Coca-Cola, UPS and Royal Caribbean Report Steady Spending as Whirlpool and PulteGroup Slip

Shoppers kept paying for soft drinks, cruises and package deliveries in the third quarter. Appliance and new-home sales were weaker, according to early earnings reports collected by CNBC.

The split suggests that households are still spending, with the pressure showing first in big-ticket purchases.

The results came after diesel fuel hit a record $6.52 per gallon in September. CNBC said that raised fears of higher consumer prices and a pullback in spending. Worries about borrowing costs and U.S.-Iran tension added to the concern.

Retail sales rose 0.8% in September after a 1.3% gain in August, Traders Union reported. Gas station sales helped the latest increase.

Food, Travel and Shipping Beat Expectations

Coca-Cola beat Wall Street estimates for third-quarter earnings and revenue. It raised its full-year outlook for comparable earnings per share growth to at least 11%, up from a prior range of 9% to 10%. North America unit case volume was flat.

Stronger demand elsewhere supported overall volume, Traders Union said.

Coca-Cola chief financial officer John Murphy told CNBC that "wherever you are on the income scale, you’re looking for value."

Royal Caribbean beat earnings estimates and narrowly missed on revenue. Third-quarter guests rose 9% from a year earlier to 2.7 million. Bookings for 2027 are up in the high teens compared with historical levels, according to Traders Union.

UPS beat expectations on both earnings and revenue. U.S. revenue rose 4.5% to $14.86 billion. The company lifted its full-year revenue forecast to about $92.6 billion from $91.2 billion.

Chief executive Carol Tomé said consumers remain resilient heading into the holiday season. Not every number points up, though. UPS expects fourth-quarter domestic daily volume to fall because it is cutting Amazon deliveries.

Higher Prices Lift Paint Sales, Not Demand

Sherwin-Williams reported net sales up 7.9%, which the company attributed to higher selling prices. Raw material and supply-chain costs offset part of the profit benefit. The paint maker missed earnings estimates, Traders Union said.

It kept its full-year guidance unchanged. It also sees muted demand indicators through the rest of the year and into 2027.

Appliances and Homebuilding Show Strain

Whirlpool missed estimates on revenue and earnings. It also cut its full-year revenue guidance. Its North America net sales fell more than 8% in the quarter ended Sept. 30.

Higher interest rates and tougher conditions are weighing on large household purchases, Traders Union said.

PulteGroup, a homebuilder, reported third-quarter revenue of $3.97 billion, down about 9.8% from $4.40 billion a year earlier, according to Simply Wall St. Net income excluding extra items fell about 18.8% to $475.7 million.

Basic earnings per share dropped to $2.55 from $2.98.

Gross margin, the share of revenue left after direct costs, slipped to 24.8% from 26.2%. Simply Wall St said incentives ran at 10.4%. Selling and administrative costs rose to 10.3% of revenue. PulteGroup shares nonetheless rose 5.8% to about $119 after the release.

Rate Outlook Keeps Borrowing Costs in Focus

Traders Union pointed to a forecast from UBS Global Wealth Management for a longer Federal Reserve tightening cycle. It said persistent inflation could keep borrowing costs elevated into 2027.

Stronger-than-expected inflation data had already raised expectations of further rate hikes, the outlet said.

Many other companies have yet to report third-quarter results.