JPMorgan Chase (NYSE:JPM) – JPMorgan Chase is looking to expand its wealth management and attract more investors by introducing the Wealth Plan tool to its 54 million Chase retail clients. This tool has recently seen about 10 million active users. The bank has also named Rita Chan and Alan Ho as the new senior co-heads for China. They will start their roles on April 1, taking over from Mark Leung, who is retiring. Additionally, Dubravko Lakos-Bujas, the Chief Global Equity Strategist at JPMorgan, has warned investors about potential risks as markets could fluctuate, encouraging portfolio diversification and risk management, while pondering an imminent correction.
UBS Group AG (NYSE:UBS) – UBS is planning to expand its shipping loans and wind down fossil fuel financing from Credit Suisse, testing the sustainability impact of the merger. This complex integration includes aligning environmental goals and reassessing loan legacies. UBS also disclosed in a statement on Thursday that its CEO, Sergio Ermotti, who is leading the Credit Suisse integration, is considering extending his tenure. Ermotti, who earned 14.4 million Swiss francs in 2023, has outpaced his predecessor in compensation. Furthermore, UBS confirmed that it is investigating potential irregularities in Credit Suisse’s financial reporting and is in discussions with regulators to resolve the issue. The risk of an undetected “material error” could distort financial results.
Discover Financial Services (NYSE:DFS) – Discover Financial Services announced on Wednesday the departure of its CEO, Michael Rhodes, starting April 1, after just three months at the company. Rhodes will serve as an advisor to the interim CEO, J. Michael Shepherd, before taking over as CEO of Ally Financial (NYSE:ALLY) starting April 29. Shepherd, who was recently appointed, will continue as a director but will step down from his position on the board’s risk oversight committee. Discover indicated that it did not expect Rhodes to stay long-term following the completion of the merger with Capital One Financial. Last month, Capital One (NYSE:COF) and Discover revealed merger plans, subject to intense antitrust scrutiny.
Ally Financial (NYSE:ALLY) – Michael Rhodes, with 25 years of banking experience, will replace Jeffrey J. Brown as CEO, who left the position in January.
Lloyd’s (NYSE:LYG) – John Neal, CEO of Lloyd’s of London, highlighted that the insurance payouts for the collapse of the Francis Scott Key bridge in Baltimore on Tuesday could become some of the largest ever recorded, potentially reaching billions of dollars in maritime losses. The financial impact, while still uncertain, could be significant, with estimates ranging from several hundred million to up to $3 billion.
Barclays Plc (NYSE:BCS) – Barclays agreed to pay $20,200 in compensation to former analyst Anca Lacatus for sexual discrimination, in contrast to her claim of over 1 million. Lacatus alleged discrimination and the bank’s failure to accommodate her health needs.
Bain Capital (NYSE:BCSF) – Bain Capital is exploring the possibility of attracting new investors for Chindata Group Holdings (NASDAQ:CD), aiming to raise funds to expand its data center network. The firm seeks to sell ownership rights of the assets to relieve the balance sheet, while still collecting operational fees.
BlackRock (NYSE:BLK) – BlackRock faces a legal warning from the state of Mississippi for alleged misleading statements linked to ESG strategies. The New York-based firm received a “summary order to cease and desist” and could face a multimillion-dollar administrative penalty.
Coinbase Global (NASDAQ:COIN) – Federal Judge Katherine Polk Failla in Manhattan allowed the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s lawsuit against Coinbase to proceed but dismissed the SEC’s claim against the largest U.S. cryptocurrency exchange for acting as an unregistered brokerage through its wallet app. The decision largely supports the SEC’s approach to cryptocurrency.
AMC Entertainment Holdings (NYSE:AMC) – AMC’s shares closed up 6.6% on Wednesday, the largest daily percentage gain since February 27, when they rose over 8%. CEO Adam Aron cited industry challenges due to strikes and emphasized the importance of the company’s robust financial management. AMC shares have seen a 29.1% decline this year, in contrast to the 10% gain of the S&P 500 index.
Fox Corp (NASDAQ:FOX) – On Wednesday, Fox Corp announced the restructuring of its entertainment studio into three main segments: entertainment, television and streaming platforms, and global sales and licensing. Fernando Szew will lead the new Fox Entertainment Studios. Michael Thorn will head the Fox Television Network. Tony Vassiliadis will take over the sales unit on an interim basis.
S&P Global (NYSE:SPGI) and Paramount Global (NASDAQ:PARA) – S&P downgraded Paramount Global’s credit rating to ‘BB+’ from ‘BBB-‘ due to streaming competition. The company has been under negative watch since February. Paramount plans to launch streaming services in Canada and Australia, seeking stabilization with events like the Super Bowl and political spending.
Walt Disney (NYSE:DIS) – Walt Disney integrated the Hulu streaming service into Disney+, offering a wide range of titles from “The Bear” to “Moana” on a single platform. This merger aims to simplify viewing and boost subscriptions as cable TV consumption declines.
Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) – Amazon stated on Wednesday that senior employees, whose compensation is mostly in stock, may not receive a cash salary increase this year, prioritizing those with more salary-based compensation. The company emphasized the impact of stock price growth on total compensation. In other news, Amazon lost the battle to suspend a requirement related to its online advertising under the European Union’s tech rules. The Court of Justice of the European Union supported EU regulators, stating that the EU’s interests prevail over Amazon’s. Additionally, Amazon is also expanding its investment in Anthropic, adding $2.75 billion to its partnership with the AI startup. This investment brings Amazon’s total investment in Anthropic to $4 billion, strengthening its collaboration in AI and cloud computing infrastructure.
Walmart (NYSE:WMT) – Walmart notified two U.S. antitrust agencies about withdrawing and subsequently refiling a review request for its planned acquisition of Vizio Holdings (NYSE:VZIO), aiming to give regulators more time to review the deal.
Alibaba (NYSE:BABA) – Alibaba strengthens its position by acquiring full control of its logistics subsidiary, opting not to list Cainiao due to the “depressed” market. Investments aim to compete with Shein and Temu, improving global delivery times.
RH (NYSE:RH) – In the fiscal fourth quarter, RH reported a net profit of $11.4 million, or $0.57 per share, compared to $106.9 million, or $4.21 per share, in the same period last year. Adjusted earnings per share were $0.72, below FactSet’s estimate of $1.67. Revenue was $738 million, below analysts’ forecasts of $777.5 million. Shares rose 7.8% in pre-market trading.
MillerKnoll (NASDAQ:MLKN) – MillerKnoll reported a 17.3% drop in pre-market trading after announcing financial performance forecasts below expectations for the fourth quarter. The furniture company indicated that demand levels remained low across several business areas. Its new projections for fiscal year 2024 adjusted earnings are in the range of $1.90 to $1.98 per share, below the previous estimates of $2 to $2.16 per share.
Kimberly-Clark (NYSE:KMB) – Kimberly-Clark announced a restructuring into three business units to simplify operations and reduce costs, anticipating expenses of about $1.5 billion over the next three years, including job cuts.
Chemours (NYSE:CC) – Chemours shares fell 8.5% in pre-market trading after announcing its collaboration with information requests from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and U.S. prosecutors in the Southern District of New York. These requests are related to an internal review of its accounting. Last month, the company sidelined three executives while the investigation was ongoing.
Salesforce (NYSE:CRM) – About 900 people dressed as Albert Einstein gathered in San Francisco to win the Guinness World Records title, an event organized by Salesforce. The company spent over $20 million to use the scientist’s image in its artificial intelligence products.
Sprinklr (NYSE:CXM) – The customer experience software company reported last quarter results that exceeded analysts’ forecasts, along with a 19% increase in subscription revenue, reaching $177 million. As a result, shares saw a 9.5% rise in pre-market trading.
DoorDash (NYSE:DASH) – DoorDash is recruiting talent from the AI startup Standard AI to enhance its voice ordering service for restaurants. The hires include former executives like CEO Jordan Fisher. DoorDash aims to expand its AI technology to assist restaurants in processing phone orders.
Braze (NASDAQ:BRZE) – The customer engagement platform reported an adjusted loss of 4 cents per share in the last fiscal quarter, which was better than analysts’ expectations of a 5-cent loss per share. The company’s revenue increased by 33%, reaching $131 million, while subscription revenue grew to $125.9 million, compared to $94.8 million in the previous year. Despite these positive results, the company’s shares fell by 3.1% during pre-market trading.
DraftKings (NASDAQ:DKNG) – The NCAA president announced efforts to ban college betting. DraftKings’ shares dropped by 6.8% on Wednesday in response to the ban, leading the downturn among mobile sports betting companies such as Flutter Entertainment PLC (NYSE:FLUT) and MGM Resorts International (NYSE:MGM). In Thursday’s pre-market trading, DraftKings shares were down by 0.4%.
Trump Media & Technology Group (NASDAQ:DJT) – Shares of Trump Media & Technology Group were down 2.6% in Thursday’s pre-market trading at $64.53, after closing at $66.22 on Wednesday. The company reported revenue of $3.4 million with a loss of $49 million in the first nine months of 2023. The Truth Social platform attracted five million visitors in February. With a significantly high price-to-sales valuation, the company needs to financially justify its valuation beyond Trump’s fame appeal. Meanwhile, Musk has offered free premium features for X accounts with more than 2,500 verified followers.
Spirent Communications (LSE:SPT) and Keysight Technologies (NYSE:KEYS) – Spirent Communications shares surged 11% following support for an acquisition offer from Keysight Technologies, which exceeded the proposal from Viavi Solutions. Keysight’s offer of $1.46 billion is 15% higher than that of Viavi.
Spirit AeroSystems (NYSE:SPR) – Airbus highlights the importance of maintaining a stable relationship with supplier Spirit AeroSystems, while rival Boeing (NYSE:BA) considers acquiring the company. CFO Thomas Toepfer emphasizes the uncertainty surrounding Boeing’s timeline.
Toyota Motor (NYSE:TM) – Toyota Motor’s global sales fell by 7% in February compared to the previous year, due to a significant decline in China owing to Lunar New Year holidays and a decrease in Japan following a safety testing scandal.
Stellantis (NYSE:STLA) – The car manufacturer Fiat, part of Stellantis, signed new agreements with unions in Italy on Wednesday for voluntary layoffs, potentially reducing its workforce by over 3,000 positions in the country as part of the transition to cleaner energies in the industry.
Fisker (NYSE:FSR) – Fisker has implemented drastic price cuts for its sole model, the Ocean SUV, in an effort to remain competitive in the electric vehicle market. The discounts reach up to $24,000, aiming to make the Ocean a more affordable and attractive EV option.
Polestar Automotive (NASDAQ:PSNY) – Polestar Automotive CEO Thomas Ingenlath stands out in the automotive scene, unveiling the new Polestar 4 at the New York Auto Show. Priced between $50,000 and $80,000, the luxury electric vehicle brings innovations such as the absence of a rear window, challenging conventional design.
Carnival (NYSE:CCL) – Carnival raised its annual profit forecasts on Wednesday, predicting a record year for bookings due to growing interest in cruises. In the first quarter, the company’s revenue jumped 22%, reaching $5.41 billion, in line with analysts’ expectations. Carnival reported an adjusted net loss per share of 14 cents, compared to analysts’ expectations of an 18-cent loss. Bookings for 2024 continue to grow, with customer deposits totaling $7 billion for the quarter. Carnival also communicated that it likely won’t sail in the Red Sea region until early 2025, due to ongoing hostilities. Regarding the impact of the Francis Scott Key bridge collapse in Baltimore, the CEO expects the cost to be less than $10 million, affecting less than 1% of the expected profit for fiscal year 2024. The company secured a temporary port in Norfolk, Virginia, to minimize operational issues. Shares were down 0.6% in Thursday’s pre-market trading after closing up 0.9% the previous day.
UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) – The American insurer UnitedHealth Group announced on Wednesday that it advanced more than $3.3 billion to healthcare providers affected by a cyberattack on the Change Healthcare insurance claims system.
Walgreens (NASDAQ:WBA) – In the second quarter, Walgreens’ sales exceeded expectations, though it reduced its annual profit outlook due to retail challenges and recorded a significant net loss due to depreciation expenses related to the primary care provider VillageMD. Adjusted earnings per share were $1.20, with revenue reaching $37.05 billion, surpassing the expected $35.86 billion. The adjusted profit outlook for 2024 was revised down to $3.20-$3.35 per share. With Tim Wentworth as the new CEO, the focus is on cost reduction to overcome challenges.
Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) – Johnson & Johnson is seizing a new opportunity to challenge the links between talcum powder and ovarian cancer, according to a federal judge. The case, involving more than 53,000 lawsuits, is being revisited due to changes in the law and new scientific evidence.
Novo Nordisk (NYSE:NVO) – A study revealed that the monthly production cost of Ozempic could be as low as 89 cents to $4.73, starkly contrasting with its nearly $1,000 price in the U.S. Novo Nordisk has not disclosed production costs, emphasizing its investments.
Canopy Growth Corp (NASDAQ:CGC) – Canopy Growth’s shares jumped to their highest level since September on Wednesday. The surge followed comments from the Biden administration about reclassifying cannabis. The company will hold a shareholder vote in April to create a U.S. business unit.
GE Vernova (GEV) – GE Vernova shares started trading high, opening at $115 and closing at $131.25 on the first day. The initial success boosted shares of General Electric (NYSE:GE) by 3.8% on Wednesday. Vernova’s valuation is estimated between $100 and $130 per share.
HB Fuller (NYSE:FUL) – In the fiscal first quarter, the adhesive manufacturer HB Fuller’s adjusted profits exceeded analysts’ expectations. Revenue during this period rose to $810.4 million, compared to $809.2 million the previous year. However, it fell short of Wall Street’s expectations of $823 million. Shares dropped by 2.23% in pre-market trading.