Best Buy posts same-store sales decline as consumer demand softened in key holiday quarter

Best Buy CEO cites 'slightly softer customer demand' during the holiday season

Mar. 3, 2026 at 6:47am by Ben Kaplan

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Best Buy (BBY) reported a surprise sales slump in its key holiday shopping season. Same-store sales declined 0.8% in the fourth quarter, the company said Tuesday. Wall Street had hoped for a 0.2% increase after two straight quarters of positive growth. Best Buy CEO Corie Barry cited 'slightly softer customer demand' during the holiday quarter.

Why it matters

Best Buy's holiday quarter performance is a closely watched indicator of consumer spending trends. The decline in same-store sales suggests broader softness in consumer demand, which could signal challenges for the retail sector.

The details

Best Buy reported that revenue for the fourth quarter totaled $13.81 billion, less than the $13.88 billion Wall Street had expected. Adjusted earnings per share came in higher at $2.61, more than the $2.46 the Street predicted. For the full year, revenue came in at $41.69 billion, just below the $41.76 billion Wall Street predicted. Adjusted earnings per share came in at $6.43, $0.12 above Wall Street's estimates.

  • Best Buy reported fourth quarter results on Tuesday, March 3, 2026.

The players

Best Buy

An American consumer electronics retailer and e-commerce company.

Corie Barry

The CEO of Best Buy.

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The takeaway

Best Buy's holiday quarter results point to broader softness in consumer demand, which could signal challenges for the retail sector as a whole. The company's performance will be closely watched as an indicator of broader economic trends.