No AI, No Problem: 5 Consumer Stocks Quietly Outperforming Nvidia This Year

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Cracker Barrel stock’s 130% surge has been fueled by stronger sales trends, cost improvements and strategic changes. Cheesecake Factory stock has more than doubled this year, helped by strong growth from its restaurant brands. CarMax has gained over 65%, supported by stronger sales, cost cuts and improving used-car conditions.While all eyes are on Nvidia Corp.’s (NVDA) magnificent second-quarter (Q2) performance, a handful of unexpected consumer names — a restaurant chain, a lingerie retailer, a used-car dealer, a country-store operator and an online rental marketplace have quietly crushed the chip giant's 2026 stock performance in a reminder that run-of-the-mill earnings beats can outrun even the market's flashiest growth story. Nvidia stock jumped about 5% after hours after the company projected 70% revenue growth for fiscal 2028, easing concerns that huge AI spending may not translate into strong sales. Nvidia shares are up over 12% year-to-date, a solid gain but a far cry from its 2023-2024 triple-digit rallies and one overshadowed by bouts of AI-trade volatility tied to valuation worries and circular-revenue concerns. Meanwhile, Cheesecake Factory Inc. (CAKE), Victoria's Secret & Co. (VSXY), Cracker Barrel Old Country Store Inc. (CBRL), Carmax Inc. (KMX) and Airbnb Inc. (ABNB) have posted gains between 38% and 130%.Cracker Barrel’s Turnaround And Cheesecake Factory’s Rally Cracker Barrel is the turnaround story of the year. The stock has jumped over 62% since its surprise Q3 profit guidance raise in June, even as revenue slipped 3%. The company is also in the midst of a transition, with David Deno taking over as CEO from Julie Masino following the brand's rocky 2025 rebrand attempt. Last month, Wells Fargo raised its Cracker Barrel price target to $60 from $50 and kept an ‘Overweight’ rating, citing stronger-than-expected Q4 comparable sales, balance-sheet benefits from a sale-leaseback deal, and the exit from Maple Street Biscuit. The firm sees more positives than negatives and expects further upside as FY27 expectations rise. Citi also raised its target to $42 from $34.Cheesecake Factory stock has more than doubled this year, driven by Fox Restaurant Concepts brands like Flower Child, which posted 21% sales growth and 19.6% margins in Q2. On Wednesday, J.P. Morgan analyst John Ivankoe raised the price target for CAKE to $105 from $92, while keeping a ‘Neutral’ rating on the stock. The firm updated its outlook after visiting the company’s headquarters. Victoria’s Secret, Airbnb And CarMax Gain MomentumNow trading under a new ticker after a June rebrand, Victoria's Secret beat Q1 estimates with sales up 15.3% and raised full-year guidance despite tariff headwinds. Last week, TD Cowen raised its Victoria’s Secret price target to $80 from $75 but kept a Hold rating. The firm said the company is performing well, but the stock’s high valuation leaves limited room for gains. UBS also raised its target to $95 from $90 and kept a Neutral rating, seeing a balanced outlook ahead of Q2 results.The iconic lingerie retailer is slated to report its Q2 earnings on September 3. Victoria's Secret sees revenue of $1.59 billion-$1.62 billion, compared to Wall Street’s estimate of $1.62 billion, as per Fiscal.ai data. Up roughly 38% YTD, Airbnb stock has ridden the acceleration in global travel demand and an "AI-native" product push. Q2 revenue rose 17% to $3.6 billion and net income jumped 23% to $816 million, with the company touting a 60% faster product-development cycle thanks to internal AI tools. CarMax stock has jumped more than 65% in 2026, benefiting from better used-car inventory conditions, stronger sales volumes and tighter cost controls, helping restore investor confidence.The company beat Wall Street expectations in Q1 fiscal 2027, reporting $8 billion in revenue and $1.31 in EPS. CarMax has also cut costs and is targeting about $200 million in structural savings by fiscal 2027. Last month, JPMorgan upgraded CarMax to ‘Neutral’ from ‘Underweight’ and raised its price target to $60 from $38, listing improved price competitiveness and a resilient used-car market as positive signs.Also See: Why Did SJM, REPL, NEO Stocks Surge To 52-Week Highs Today?For updates and corrections, email newsroom[at]stocktwits[dot]com

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