Apparel & Footwear

Tecovas Pushes Wholesale Growth With New Nordstrom Partnership

After launching wholesale for the first time last year, Tecovas is expanding its reach once again with its first national retail partnership with Nordstrom. Beginning this month, the Austin-based company said that a curated selection of its men’s and women’s footwear collections will be available at select Nordstrom stores and Nordstrom.com for the first time. Tecovas noted that the initial rollout will feature women’s and men’s styles in 10 locations, including Nordstrom NYC Men’s store; NorthPark in Dallas; South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa, Calif.; Oakbrook in Chicago; Galleria in Sacramento; Park Meadows in Denver; Wash Sq. in Portland; Barton Creek in Austin; Green Hills in Nashville; Houston Galleria; Fashion Island in Newport, Calif.; and University Town Center in San Diego. Both men’s and women’s styles will also be available online. The launch collection includes Tecovas’ signature boots in a range of premium leathers and finishes, the company added.

Urban Outfitters and Nike Team Up to Court Gen Z With New Retail Experience

Urban Outfitters and Nike are teaming up to court Gen Z. As part of a new in-store installation, the retailer will highlight an expanded assortment of Nike footwear and apparel in a lounge-like setting across five key cities throughout the country. All told, Urban Outfitters said it will offer its customers over 150 product choices from the Swoosh across both digital and in-store experiences. The activation is part of Urban Outfitters’ new “On Rotation” experience, which the company said is aimed at “meeting the evolving needs of Gen Z and deliver community-driven, memorable retail experiences.”

On Raises 2025 Guidance After Reporting Record Sales in Q1

Shares for On Holding AG were up nearly 8 percent on the morning of May 13th after the Swiss athletic company said it reached record quarterly net sales in its most recent earnings report. The company also raised its guidance, which is in contrast to many footwear firms that have scrapped guidance altogether amid uncertainty over tariffs and the global economy. In the first quarter of fiscal 2025, On saw net sales increase 43 percent to 726.6 million Swiss francs, compared to 508.2 million Swiss francs in Q1 2024. Net income, however, decreased by 38.0 percent in Q1 to 56.7 million Swiss francs from 91.4 million Swiss francs the same time last year.

American Eagle Outfitters pulls guidance, writes down $75M in inventory

Citing macroeconomic uncertainty and its first-quarter performance thus far, American Eagle Outfitters has withdrawn its fiscal year 2025 guidance, per a company press release. The apparel brand’s preliminary Q1 results reveal a 5% year-over-year decrease in revenue, to $1.1 billion. The company (which plans to report final Q1 results on May 29) also expects comps to decline by about 3% overall, with a 2% drop for American Eagle and a 4% decrease for Aerie. The company also expects an operating loss of about $85 million and an adjusted operating loss of approximately $68 million. The former accounts for a $17 million charge related to the closure of two fulfillment centers while the latter metric accounts for a $75 million write-down of inventory.

Fila Parent Company Misto Holdings Reports Q1 Revenue Gains Despite Tariffs

Fila parent company Misto Holdings delivered growth in the first quarter despite the ongoing uncertainty around U.S. tariff policies. According to the South Korean company, consolidated revenue in Q1 2025 increased 4.6 percent to 1.24 trillion won from the same time last year. Operating profit in the first quarter was 162.7 billion won. The company noted the growth in Q1 was “backed by strong performance of its U.S. golf subsidiary despite difficult macroeconomic conditions.” By business segment, the Acushnet division, the company’s U.S. golf subsidiary, recorded revenue of 1.02 trillion won, up 8.7 percent compared to the same period last year.

Athletic & Sporting Goods

EoS Fitness Acquired by TSG Consumer Partners

Private equity firm TSG Consumer Partners has signed a definitive agreement to acquire EoS Fitness, a high-value, low-price (HVLP) gym chain with over 175 U.S. locations open or in the pipeline.  Terms of the deal weren’t disclosed, though it comes on the heels of a report that EoS Fitness had been exploring a sale valuing the company at around $1 billion, including debt. EoS CEO Rich Drengberg will remain at the helm alongside his existing leadership team and will retain a vested interest in the business.  The fitness chain, which differentiates itself by owning all of its locations rather than franchising, plans to open 28 new gyms this year and invest $14 million into upgrades of its existing gyms.

Adidas halts use of wild kangaroo skins in shoes: ‘No longer justifiable’

Animal rights campaigners are claiming victory after Adidas announced it was no longer using leather harvested from wild Australian kangaroos. Pressure had been mounting on the German-based sporting manufacturer to cease using the product in its soccer boots because of animal welfare concerns.  United States-based Center for a Humane Economy has run a high-profile campaign, highlighting concerns about a lack of oversight when kangaroos are shot, and that joeys are considered collateral and bludgeoned to death. In 2023, Puma, Nike and New Balance abandoned the product, commercially known as K-leather, and switched to synthetic alternatives, which they said were superior.

Black Diamond Parent Finds Private Investment Buyer for Pieps Business

Clarus Corporation, owner of the Black Diamond, RockyMounts, MaxTrax, and Rhino-Rack brands, has secured a buyer for the Pieps GmbH avalanche beacon brand and assets of the JetForce avalanche pack intellectual property. The company said it “agreed to the sale with a private investment firm for a total purchase price of €7.8 million, including cash and debt.”  The move follows a comprehensive strategic review process launched in the fall of 2024 and an increasing number of U.S. CPSC recalls of Pieps products.

Cosmetics & Pharmacy

Church & Dwight acquires Touchland for $700 million and an earnout

Church & Dwight agreed to acquire hand sanitizer brand Touchland in a deal potentially worth $880 million. The deal agreement consists of $700 million in cash and Church & Dwight stock plus $180 million dependent on Touchland reaching performance goals. Touchland is the fastest growing brand in the hand sanitizer category in the United States and is the #2 hand sanitizer in the category. The transaction, which is subject to customary closing conditions, is expected to close in the second quarter. Touchland’s trailing twelve months EBITDA as of March 31, 2025 was approximately $55 million and net sales during this period were $130 million.

Hims & Hers Health Inc. issues $1B in convertible notes

Hims & Hers Health, Inc., a company specializing in telehealth and wellness, has entered into an agreement to issue $1 billion in convertible senior notes, according to a recent 8-K filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The notes, due in 2030, were sold in a private offering to qualified institutional buyers under Rule 144A of the Securities Act of 1933. The transaction took place on May 11, with the company initially offering $870 million in notes and later granting an option for the purchase of an additional $130 million, which was fully exercised the following day. The notes carry a 0.00% interest rate and will mature on May 15, 2030, unless repurchased, redeemed, or converted prior to that date.

Shiseido Q1 disappoints as Drunk Elephant drags down sales

Japanese beauty giant Shiseido has reported a lackluster first quarter of trading for 2025. Net sales at the brand owner declined 8.5% to ¥228.2m (US$1.5m) as softening demand in the US and challenges with travel retail in China impacted its performance. A “sharp” 65% sales decline from skin care brand Drunk Elephant also dragged down sales in America and led to a 19% slump in income for Shiseido’s US market. It follows a challenging year for Drunk Elephant, which saw sales decline 25% in 2024. The prestige skin care brand’s hurdles were attributed to “temporary declines in production and shipments in the first half of the year” last year. Shiseido stated it is now “striving for a swift turnaround” for the embattled business in its first-quarter 2025 financial update.

Discounters & Department Stores

Hudson’s Bay to sell IP to Canadian Tire Corp. for over $21M

Prolonging its famous Canadian heritage, Hudson’s Bay Co. has agreed to sell its intellectual property to Canadian Tire Corporation for a purchase price of about $30 million Canadian dollars (around $21.4 million as of press time), according to a press release May 15th. CTC has also bid on several lease locations, per a separate release from CTC. The deal — subject to court approval and other customary terms and conditions — is expected to close this summer. The IP portfolio for the deal includes the brand labels and designs for the HBC Stripes, Hudson’s Bay Company, The Bay and more. The agreement does not include HBC’s art and artifacts.

Dillard’s Reports Drop in Net Income, Sales in Q1

Count Dillard’s as the latest retailer feeling the effects of macroeconomic uncertainty. On May 15th, the Little Rock, Ark.-based department store reported net income in the first quarter fell 9 percent to $163.8 million, or $10.39 a share, from $180 million, or $11.09 a share, in the same period last year. Total sales were down 2 percent to $1.45 billion from $1.49 billion last year with comparable-store sales slipping 1 percent. Operating expenses dipped marginally to $421.7 million, or 27.6 percent of sales, from $426.7 million in the prior year, while inventory at the end of the quarter was up 6 percent. By category, the company said juniors’ and children’s apparel, along with men’s clothing and accessories, were the strongest performers in the quarter while home, furniture, shoes and women’s apparel were weak.

Ahead of summer, Target debuts 10K products with thousands priced under $20

Starting May 15, Target plans to add more than 10,000 items into its stores and website through August for the summer. The retailer plans to offer new swimwear, outdoor entertainment, snacks, beauty, home and other products, with thousands of the items priced below $20. Coinciding with the launch, the mass merchant will host a “Hello Summer” sale starting May 18th and running through May 26. After that, the retailer will have “Hello Summer Saturdays” events every Saturday in June, which will feature giveaways and offer limited-time discounts to Target Circle members on products like apparel, swimwear, suncare and outdoor toys, according to a press release. Target is also decorating its stores to evoke a “nostalgic, coastal-inspired experience.” The stores will feature “The Boardwalk Shop,” a food and beverage station; “Build Your Beach Bag” stations where customers can find various travel-sized products; and “The Sun Shop,” where shoppers can find suncare products.

Emerging Consumer Companies

Blank Beauty, customized nail polish company, raises $6 million

Blank Beauty, the technology company providing on-demand beauty customization using AI and robotics, announced the close of an oversubscribed $6 million Series A financing, led by leading consumer tech investor Evolution VC Partners, Kirker Enterprises, a US-based supplier of nail care products, and EPSON, the global printing, robotics, and technology company. Founded in 2016, Blank Beauty is transforming how consumer products are defined and made. By combining cutting-edge AI color science with its patented micro-dosing robotics, the company delivers highly personalized cosmetic products with zero inventory waste and the cleanest ingredients available.

Doji raises $14 million to make virtual try-ons fun through AI avatars

Only days after publicly launching on the App Store, Dohi is announcing a $14 million seed round led by Thrive Capital with participation from Seven Seven Six Ventures. The funding will be used to improve Doji’s AI models. Doji is entering the space with an app designed to make apparel try-ons both fun and social. It does so by creating your avatar and then serving you different looks that may inspire you to buy new clothes. The startup was founded last year by Dorian Dargan and Jim Winkens — hence the name Doji (Dorian + Jim). Dargan previously worked at Apple on VisionOS and at Meta on games and experiences on Oculus Quest. Winkens was a researcher at DeepMind and also worked on a generative AI-based consumer product at Google.

Food & Beverage

Tariffs are slowing ‘what was an active M&A pipeline’ for Post Holdings

Post Holdings is slowing the pace of acquisitions as tariffs and economic uncertainty slow “what was an active M&A pipeline,” according to Chief Operating Officer Jeff Zadoks. The CPG giant, which has a presence in everything from cereal to refrigerated side dishes, will focus on “smaller tactical transactions” that have a “clear line of sight to synergies,” Zadoks said in the company’s second-quarter earnings call last week. In February, Zadoks said the company was reviewing a “robust pipeline” of potential acquisitions as it anticipated an uptick in M&A activity across the food industry. Recent tariffs, however, have created uncertainty in capital markets, complicating M&A valuations, Zadoks said during the May earnings call.

Chobani buys plant-based food maker Daily Harvest

Chobani is buying plant-based food maker Daily Harvest as the Greek yogurt giant expands its reach into ready-to-make meals. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Daily Harvest was founded a decade ago, becoming one of the first businesses to ship clean, nutritious food directly to customers’ doorsteps. Since then, the company has expanded its portfolio to include meals and snacks that are available online and in retail. Chobani said it aims to use its “world-class manufacturing, distribution, and retail expertise” to get Daily Harvest into more U.S. homes.

Danone to buy majority stake in plant-based nutrition shake maker Kate Farms

Yogurt giant Danone said on May 12th it reached an agreement to acquire a majority stake in Kate Farms, a maker of plant-based nutrition shakes. The acquisition will expand Danone’s specialized nutrition offerings. Kate Farms produces a variety of specialized shakes to support medical needs, daily nutritional goals, and kids’ health. Kate Farms’ senior management will retain a minority stake in the combined business following the close of the transaction, which is still subject to regulatory approval. No financial details were disclosed.

Verde Valle Foods acquiring A Dozen Cousins

Verde Valle Foods is acquiring A Dozen Cousins, a manufacturer of ready-to-eat beans, rice, and sauces. Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. Ibraheem Basir, founder and chief executive officer of A Dozen Cousins, will continue as a general manager with Verde Valle Foods once the transaction is complete. “A Dozen Cousins fits right into our growth strategy for ready-to-eat meals in a pouch and will allow Verde Valle to further expand into the natural products segment,” said Germán Rosales Jr., US chief executive officer of Verde Valle Foods.

Dare Foods adds Mary’s Gone Crackers

Dare Foods is acquiring Mary’s Gone Crackers from Japanese rice crackers and snacks maker Kameda Seika. Reno, Nev.-based Mary’s Gone Crackers, founded in 2004, produces a line of certified organic, kosher, gluten-free, and non-GMO crackers, sold at grocery and specialty stores in the United States and Canada. Dare Foods makes a range of cookies and crackers as well as fine bread (melba toast, toasted baguettes and croutons) and candy (gummies, fruit chews and chewy mints) under such brands as Bear Paws, Whippet, Breton, Boulangerie Grissol and RealFruit, among others, that are sold in North America and over 50 countries.

Grocery & Restaurants

Luckin Coffee to make U.S. debut in New York City

Luckin Coffee – which surpassed Starbucks as the largest coffee chain in China in November 2023 – is making its U.S. debut soon in New York City. As originally spotted by EV Grieve, a blog about the East Village neighborhood in New York City, Luckin Coffee will soon be opening at 755 Broadway, at the corner of East 8th Street. Though there is no official timeline yet, the storefront signage says, “Opening Soon Luck In New York” with the company’s blue deer logo. Google Maps also claims a second New York City outlet is opening soon at 800 6th Ave. and 27th Street, though there has been no outside information or signage to confirm this. Luckin’s foray into the United States has been in the works for a while — the company first filed for a U.S. IPO in April 2019, eventually raising $561 million in its first U.S. filing in May 2019.

Dunkin’ debuts in France

Dunkin’ opened its first location in France on Wednesday. The global coffee chain’s master franchise QSRP opened the restaurant at 19 Boulevard Montmartre in Paris, and a second location at Paris’ Saint-Lazare train station is slated to open on Thursday. The 2,152-square-foot Montmartre location features Dunkin’s current “Recharge” design with its signature pink-and-orange color scheme with indoor seating. The menu includes espresso drinks, teas, and baked goods including the chain’s signature doughnuts. There are more than 14,000 Dunkin’ locations globally. France is the 40th country it operates in.

Home & Road

Kirkland’s bolsters retail conversion plans with Beyond-backed credit agreement

Specialty home furnishings retailer Kirkland’s has closed on a $5.2 million expansion of its existing credit agreement with Beyond Inc., giving it more working capital and supporting the company’s ongoing store conversions to Bed Bath & Beyond and related properties. In addition to the expanded credit facility, the companies have entered into a purchase agreement providing for the future sale of Kirkland’s intellectual property to Beyond, subject to senior lender approvals. In a statement from Beyond Inc., it was noted that Beyond will acquire of Kirkland’s trademarks that contain “Kirkland” along with certain related assets with the intent to license the trademarks back to Kirkland’s for use in connection with its existing stores and associated e-commerce sites. In connection with the credit agreement, Kirkland’s received a waiver from its lenders Bank of America and Beyond Inc. The company’s senior credit agreement with Bank of America was also amended to permit Beyond to acquire up to 65% of Kirkland’s outstanding capital stock.

Dorel Inds. revenue down 8.7% in Q1 as home segment posts another loss

Canadian home furnishings supplier Dorel Inds. reported a sharp year-over-year decline in its first-quarter revenue, driven largely by continued softness in its Dorel Home segment and despite modestly positive signs in its juvenile business. The report marks nearly three years of consecutive quarterly losses for the company. Revenue for the quarter ended March 31 fell 8.7% to $320.5 million, down from $351.1 million in the same period last year. The company posted a net loss of $25.3 million, or 77 cents per diluted share, compared with a net loss of $17.6 million, or 54 cents per diluted share, in the first quarter of 2024. After adjusting for $1.6 million in restructuring costs, the net loss was $23.6 million, or 72 cents per diluted share.

Jewelry & Luxury

Burberry is cutting 1,700 jobs as its turnaround plan starts slowly reaping results

Burberry showed promise of recovering from the struggling luxury market. But now, Britain’s marquee trench coat maker will have to lick its wounds a little longer amid the slow burn of its turnaround plan. On May 14, the London-based company reported a 12% decline in sales in the year to March 29, marginally higher than analyst expectations of 13%. Meanwhile, its operating profit was £26 million for the same period against £418 million the previous fiscal year, reflecting the dire state of its business. “While we are operating against a difficult macroeconomic backdrop and are still in the early stages of our turnaround, I am more optimistic than ever that Burberry’s best days are ahead and that we will deliver sustainable profitable growth over time,” CEO Joshua Schulman said in a statement.

Richemont sales boosted by fine jewelry

Richemont reported a revenue increase of 4% to 21.4 billion euros, or about $23.9 billion, for the year ended March 31, according to a recent earnings release. At the company’s jewelry brands — Buccellati, Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels and Vhernier — sales were up 8% to 15.3 billion euros for the year, led by double-digit growth in H2, per the release. The increase was offset by a 13% decline to 3.3 billion euros in the specialty watchmaker division, which includes brands such as Piaget and Baume & Marcier. In Richemont’s other division, which includes fashion and accessories brands Chloé, Alaïa and Gianvito Rossi, sales increased 7% to 2.8 billion for the year.

Ferragamo Refocuses on Leather Business Amid Q1 Sales Dip

Ferragamo is doubling down on its core leather business. This was the clear message Ernesto Greco, executive board member, conveyed on May 14th evening to analysts during a conference call to comment on first-quarter sales, which were down 2.6 percent to 221 million euros compared with 227 million euros in the same period last year. At constant exchange rates, revenues decreased 1 percent. The performance was impacted in particular by the negative consumer environment in Asia-Pacific and the weak performance of the secondary direct-to-consumer channel. Handbags helped drive the performance in the first quarter and the company is banking on it being the best performing category going forward. There will be “the introduction of some new SKUs in the men’s and women’s shoes. So we should, especially in the second portion of the year, see some improvement in this category,” said Greco.

Office & Leisure

Arcis Golf to acquire The Woodlands Country Club, firming up Texas ‘growth corridor’

Dallas-based Arcis Golf has acquired The Woodlands Country Club from Invited, a fellow golf course operator also based in North Texas.  Located outside Houston and the longtime home of the PGA Tour’s Houston Open, The Woodlands is one of the state’s premier golf clubs. It is home to four clubhouses, 99 holes and five courses, three of which were designed by legendary golfer Arnold Palmer.  Arcis and Invited are two of the largest operators in the country.  Back in 2014, Invited, then ClubCorp, purchased The Woodlands as part of a landmark deal that saw the company take over all of Atlanta-based Sequoia Golf’s assets for $265 million.

Hall of Fame Resort & Entertainment Company Enters into Definitive Agreement for Going Private Transaction

Hall of Fame Resort & Entertainment Company, the only resort, entertainment, and media company centered around the power of professional football, announced that it has entered into a definitive merger agreement to be acquired by HOFV Holdings, LLC, an investment vehicle affiliated with Industrial Realty Group, LLC. Stuart Lichter, a director of the Company, is the Founder and President of IRG. Upon completion of the transaction, the Company will become a privately held company.

Technology & Internet

Trump told Tim Cook he doesn’t want Apple building iPhones in India

U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday said he told Apple CEO Tim Cook that he doesn’t want the tech giant to build its products in India, taking shots at the company’s moves to diversify production away from China and urging him to pivot stateside. “I had a little problem with Tim Cook yesterday,” Trump said. “I said to him, ‘my friend, I treated you very good. You’re coming here with $500 billion, but now I hear you’re building all over India.’ I don’t want you building in India.” Trump was referencing Apple’s commitment of a $500 billion investment in the U.S. which was announced in February. Apple has been ramping up production in India with the aim of making around 25% of global iPhones in the country in the next few years, as it looks to reduce reliance on China, where around 90% of its flagship smartphone is currently assembled. “I said to Tim, I said, ‘Tim look, we treated you really good, we put up with all the plants that you build in China for years, now you got build us. We’re not interested in you building in India, India can take care of themselves … we want you to build here,’” Trump said.

Microsoft seeks to placate EU with pledges to unbundle Teams, Office

Microsoft on Friday made fresh commitments to unbundle its Office 365 and Microsoft 365 software suites from its Teams workplace communication app in an effort to address competition concerns from European regulators and avoid a possible antitrust fine. The European Commission, which is the executive arm of the European Union, said in a statement Friday that Microsoft made a series of commitments to address concerns over the tying of Teams to its widely-used productivity tools, such as Word and Outlook. Under the proposals, Microsoft has said it will make versions of Office 365 and Microsoft 365 available without Teams at a reduced price, as well as allow customers to switch to the tools without Teams, including under existing contracts. Microsoft also committed to offer Teams’ competitors increased interoperability with other Microsoft products and let customers move their data out of Teams to competing products. Interoperability refers to the practice of allowing different applications to communicate with each other more easily.

Finance & Economy

Americans pulled back significantly on spending as higher tariffs took effect in April

In a sign that consumer demand may be fraying around the edges, spending at US retailers slowed sharply in April to 0.1% after a surge of 1.7% in March as shoppers rushed to beat President Donald Trump’s stiff tariffs. The April data was worse than the 0.2% monthly rise economists polled by FactSet predicted. Among the biggest monthly declines was motor vehicle and part sales, which declined to -0.1% in April from 5.5% in March. The steep drop in retail sales could lead to another quarter of disappointing GDP after the contraction seen last quarter. Simply put, EY economists said in a Thursday morning note, the “pre-tariff shopping spree is over.” The Trump administration’s haphazard tariff blitz in recent months has prompted consumer sentiment to deteriorate, according to various surveys. Now, Wall Street and the Federal Reserve are watching for signs of consumers pulling back in the face of high uncertainty.

Consumer sentiment falls in May as Americans’ inflation expectations jump after tariffs

U.S. consumers are becoming increasingly worried that tariffs will lead to higher inflation, according to a University of Michigan survey released Friday. The index of consumer sentiment dropped to 50.8, down from 52.2 in April, in the preliminary reading for May. That is the second-lowest reading on record, behind June 2022. The outlook for price changes also moved in the wrong direction. Year-ahead inflation expectations rose to 7.3% from 6.5% last month, while long-term inflation expectations ticked up to 4.6% from 4.4%. However, the majority of the survey was completed before the U.S. and China announced a 90-day pause on most tariffs between the two countries. The trade situation appears to be a key factor weighing on consumer sentiment. “Tariffs were spontaneously mentioned by nearly three-quarters of consumers, up from almost 60% in April; uncertainty over trade policy continues to dominate consumers’ thinking about the economy,” Surveys of Consumers director Joanne Hsu said in the release.

Gold Set for Biggest Weekly Drop Since November on Peace Talks

Gold is headed for its biggest weekly loss in six months as Russia and Ukraine began their first direct talks in more than three years. Bullion is down 4% this week to trade near $3,190 an ounce. The first direct talks between Russia and Ukraine in more than three years ended in Turkey with an agreement on an exchange of prisoners and discussions on a potential ceasefire, though no truce was announced. Progress on trade negotiations between the US and China also sapped demand, adding to bearish headwinds for gold as a detente between the world’s two largest economies led to a sharp rebound in risk assets. Gold is seeing some “fatigue, as tariff de-escalation takes away some uncertainty, at least for now,” said Christopher Wong, a currency strategist at Oversea-Chinese Banking Corp.

Oil prices fall after Trump raises hopes of a U.S.-Iran nuclear deal

Oil prices fell May 15th on expectations that the U.S. and Iran may soon reach a deal over Tehran’s nuclear program. International benchmark Brent crude futures with July expiry fell 2.36% to close at $64.53 a barrel, paring some of its earlier losses. U.S. West Texas Intermediate futures, meanwhile, closed at $61.62, down 2.42% for the session. Speaking in Doha, Qatar during his Middle East trip, U.S. President Donald Trump said the U.S. was getting close to securing a nuclear deal with Iran. “We’re in very serious negotiations with Iran for long-term peace,” Trump said. His comments come shortly after a top advisor to Iran’s supreme leader told NBC News that the OPEC producer was ready to sign a nuclear deal with certain conditions in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions.