It’s been a challenging year for consumer discretionary stocks. Through nine months of 2026, they have performed the worst among the S&P 500’s 11 sectors, posting a year-to-date (YTD) loss of nearly 9%.
But on Tuesday, Sept. 29, strong earnings from two companies at opposite ends of the consumer cyclical spectrum provided investors with a glimmer of hope that a late-year turnaround could be in the cards.
