This retailer stock rose after better-than-expected earnings.

• A. Walmart; sales
• B. Macy's; earnings
• C. Kohl's; revenue
• D. Target; profits

Answer: (B)

When a stock moves up after a company reports earnings that beat expectations, the idea is that investors welcome higher profitability than what analysts anticipated. The term “earnings” refers to the company’s profits, often reported as net income or earnings per share, which viewers use to gauge how well the business is really performing after costs. This beat signals stronger profitability, which tends to push the stock higher as investors revise their outlooks upward.

Among the options, the one tied to earnings matches the described event most closely. Macy’s is the retailer associated with earnings in this scenario, so its stock rising because earnings beat fits the description well. The others point to different financial measures—sales, revenue, or profits—without specifically matching the “better-than-expected earnings” catalyst.