Market Movers: Key Companies in Focus Before the Opening Bell
As we gear up for the trading day, several companies are making waves in the stock market. Here’s a look at noteworthy performances and announcements.
Netflix Soars
Netflix’s shares surged by over 15% after the company reported impressive earnings on Tuesday night. For the fourth quarter, the streaming giant recorded a profit of $4.27 per share alongside revenues of $10.25 billion, exceeding analyst expectations of $4.20 per share and $10.11 billion in revenue. Additionally, Netflix celebrated surpassing 300 million paid subscribers during this quarter.
United Airlines Updates Forecast
United Airlines saw its stock rise by 5% following the release of a promising outlook. The airline anticipates adjusted earnings of 75 cents to $1.25 per share for the first quarter of 2025, outperforming the expected 54 cents from analysts.
Trump Media & Technology Experiences Decline
Shares of Trump Media & Technology, the parent company of Truth Social, fell by 2%, continuing a downward trend post-inauguration. The stock plunged approximately 11% on Tuesday alone.
Procter & Gamble Beats Expectations
Procter & Gamble enjoyed a 3% increase in stock value after reporting fiscal second-quarter earnings that surpassed analyst forecasts. The company reported adjusted earnings of $1.88 per share, compared to the $1.86 expected, and revenues of $21.88 billion, exceeding estimates of $21.54 billion due to higher demand for household products.
Oracle Jumps on AI Announcement
Oracle’s stock soared by more than 10% following President Trump’s launch of project “Stargate,” a collaboration with OpenAI, Oracle, and Softbank to invest up to $500 billion in U.S. AI infrastructure.
Ford’s Stock Takes a Hit
Ford shares dipped nearly 2% after Barclays downgraded the stock from overweight to equal weight, citing potential challenges with volume and cost improvements.
Abbott Labs Faces Setback
Shares of Abbott Labs fell around 2% following fourth-quarter sales of $10.97 billion, missing analysts’ expectations of $11.03 billion. The diagnostics division experienced a slight year-over-year decline. Abbott predicts adjusted earnings of $1.05 to $1.09 per share for the first quarter—falling short of the $1.11 per share analysts had expected.
Seagate Technology Thrives
Seagate Technology Holdings saw its shares rise over 6% after reporting robust fiscal second-quarter results. The company achieved adjusted earnings of $2.03 per share on revenue of $2.33 billion, surpassing the expected earnings of $1.88 per share with revenue projections of $2.32 billion.
GE Vernova Moves Up Slightly
GE Vernova’s stock increased about 1% after posting fourth-quarter earnings of $1.73 per share. However, its revenue of $10.56 billion fell short of the $10.79 billion forecasted by analysts.
Travelers Sees Significant Gain
The Travelers insurance stock jumped over 5% following its strong fourth-quarter performance. The company earned $9.15 per share, exceeding estimates of $6.64 per share, with revenues also surpassing forecasts by totaling $12.01 billion against the expected $10.84 billion.
Textron’s Stock Declines
Shares of Textron fell nearly 4% after the aviation and defense firm missed revenue estimates. Textron reported fourth-quarter revenue of $3.61 billion, below analysts’ expected $3.81 billion, despite adjusted earnings of $1.34 per share, slightly better than the anticipated consensus.
Johnson & Johnson Reports Minor Decline
Johnson & Johnson experienced a 1.5% dip in shares despite narrowly exceeding fourth-quarter expectations due to strong performance in its cancer treatment sector. However, the company’s sales forecast for 2025 was slightly lower than analysts had anticipated.
