Nike (NYSE:NKE) – Nike will cut over 1,600 jobs, about 2% of its workforce, to reduce costs after forecasting lower profits. Nike outlined a $2 billion cost-saving plan over the next three years, including measures such as supply optimization, supply chain improvement, and automation, with layoff costs estimated between $400 million and $450 million in the third quarter. The staff cuts will not affect store employees, distribution center workers, or innovation teams.
Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA) – Options traders in the US are optimistic about Nvidia, anticipating a significant impact following its next earnings report on February 21. An up to 11% movement in the stock is predicted, the largest in three years, reflecting a potential $200 billion increase in its market capitalization. The demand for call options remains high, even as the company has already appreciated 50% this year. Nvidia is on the verge of surpassing Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOGL) as the third most valuable company in the US, with earnings and revenue estimates rising for the next quarter.
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (NYSE:TSM) – TSMC is on the brink of reclaiming its spot among the world’s 10 most valuable companies, driven by a $42 billion rally on Thursday, fueled by optimism regarding artificial intelligence. Investors are bullish on its role in supplying AI chips.
Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOGL) – Google plans to launch an anti-disinformation campaign in five European Union (EU) countries ahead of the parliamentary elections. With the European Digital Services Act, this initiative aims to combat the spread of illegal content online and influence voters. Moreover, Google unveiled an initiative to strengthen online security with artificial intelligence (AI) tools and investments. It will launch an open-source AI-driven feature to detect malware and publish a white paper at the Munich Security Conference in Germany, proposing advanced AI research for cyber defense.
Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) – Apple plans to launch an artificial intelligence tool to complete software code, akin to Microsoft’s Copilot. The tool will be available in Xcode later this year. Additionally, the company considers integrating AI features into its products, such as automatic playlists for Apple Music.
Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) – Meta has updated its guidelines to help small businesses avoid Apple’s extra fees when purchasing ads on Facebook and Instagram for iPhone. This has intensified the rivalry between the companies, with Meta criticizing Apple’s policy, while Apple questions Meta’s data usage.
Nokia (NYSE:NOK), Dell Technologies (NYSE:DELL) – Nokia and Dell Technologies have formed a partnership to deploy private 5G networks and adapt infrastructures to the cloud. The agreement involves migrating customers from Nokia AirFrame to Dell’s PowerEdge servers, aiming to meet the increasing demands of modern networks and private 5G use cases.
Walt Disney (NYSE:DIS) – India’s Reliance Industries is in talks to acquire Disney’s stake in the satellite TV provider Tata Play, aiming to expand its media presence. The company seeks to offer its JioCinema content to Tata customers, according to Reuters.
Herbalife (NYSE:HLF) – Herbalife shares are up 2% in pre-market trading, after plummeting 32% on Thursday, reaching a 14-year low. Activist investor Bill Ackman has revived his rivalry with the company, once again labeling it a “pyramid scheme.” Despite sales improvements, analysts remain cautious, with positive projections for the future.
Coca-Cola (NYSE:KO) – Coca-Cola has reinforced its position as a dividend leader with a 5.4% increase, raising the quarterly payment to 48.5 cents per share. With 62 years of dividend increases, Coca-Cola stands out among the few companies with such a record, including Procter & Gamble (NYSE:PG) and Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ).
JPMorgan Chase (NYSE:JPM), State Street (NYSE:STT) – JPMorgan Chase and State Street have exited a global climate coalition, followed by BlackRock (NYSE:BLK), which transferred its membership to its international subsidiary, reducing the total involvement by about $14 trillion. The move comes amid political criticisms and pressures on their independence.
NatWest (NYSE:NWG) – NatWest confirmed Paul Thwaite as the permanent CEO on Friday, reporting a profit for 2023 above forecasts. Its shares rose 3.3% in pre-market trading. The pre-tax profit was £6.2 billion, with a £300 million share buyback announced. Thwaite will lead the planned government share sale.
General Motors (NYSE:GM) – Carl Jenkins, GM’s head of hardware, announced his resignation on Thursday, following a series of departures since the suspension of the autonomous unit Cruise’s operations in the US in October. Jenkins led the development of Cruise’s autonomous hardware over the past six years.
Ford Motor (NYSE:F), General Motors (NYSE:GM) – The CEOs of Ford and General Motors expressed interest in partnerships to cut electric vehicle technology costs amid growing competition from Chinese manufacturers. Ford projects significant EV losses this year, seeking competitive alternatives.
Lucid Group (NASDAQ:LCID) – Lucid Group has reduced the prices of its luxury Air sedans by up to 10% to boost demand in a weak electric vehicle market. In the US, prices now start at $69,900 for the Air Pure, with additional incentives announced for accessories and maintenance.
Lockheed Martin (NYSE:LMT) – Lockheed Martin stated on Thursday that it is accelerating the production of its weapon systems to meet growing demand, driven by global security concerns, including the war in Ukraine, the conflict in the Middle East, and tensions with China.
Exxon Mobil (NYSE:XOM) – Exxon Mobil plans to choose by the end of the year the lithium filtration technology for Arkansas, aiming to become a major global producer of the metal for batteries. The company has tested various direct extraction technologies and expects to start production by 2026. In related news, the New York State Retirement Fund will limit investments in oil and gas companies, partially divesting from Exxon Mobil, following a review on readiness for a low-carbon economy. The fund will continue to hold Exxon passively, while restricting other sector companies.
Shell (NYSE:SHEL) – Shell, a leading energy company, may abandon bidding for Norway’s first commercial offshore wind farm due to uncertainties about its profitability. The contest conditions are challenging, raising doubts about participation. The global wind industry faces cost and inflation challenges.
General Electric (NYSE:GE) – General Electric filed the anticipated Form 10 on Thursday, detailing the future split into GE Aerospace and GE Vernova. Vernova will start debt-free, with $4.2 billion in cash. It will operate in three segments: power, wind, and electrification, aiming to lead the energy transition.
Earnings
The Trade Desk (NASDAQ:TTD) – After the digital advertising company reported a quarterly revenue of $606 million, exceeding Wall Street’s $582 million estimate, shares soared 19.2% in pre-market trading. Additionally, the company’s first-quarter revenue forecast also surpassed analysts’ expectations, highlighting confidence in continued growth and boosting investor optimism.
Coinbase (NASDAQ:COIN) – The cryptocurrency exchange’s shares surged 13.2% in pre-market trading, driven by a fourth-quarter earnings announcement of $1.04 per share and revenue of $954 million. These results surprised analysts, who had predicted a 1 cent per share loss on $822 million in revenue, as reported by LSEG.
Doordash (NYSE:DASH) – DASH shares are down 6.8% in pre-market trading following the food delivery company’s mixed fourth-quarter results. Despite a 27% revenue increase to $2.3 billion, surpassing LSEG’s expectations, the 39-cent per share loss was greater than anticipated. The total number of orders rose 23% to 574 million, above the expected 561 million.
Toast (NYSE:TOST) – Following the fourth-quarter results announcement, shares of the restaurant point-of-sale system manufacturer rose 5.2% in pre-market trading. The company reported a 7-cent per share loss, below analysts’ 11-cent per share loss expectation, as informed by LSEG. Additionally, the $1.04 billion revenue was nearly in line with the $1.02 billion expectation.
DraftKings (NASDAQ:DKNG) – After the sports betting company reported an unexpected fourth-quarter loss of 10 cents per share, contrasting with analysts’ 8-cent per share earnings expectation as reported by LSEG, shares fell 3.3% in pre-market trading. Moreover, revenue slightly missed analysts’ estimates, totaling $1.23 billion compared to the expected $1.24 billion, adding more pressure on the company’s performance.
Roku (NASDAQ:ROKU) – After the streaming provider reported a larger-than-expected fourth-quarter loss of 55 cents per share, compared to the 52 cents per share expected by LSEG analysts, shares fell 14.1% in pre-market trading. However, the $984 million revenue exceeded the $968 million estimate.
Dropbox (NASDAQ:DBX) – After the file hosting service operator reported fourth-quarter adjusted earnings of 50 cents per share on $635 million in revenue, shares fell 9% in pre-market trading. Analysts had expected earnings of 48 cents per share on $631 million in revenue, according to LSEG.
Yelp (NYSE:YELP) – After announcing projections below analysts’ expectations for the first quarter, both for adjusted EBITDA and revenue, shares fell about 9.2% in pre-market trading. Additionally, the fourth-quarter earnings per share also fell short of forecasts, as reported by LSEG. During the period, Yelp recorded a profit of 37 cents per share and revenue of $342.4 million.
Applied Materials (NASDAQ:AMAT) – Shares of the semiconductor equipment manufacturer surged 12% in pre-market trading, driven by beating earnings estimates and an optimistic outlook for the fiscal second quarter. In the first quarter, earnings per share reached $2.13, excluding items, surpassing LSEG’s $1.90 per share expectation. Additionally, the period’s revenue reached $6.71 billion, exceeding the $6.48 billion estimate.
Texas Roadhouse (NASDAQ:TXRH) – In the fourth quarter, earnings per share exceeded consensus analyst estimates as reported by FactSet. Moreover, Texas Roadhouse announced a significant increase in its dividends, raising them by 11%.
Oatly (NASDAQ:OTLY) – Oatly shares fell 3.3%, with the fourth-quarter net loss widening to $298.7 million, or 50 cents per share, more than doubling from the previous year. Revenue reached $204.1 million, surpassing estimates. The company faces financial challenges, with debt of about $444 million, but approximately $454 million in liquidity.