal year, with Costco expecting approximately $7.5 billion in capital expenditures in fiscal 2027. The company opened 28 warehouses during the fiscal year to bring its global total to 939 locations, and plans to open 33 warehouses during fiscal 2027.
Mair Acquires Majority Stake in Turkish Coffee Chain Espressolab
UAE-listed MAIR Group is acquiring a 70% stake in Eslab, the owner of Turkish specialty coffee chain Espressolab. Eslab's founders and existing shareholders will retain the remaining 30% stake and continue supporting the business. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The deal remains subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions. Founded in 2014, Espressolab operates more than 400 coffee shops across 21 countries, including over 310 locations in more than 50 Turkish cities. Eslab's operations span coffee sourcing, roasting, product supply, brand management, retail, and digital channels. MAIR Group was formed from the Abu Dhabi Cooperative Society and listed on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange in December 2024. Its existing includes grocery retailers ADCOOP and SPAR, alongside operations through Makani. Nehayan Hamad Alameri, managing director and group CEO of MAIR Group, said the diversifies the company beyond its core UAE retail and commercial real estate operations.
Retail performance diverges as traditional big-box operators leverage operational scale, while direct-to-consumer models face demand pressure. The open question is whether shifting US regulatory support for electric vehicles will permanently alter long-term automaker capital expenditure plans.
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