For the month ending May 30, the S&P 500 Consumer Discretionary sector (NYSEARCA:XLY) outperformed the broader market, gaining 8.00% compared to the S&P 500’s (SP500) 6.32% rise. However, the sector’s year-to-date performance remains significantly weaker, down 4.18% against the S&P 500’s 0.52% gain.
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Let’s take a look at this month’s gainers and losers in consumer discretionary, as investors weighed earnings, economic data, and renewed trade concerns from ongoing tariff uncertainty after a U.S. federal appeals court allowed President Trump’s sweeping tariffs to temporarily remain in effect, overturning a previous federal court ruling that had deemed them unlawful.
Top S&P 500 consumer discretionary gainers:
Carnival Corporation (CCL) +26.61% HSBC lifted its rating on CCL to “Hold” (from “Reduce”) and boosted its price target to $24, up from $14 due to positive trends and debt reduction, despite economic headwinds.
Ralph Lauren Corporation (NYSE:RL) +23.05% after the iconic fashion firm beat expectations in Q4 2025, with global direct-to-consumer comparable store sales jumping 13% for the quarter and 10% for the full fiscal year. For fiscal 2026, the company expects low-single-digit revenue growth (constant currency), citing a cautious global outlook. Deutsche Bank resumed coverage on Ralph Lauren with a Buy rating in a note titled “Not Your Grandpa’s Polo.”
Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) +22.79% The end of Elon Musk’s turbulent time as a close political advisor to Trump coincides with a sharp drop in profits for his electric car company, Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA).
Royal Caribbean Cruises (NYSE:RCL) +19.57% Barclays analyst Brandt Montour increased the price target for RCL to $263 from $249, reiterating an Overweight rating. This adjustment follows a strong Q1 performance, which Montour notes “checks most of the boxes.” However, the analyst also expressed a degree of caution due to lingering consumer uncertainty. RCL also plans to invest over $250 million in modernizing the classic Solstice Series ships under the Celebrity Cruises brand, starting with Celebrity Solstice in 2026.
Aptiv PLC (NYSE:APTV) +18.11% after the firm achieved strong operational performance in Q1 2025, setting records in operating income and EPS. Despite tariff uncertainties, the company remains confident in its full-year outlook, with a $31 billion bookings target for 2025.
Ulta Beauty (ULTA) +19.16% After the close on Thursday, Ulta (ULTA) beat Wall Street’s expectations with a profit of $6.70 per share driven by a 4.4% increase in sales.
Top S&P 500 consumer discretionary losers:
D.R. Horton (DHI) -6.55%
Mohawk Industries (NYSE:MHK) -5.40% after the firm navigated Q1 2025 with declining sales, increased costs, and tariff uncertainty, focusing on strategic pricing, cost-saving measures, and productivity improvements.
Deckers Outdoor (NYSE:DECK) -4.79% despite good Q4 results and a weak first-quarter forecast. Keybanc downgraded Deckers from Overweight to Sector Weight, citing concerns that HOKA sales.
PulteGroup (PHM) -4.44%
Tractor Supply Company (TSCO) -4.39%
Notable Consumer Discretionary ETFs include: (NYSEARCA:XLY), (NYSEARCA:VCR), (NYSEARCA:FXD), (NYSEARCA:FDIS), (NYSEARCA:RSPD), and (NYSEARCA:RXI).
More on related stocks:
- XLY: Consumer Discretionary Dashboard For May
- FDIS: Caution Signs Appearing In The Consumer Discretionary Sector
- VCR: Consumer Discretionary Sector Dashboard For April
- Sector snapshot spotlights Industrials as the top 2025 S&P performer
- Top weekly S&P 500 consumer discretionary gainers & losers: Deckers & Ross Stores bottom