The Arizona Republic

Three things to ponder this week on Wall St.

- Demitrios Kalogeropo­ulos The Motley Fool

Stocks logged solid gains last week as the S&P 500 rose by more than 1% and the Dow Jones industrial average added 0.8%. Both indexes are up roughly 11% so far this year.

Second-quarter earnings season is winding down, but there are still several key reports due out over the shortened trading week ahead, including from Dave & Buster’s, Finisar and Kroger.

DAVE & BUSTER’S GROWTH

Investors will be watching the chain’s comparable-store sales growth, which slipped to a 2% pace from 3% in the prior quarter. Another slowdown would put pressure on its aggressive expansion plans.

FINISAR FORECAST

Finisar forecast revenue of between $330 million and $350 million and earnings of 40 cents per share at the midpoint of guidance. Investors will likely focus on the management team’s new operating outlook and whether that confirms a broadening market opportunit­y for Finisar’s communicat­ion components.

KROGER’S CUSTOMER TRAFFIC

The grocery-store-chain’s sales growth has plunged from the 5%or-better rate that investors witnessed in 2015 to roughly flat today. And while some of that drop can be pinned on temporary factors such as price deflation, part of it is being driven by rising competitiv­e threats.

CEO Rodney McMullen and his team vowed to cut prices in a move that should keep rivals at bay.

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