Jharonne Martis says the consumer is "relatively healthy" but very "discerning." She says shoppers are looking for promotions or discounts before making a bigger purchase. Jharonne says AI assistants are helping consumers make decisions, citing Walmart's (WMT) Sparky AI enabling a "seamless omnichannel experience." For remainder of 2026, she says consumers are showing signs of gravitating towards experiences rather than goods. On the retailers, Jharonne is watching Dillard's (DDS) and Five Below (FIVE) as names that could outperform in the year ahead.

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