Noteworthy S&P 500 Movers on Wednesday
December 03, 2025 06:28 PM EST
Advancers
- Shares of Microchip Technology (MCHP) surged 12.2%, posting the S&P 500’s strongest daily performance. The maker of microcontrollers and other semiconductors raised its quarterly forecast for net sales and adjusted earnings per share, highlighting strong bookings activity and an improving backlog. Shares of fellow chipmakers ON Semiconductor (ON) and NXP Semiconductors (NXPI) rose 11% and 5.7%, respectively.
- Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX) shares added 6.9% after Morgan Stanley upgraded the stock to “overweight” from “equal weight” and lifted its price target. Analysts pointed to growing optimism around Vertex’s pipeline of kidney treatments, with data from Phase 3 clinical trials of two experimental drugs, Pove and Inaxaplin, anticipated next year.
- Shares of Delta Airlines (DAL) rose 3.6% after it warned that the government shutdown, which disrupted air traffic across the country, likely cost the carrier about $200 million in pre-tax profit in the current quarter. However, the company also said that demand in the current quarter is strong and is expected to remain so into next year. Shares of competitor United Airlines (UAL) rose 3.9% on Wednesday.
Decliners
- Shares of Alexandria Real Estate Equities (ARE), a real estate investment trust (REIT) focused on life sciences properties, plunged 10.1% to suffer the steepest loss of any S&P 500 stock Wednesday. The move lower came after the firm’s guidance for 2026 funds from operations, a key profitability metric for REITs, fell short of consensus expectations. The REIT also announced a 45% cut to its quarterly dividend.
- Sandisk (SNDK) shares fell 5.3%. Following massive year-to-date gains for the stock, bolstered by optimism for the memory card and data storage provider’s AI opportunity, Sandisk joined the S&P 500 on Nov. 28. However, the stock has been trending lower since its debut.
- Shares of Paramount Skydance (PSKY) and Netflix (NFLX) fell 7.3% and 4.9%, respectively, as investors weighed their competing offers to buy Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD). Netflix reportedly made a mostly cash offer for the company’s film and streaming assets. Paramount is reportedly exploring a contingency plan to bypass the board and take an offer directly to WBD shareholders. WBD shares edged 0.2% higher.
Salesforce Jumps in Extended Trading on Strong Outlook
December 03, 2025 06:11 PM EST
Could a bit of fresh momentum from Salesforce’s AI offerings be just what the company needed to kick-start a recovery in its stock?
Shares of Salesforce (CRM) were recently up 3% in extended trading Wednesday, after the software giant posted a better-than-expected quarterly profit and raised its outlook on the back of growth from its data products and AI offerings.
The customer relationship management software leader reported adjusted earnings per share of $3.25 for its fiscal 2026 third quarter, well above the $2.86 analysts were looking for. Its revenue, which jumped 9% year-over-year to $10.26 billion, was roughly in line with estimates compiled by Visible Alpha.
CEO Marc Benioff said Salesforce’s Agentforce, which helps companies build customized AI agents, was a major driver of growth, along with the company’s data products. Annual recurring revenue from Agentforce and Data 360 offerings more than doubled year-over-year to $1.4 billion.
Michael Short / Bloomberg / Getty Images
Looking ahead, Salesforce said it now sees full-year adjusted earnings of $11.75 to $11.77 on revenue of $41.45 to $41.55 billion, compared to its earlier forecast of EPS of $11.33 to $11.37 on revenue of $41.1 billion to $41.3 billion.
The stronger outlook could help kick-start a rebound for the company’s shares, which were down nearly 30% for 2025 heading into Wednesday’s results after its prior outlook disappointed.
How Worried Should You Be About Friday’s CME Outage?
December 03, 2025 06:03 PM EST
The potential for a hugely damaging disruption in financial markets was averted thanks to a holiday.
CME Group (CME), one of the largest derivatives exchanges in the world, halted futures and options trading across major asset classes for 10-plus hours, ending early last Friday, due to an overheated data center. The outage occurred when trading volumes were lower than average due to Thanksgiving, which may have helped contain the chaos.
The crisis appears to have been averted, with financial professionals across the spectrum merely complaining about the blackout, and others speculating how much worse it could’ve been had it occurred during a normal trading day. However, that one faulty data center briefly took down a major exchange and had such far-reaching consequences—a futures exchange in Malaysia and its customers were affected—is deeply concerning in an industry that relies on a few key players.
Read the full article here.
Dollar Tree Shares Climb on Strong Earnings, Outlook Boost
December 03, 2025 05:59 PM EST
Dollar Tree just became the latest discount retailer to report a boost from bargain-hunting shoppers.
Shares of the dollar store chain climbed close to 4% Wednesday after the retailer posted earnings that topped estimates and raised its outlook.
Dollar Tree (DLTR) reported adjusted earnings per share of $1.21 on revenue that surged 9.4% year-over-year to $4.75 billion in the third quarter. Both figures exceeded analysts’ estimates compiled by Visible Alpha.
CEO Michael Creedon Jr. pointed to the company’s strong value proposition and “value-seeking behavior” by consumers for the results, telling investors Dollar Tree’s offerings are resonating with shoppers “by helping them meet their needs and desires in the budget-constrained environment,” according to a transcript provided by AlphaSense.
Same-store sales jumped 4.2%, and the average shopper spent 4.5% more per ticket. Creedon said 3 million more households shopped at Dollar Tree in the third quarter compared to last year, and that more than half of those incremental shoppers came from higher-income households earning over $100,000 a year.
Looking ahead, Dollar Tree said it now sees full-year adjusted EPS of $5.60 to $5.80, compared to its earlier outlook of $5.32 to $5.72. It narrowed its forecast for sales to $19.35 billion to $19.45 billion from $19.30 billion and $19.50 billion, and same-store sales growth to 5% to 5.5% from 4% to 6%.
With Wednesday’s gains, shares of Dollar Tree have added half their value in 2025.
Gasoline Prices Have Hit a Four-Year Low
December 03, 2025 04:06 PM EST
Although grocery bills and holiday shopping this year are more expensive, gas prices have remained low, a trend that may impact general prices in a positive way.
The national average price of gasoline was $2.95 per gallon as of Dec. 1, according to data from GasBuddy. That is the lowest level for gas prices in the U.S. since 2021.
Throughout 2025, gas prices have stayed low compared to previous years. The main reason for these low prices at the gas pump is due to increased crude oil production, according to AAA and GasBuddy. Another factor contributing to lower prices in the U.S. was the absence of major tropical storms this year, which helped prevent large damage to Gulf Coast refineries.
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“With refinery maintenance largely complete and OPEC increasing oil production for December…combine those factors, and you have a solid recipe for continued downward pressure on gas prices in the weeks ahead,” said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, in a press release. “It couldn’t come at a better time for Americans—with relief arriving just as the holidays kick off.”
Read the full article here.
Apple iPhone 17 Sales Are Booming. Its Stock Is Hitting Record Highs Too
December 03, 2025 03:32 PM EST
A new report predicts worldwide smartphone shipments for 2025 will be up 1.5% from 2024, driven by a record-setting performance by Apple (AAPL).
The Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker from tech information provider International Data Corporation raised its previous outlook of a 1% gain, primarily on the expected soaring demand for Apple’s new iPhone 17 this holiday season.
Annice Lyn / Getty Images
Nabila Popal, senior research director with the study, said that it’s anticipated that Apple will ship more than 247 million iPhones in 2025, a 6.1% jump and an all-time high, “thanks to the phenomenal success of its latest iPhone 17 series.” She pointed to “massive demand” in China that has “significantly accelerated Apple’s performance.”
Apple shares hit a fresh record high Wednesday morning, trading at nearly $289, before falling slightly this afternoon. The stock has gained about 14% since the start of 2025, slightly lagging the performance of the benchmark S&P 500 index.
Read the full article here.
Sydney Sweeney and Travis Kelce Ads Boost Results for American Eagle. Its Stock Is Soaring
December 03, 2025 03:08 PM EST
American Eagle Outfitters stock is getting a big lift from celebrity buzz.
Shares of the clothing retailer were up about 15% in recent trading, after the company posted stronger-than-expected earnings, with a bit of help from ads featuring actress Sydney Sweeney and NFL star and Taylor Swift fiance Travis Kelce.
American Eagle (AEO) posted earnings per share of $0.53 on revenue that jumped 5.7% year-over-year to $1.36 billion in the third quarter. Both figures topped analysts’ estimates compiled by Visible Alpha.
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CEO Jay Schottenstein told investors on the company’s earnings call that its results benefited “from the success of our recent marketing campaigns, which have driven engagement, attracting new customers.” American Eagle was “encouraged by the impact of the campaigns and collaborations with Sydney Sweeney and Travis Kelce, and now holiday gifting with Martha Stewart,” Schottenstein said, according to a transcript provided by AlphaSense.
Read the full article here.
We Might Finally Get Some Big AI IPOs—Which Would Mean a Look at Their Financials
December 03, 2025 02:18 PM EST
Here come the big AI IPOs. (Maybe.)
Anthropic, maker of the Claude chatbot, is preparing for an initial public offering that could come next year, according to the Financial Times. The company is also said to be in talks to raise funding that would push its valuation over $300 billion. The report followed others saying OpenAI, the company behind rival ChatGPT, is also getting ready for an IPO that could drive its valuation to $1 trillion.
Spokespeople for both Anthropic and OpenAI denied having set plans for an IPO in those reports.The first of these companies to reach public markets will set the bar for the rest—and open up the AI-investment landscape beyond the biggest publicly traded tech companies like Nvidia (NVDA), Oracle (ORCL), Microsoft (MSFT), and Meta Platforms (META), whose stock valuations have lately stoked concerns of bubble-ish excesses.
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It would also give the masses a good look at the economics of AI language-model developers. Elon Musk’s xAI, the company behind the Grok chatbot, in late November was said to be preparing to close a $15 billion fundraising round in December, pushing its pre-money valuation to $230 billion.
Read the full article here.
Here’s How Much Traders Expect Salesforce Stock to Move After Earnings Today
December 03, 2025 02:08 PM EST
Salesforce is scheduled to report earnings after the market closes later today, with traders anticipating a big move in the software giant’s stock.
Options pricing suggests traders expect Salesforce (CRM) stock could move up to 7% in either direction by the end of this week. A move of that size from the stock’s recent level around $235 could push shares up to $251 at the high end, or drag them down to $218 at the low end, which would be Salesforce’s lowest level in over a year.
The software maker is projected to post adjusted earnings per share of $2.86 on a 9% year-over-year jump in revenue to $10.28 billion in the third quarter, according to estimates compiled by Visible Alpha. Salesforce’s earnings topped expectations last quarter, but shares fell in the wake of the results amid worries about a conservative outlook.
Sheldon Cooper / SOPA Images / LightRocket / Getty Images
Read the full article here.
Walmart’s Plan for Serving Wealthy Urban Shoppers: Stores You Can’t Go Into
December 03, 2025 01:35 PM EST
The wealthy have migrated to Walmart. Now the retailer wants to reciprocate.
Walmart (WMT) would like to build a presence in urban areas that’s closer to parts of the well-off population that has started shopping with it in recent years. The traditional store format developed by the company has historically not translated well to cities, CFO John David Rainey said at a conference Tuesday, so Walmart is weighing “measured and responsible” ways to make the move.
Michael Nagle / Bloomberg via Getty Images
“Certainly with a more affluent customer base that’s coming to Walmart now, there’s an opportunity to serve [them] in maybe more of a dark store format, where you don’t have customers going into stores, but we can serve them through eCommerce,” Rainey said, according to a transcript made available by AlphaSense. “We’re experimenting with that, and the early returns are encouraging.”
Walmart didn’t respond to questions from Investopedia in time for publication. A summer report form USA Today discussed how the “dark stores,” which aren’t open to the public, can speed delivery of some online orders.
Read the full article here.
The Job Market Is in Its Worst Stretch Since The Pandemic
December 03, 2025 01:08 PM EST
Yet another red flag is waving about the health of the labor market.
Private employers shed 32,000 jobs in November, payroll provider ADP said Wednesday. The job losses came as a surprise to forecasters, who had expected a gain of 40,000 jobs according to a survey of economists by Dow Jones Newswires and The Wall Street Journal. Private employers have lost jobs in three out of the last four months for a total loss of 16,000 jobs, the worst four-month stretch since the pandemic.
The data from ADP was the latest in a series of reports showing the job market is slowing down. Economists generally consider ADP data to be less comprehensive and less reliable than official government reports. However, data from statistical government agencies has been hard to come by because of the recent shutdown, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics is still playing catch-up. The ADP data suggested the job market, which has been in a low-hiring, low-firing limbo, could be taking a turn for the worse.
David Ryder / Bloomberg via Getty Images
Read the full article here.
Top Stock Movers Now: American Eagle Outfitters, Microchip Technology, Netflix, and More
December 03, 2025 12:31 PM EST
Major U.S. equities indexes were mixed Wednesday afternoon as the tech sector pulled back. The Dow climbed 0.4%, and the S&P 500 edged 0.1% higher, but the tech-heavy Nasdaq slid 0.2%.
Microchip Technology (MCHP) was the best-performing stock in the S&P 500 as shares climbed nearly 10% after the chipmaker boosted its guidance on strong bookings and an improved backlog.
Shares of American Eagle Outfitters (AEO) popped 15% after the clothing retailer posted better-than-expected earnings, citing a boost from its ad campaigns with actress Sydney Sweeney and NFL star and Taylor Swift fiance Travis Kelce.
Sebastian Ng / SOPA Images / LightRocket / Getty Images
Dollar Tree (DLTR) shares climbed around 3% as the dollar store posted quarterly profits that topped analysts’ estimates and boosted its outlook. The discount retailer said it benefited from bargain-hunting consumers searching for value.
Read the full article here.
This Semiconductor Stock Is Surging After an AI Deal and Strong Earnings
December 03, 2025 12:12 PM EST
Marvell Technology (MRVL) shares jumped Wednesday after the semiconductor company topped profit estimates on strong data center demand and announced an AI acquisition.
The shares were up close to 5% in recent trading, making Marvell one of the best-performing stocks in the Nasdaq Wednesday.
Marvell posted adjusted earnings of $0.76 per share for the third quarter of fiscal 2026, slightly above the analyst consensus compiled by Visible Alpha. Revenue was in line with estimates at $2.07 billion.
David Paul Morris / Bloomberg / Getty Images
Marvell CEO Matt Murphy said the company saw strong demand for its data center products in the quarter, and expects full-year revenue growth north of 40% compared to fiscal 2025. Murphy said in Tuesday’s earnings call that Marvell’s revenue is projected to grow at least 10% in fiscal 2027, while revenue from its data center products could surge more than 25%, according to a transcript provided by AlphaSense.
Marvell also announced a deal to acquire Celestial AI for $3.25 billion in cash and stock, with another $2.25 billion in potential stock awards if Celestial hits certain revenue milestones in the next several years. The deal is set to close in the first quarter of next year, with Celestial AI to meaningfully contribute to revenue by the back half of fiscal 2028.
Read the full article here.
The Cost of Climate Change: $1,300 Per Year for US Households
December 03, 2025 10:51 AM EST
Researchers have put a price tag on how much climate change costs you, and the price can be steep depending on where you live.
Households in the 10% of U.S. counties most affected by climate change pay an average of $1,300 a year in extra costs, according to a study released Monday by researchers at the University of California Los Angeles and MIT, published by the National Bureau of Economic Research. The average nationwide is on the order of $400 to $900, the researchers wrote.
The paper tallies up numerous ways that climate change often invisibly eats into household budgets, but the researchers admit it’s only a partial accounting. More frequent and intense natural disasters and heat waves are driving increased insurance costs, more expensive housing, energy, and food; greater risk of damage from floods; and higher costs to governments that ultimately falls on taxpayers. The researchers also put an economic price tag on the risk of dying in a disaster, or from diseases caused by inhaling wildfire smoke.
Investopedia / Elizabeth Guevara
People living in certain regions of the West, the Gulf Coast, and Florida are paying the highest toll, and lower-income households are disproportionately affected, according to the study.
Read the full article here.
Sandisk Stock Continues Descent From Recent Record High
December 03, 2025 10:34 AM EST
Joining the S&P 500 has not helped Sandisk (SNDK) shares much.
Shares of the computer storage hardware maker continued their recent pullback, leading decliners on the benchmark index with a 6.5% drop an hour into the trading day Wednesday.
Sandisk became the newest member of the S&P 500 last Friday. Although its shares rose nearly 4% that day, they’ve declined 14% this week and have lost about a third of their value since hitting an all-time intraday high on Nov. 12.
Shares of Sandisk are up more than 400% since the company was spun off from Western Digital (WDC) in February.
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Where Trump’s Tariffs Stand Going Into 2026
December 03, 2025 10:01 AM EST
President Donald Trump upended trade policy and the economy in 2025 by imposing a slew of tariffs on nearly every country in the world.
Trump began imposing tariffs almost as soon as he took office this year and has frequently added new ones, altered or called off old ones, and threatened others, making trade policy a fast-moving target to keep track of.
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Here’s where his far-reaching import taxes stood, as of Dec. 2.
Read the full article here.
Pure Storage Stock Sinks on Weaker-Than-Expected Profit
December 03, 2025 08:54 AM EST
Pure Storage (PSTG) stock dropped 13% before the bell Wednesday, a day after the data-storage services firm reported worse-than-expected fiscal 2026 third-quarter GAAP profit.
The Santa Clara, Calif.-based company posted GAAP net income of $0.16 per share, while analysts surveyed by Visible Alpha had expected $0.23 per share. Adjusted EPS of $0.58 met the consensus estimate.
Revenue of $964.5 million increased 16% year-over-year and topped expectations.
Pure Storage raised its full-year revenue forecast to a range of $3.63 billion to $3.64 billion from the previous $3.60 billion to $3.63 billion, as well as its operating profit projection to $629 million to $639 million from $605 million to $625 million.
Shares of Pure Storage entered Wednesday up more than 50% this year.
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GitLab Stock Drops After Firm Swings to Q3 Loss Despite Revenue Jump
December 03, 2025 07:19 AM EST
GitLab (GTLB)’s fiscal 2026 third-quarter results topped analysts’ estimates and it lifted its full-year outlook. Investors are punishing the stock anyway.
Shares of the San Francisco-based software-development firm sank 9% in premarket trading Wednesday, a day after the company swung to a quarterly loss despite a big revenue jump.
GitLab swung to a GAAP Q3 loss of $0.05 per share from a profit of $0.17 a year ago, even though revenue surged 25% to $244.4 million. Analysts surveyed by Visible Alpha had expected a bigger loss and less revenue, and adjusted earnings of $0.25 per share also topped estimates.
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For the full year, GitLab now sees adjusted EPS of $0.88 to $0.89, up from the prior range of $0.82 to $0.83,and revenue of $946 million to $947 million, up from $936 million to $942 million.
GitLab also named Frontdoor CFO Jessica Ross its new finance chief, effective Jan. 15, 2026. Ross “has more than 25 years of experience in finance, accounting, and operational leadership at companies like Salesforce and Stitch Fix, and spent 12 years in public accounting at Arthur Andersen and Deloitte,” it said.
Shares of GitLab entered Wednesday having lost nearly a quarter of their value this year.
Stock Futures Tick Higher After Indexes Rebound on Bitcoin, Tech Gains
December 03, 2025 06:39 AM EST
Futures contracts tied to the Dow Jones Industrial Average edged 0.1% higher.
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S&P 500 futures were up 0.2%.
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Nasdaq 100 futures rose 0.1%.
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