Helen of Troy Limited (NASDAQ: HELE) is struggling with operational challenges, heightened macroeconomic uncertainty and a financially-strained consumer environment. HELE is grappling with high costs that are impacting its performance. Unimpressively, the company posted soft results in first-quarter fiscal 2025, following which it lowered its outlook for the fiscal 2025. The Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell) company's shares have slumped 57.4% year to date against the industry's 32.8% decline. The stock has underperformed the Zacks Consumer Staple sector's appreciation of 6.2% during this time. Let's delve deeper. Lower Demand Dampens Performance Helen of Troy is facing a tough macroeconomic environment with lower consumer and retailer demand. Consumers are prioritizing essentials over discretionary items, leading to a slowdown in sales for outdoor products, specialty and mass beauty items and other discretionary household goods like dry food storage. Retailers are tightening inventory management in response, which is heightening the company's exposure to market volatility and reducing clarity on order volumes and timing. These factors put pressure on HELE's first-quarter fiscal 2025 results, with the top and the bottom line missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate and declining year over year. Quarterly net sales of $416.8 million fell 12.2%, ...