By Sabrina Escobar

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's engagement was the "yes" heard 'round the world. The couple's star power has brands clamoring to get in on the action -- but Wall Street is betting that only a select few will actually reap the benefits.

The pop star and football player shared the news of their floral-studded engagement in an Instagram post Tuesday afternoon that has since racked up 29 million likes and an outpouring of social-media attention -- including from the country's biggest retailers and consumer brands.

Walmart, Target, Amazon.com, Starbucks, Delta Air Lines, Macy's, Krispy Kreme, Domino's Pizza, and DraftKings are some of the companies that chimed in on the engagement yesterday. Some merely quipped at the news ("he put a wing on it," Wingstop posted on X). Others used the opportunity to offer special deals -- free doughnuts, in the case of Krispy Kreme -- to drive shoppers to stores.

Those marketing efforts may help attract consumer attention and elicit a chuckle or two, but they won't move the needle for sales in the long run. There are, however, a few companies that stand to gain from the engagement in the coming months.

American Eagle Outfitters, for instance, announced a limited-edition collaboration with Kelce's Tru Kolors sportswear brand just a day after the proposal. The collection will roll out in two product drops, on Aug. 27 and Sept. 24, the company said. It has more than 90 pieces priced between $14.95 and $179.95, including vintage-inspired T-shirts, varsity jackets, and cashmere sets. The Kansas City Chiefs tight end features prominently in the campaign, flanked by other athletes.

American Eagle stock was up 4.6% to $12.74 in early afternoon trading Wednesday. The company's collaboration with Kelce comes on the heels of its polarizing campaign featuring actress Sydney Sweeney, which so far has yielded mixed results. American Eagle will report second-quarter results on Sept. 3.

Shares of apparel-maker Ralph Lauren were also trending higher after the engagement, up 0.6% in midmorning trading to $295.65. Both Swift and Kelce donned Ralph Lauren in the shoot for the Instagram post. Ralph Lauren might be one of the few brands that hasn't posted anything in relation to the proposal -- but it might not need to. Swift's endorsement could be more than enough. Indeed, the black-and-white striped dress Swift was wearing in the engagement shoot is already out of stock on the company's website.

"For a company that states it is not only in the clothing business but in the dreams business, we view this outcome as mission success, and one that supports the strength of RL's brand and likely continued momentum ahead," wrote Jefferies analyst Ashley Helgans.

Swift is no stranger to the brand. She wore Ralph Lauren on her Time magazine 2023 Person of the Year photo shoot and is often photographed wearing the brand out and about. Executives mentioned the singer as one of the brand's celebrity highlights in every one of the company's earnings calls in fiscal 2024.

Helgans believes the engagement shoot could be an "encouraging catalyst" for Ralph Lauren, especially ahead of the singer's coming album release and the start of the football season. According to Google Trends data, searches for "Taylor Swift Ralph Lauren" and "Ralph Lauren dress" spiked after the Instagram post.

The singer was also wearing a Cartier watch and Louis Vuitton sandals. Shares of parent companies Richemont and LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton were up 3.4% and 1.3%, respectively, Wednesday.

Investors also seemed upbeat that Swift's engagement could spark a broader wave of proposals. "Engagement ring" Google searches spiked Tuesday as Swift's roughly eight-carat ring made the rounds online.

Shares of Signet Jewelers, which owns Zales, Kay Jewelers, and Blue Nile, were up 3,2% Wednesday.

One thing's for sure: A good love story will never go out of style -- particularly when it's Taylor Swift's.

Write to Sabrina Escobar at sabrina.escobar@barrons.com

This content was created by Barron's, which is operated by Dow Jones & Co. Barron's is published independently from Dow Jones Newswires and The Wall Street Journal.

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August 27, 2025 12:22 ET (16:22 GMT)

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