Target and Best Buy warned of coming price hikes to offset new U.S. tariffs
U.S. stocks plummeted again on Tuesday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropping 670 points as President Donald Trump’s newly imposed 25% tariffs on goods from Canada, Mexico, and China prompted retaliatory measures from some of the affected countries.
China imposed additional duties of up to 15% on certain U.S. products. Ottawa retaliated with 25% tariffs on $30 billion worth of U.S. goods starting Tuesday, rising to cover $125 billion of merchandise in 21 days. Canada’s provinces are taking their own actions, and irate citizens are boycotting U.S. products.
As the day ended in New York, the Nasdaq $NDAQ Composite dipped by 0.3%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average shed 670 points or 1.5%. The S&P 500, which had its worst day of the year on Monday, dropped 1.2%.
Tesla $TSLA (TSLA) stock declined on Tuesday due to rising fears about tariffs among investors — car prices may be driven higher by the duties. The company also has a large presence in China, including a major assembly plant, and so may be vulnerable to retaliation by Beijing.
Additionally, Bank of America $BAC (BAC) reduced its price target for the stock to $380 from $490 while maintaining a Neutral rating. Morgan Stanley $MS analyst Adam Jonas yesterday designated Tesla stock as a “Top Pick” in the U.S. automotive sector and raised his price target to $430.
Target $TGT’s (TGT) stock fell after it said it expects a “meaningful” year-on-year decline in first-quarter profits compared and CEO Brian Cornell warned that the new tariffs may prompt the retailer to increase prices as soon as next week. The company’s fourth-quarter earnings beat Wall Street’s expectations.
Best Buy $BBY (BBY) stock dropped 12% after company executives warned that the duties could increase the prices of goods it sells and could reduce its comparable sales if they stay in place for a full year. The electronics retailer reported fourth-quarter results that exceeded Wall Street’s expectations.
Chipotle $CMG (CMG) shares declined due to concerns about the restaurant chain’s dependence on avocados that are 50% sourced from Mexico. The company has said its diverse supply chain could help it withstand the tariffs.
— Francisco Velasquez and Josh Fellman contributed to this article.
Join 500,000+ readers who start their day with Quartz.
By subscribing, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
