Biggest S&P 500 Movers on Wednesday

Decliners

• Packaging Corporation of America (PKG) plummeted 9.8%, falling the furthest of any S&P 500 stock on Wednesday. Although the containerboard and corrugated packaging provider edged out quarterly revenue estimates, it posted lower-than-expected adjusted earnings per share. The company also issued profit guidance that fell short of consensus estimates, citing increased expenses in many of its operating areas as well as seasonal factors.
• A mixed earnings report also pressured shares of life sciences and diagnostics specialist Danaher (DHR), which dropped 9.7%. Although revenue came in ahead of forecasts, Danaher's bottom line missed expectations. Softness in the diagnostics segment weighed on the results, and Danaher forecasted a downtick in sales in the current quarter.

• Moderna (MRNA) shares plunged 9.4% after Goldman Sachs downgraded the vaccine maker's stock to "neutral" from "buy" and slashed its price target. Analysts believe negative revisions to product revenue guidance suggest the biotech firm has limited visibility into the sales trajectory of its respiratory vaccine business. While Goldman's team recognized that products in Moderna's pipeline could contribute to sales in the medium term, high levels of operating expenses were an additional concern.

Advancers

• Shares of cloud solutions provider F5 (FFIV) secured the top performance in the S&P 500, soaring 11.4% to reach an all-time high. The application security firm's quarterly sales an🍸d profits came in ahead of forecasts, and F5 boosted its full-year guidance, highlighting strong demand driven by a stabilization in IT spending and the company's alignment with key trends.
  
• Starbucks (SBUX) shares jumped 8.1% after the coffee chain 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:topped quarterly𝔉 sales and profit estimates despite posting year-over-year declines. CEO Brian Niccol, who took the reins of the company in September 2024, highlighted progress on the "Back to Starbucks" turnaround plan, which includes reducing menu items intended to reduce order times. However, Starbucks did not provide a 2025 outlook, noting potential earnings pressure in the second quarter followed by a likely improvement in the back half of the year.
• T-Mobile US (TMUS) posted 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:better💖-ﷺthan-expected net income and revenue for the fourth quarter of 2024, and shares of the telecom company surged 6.3%. The company also exceeded forecasts for subscriber additions during the period, and T-Mobile's CEO highlighted that the company achieved its lowest-ever 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:churn rate for postpaid phone subscribers. The strong report from T-Mobile echoed earnings results released over the past week from telecom peers Verizon (VZ) and AT&T (T), which also beat consensus forecasts.

-澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:Michael Bromberg

Reason for Concern Ahead of Apple's Earnings Report?

Shares of Apple (AAPL) have surged roughly 40% over the past nine months, but one analyst said it’s time to tap the brakes ahead of the company’s earnings report 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:scheduled for Thursday. 

Ten of the 16 analysts who follow Apple and are tracked by Visible Alpha have a “buy” or equivalent rating for the iPhone maker, and the consensus 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:price target of about $246 represents a 3% premium over the iPhone maker’s current share price.

Then there’s Oppenheimer, which downgraded Apple to a neutral “perform” rating Wednesday and reduced its iPhone sales estimate over the next 12 to 18 months. Apple is facing the “twofold challenge” of increased competition in 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:greater China and an 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:Apple Intelligence roll𓆉out that the brokerage 𓆉firm says has been insufficient to drive consumers to upgrade their devices.

Concerns over Apple’s 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:performance in China have surfaced in recent weeks, particularly after data from technology research firm Canalys showed the iPhone maker’s 2024 shipments slumped 17% in the country, the Oppenheimer report said. Add✱itionally꧑, the latest iPhones sold in China aren’t equipped with Apple Intelligence features due to Chinese regulatory hurdles.

-澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:Andrew Kessel

Microsoft Slides as Intelligent Cloud Revenue Misses Estimates

Microsoft (MSFT) shares moved lower in extended trading Wednesday after the tech giant reported fiscal second-quarter Intelligent Cloud revenue ꦫthat missed analysts’ expectations.

The company saw revenue rise 12% year-over-year to $69.63 billion, while earnings came in at $24.11 billion, or $3.23 per share, compared to $21.87 billion, or $2.93 per share, a year earlier. The latest numbers surpassed analysts' expectations.

How𒐪ever, revenue from Microsoft’s Intelligent Cloud segment, which includes its Azure clou♋d computing platform, slightly missing projections, rising 19% to $25.54 billion. Total Azure revenue for the quarter approached $41 billion, the company said.

Shares of Microsoft were down more than 4% in recent after-hours trading. The stock, which also fell during today's regular session, had gained about 5% so far in 2025 through Wednesday's close.

-澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:Andrew Kessel

Meta Earnings Top Estimates Amid AI Spending Growth

Meta Platforms (META) reported fourth-quarter earnings th𒁃at topped analysts' estimates as revenue grew more than 20% year-over-year.

The social-media and tech giant posted fourth-quarter revenue of $48.39 billion, above the analyst 🐻consensus compiled by Visible Alpha. Its net income ofᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚ $20.84 billion, or $8.02 per share, rose from $14.02 billion, or $5.33 per share, a year earlier, also topping projections.

Advertising revenue 📖climbed nearly 21% to $46.78 b🎶illion, compared to estimates of $45.46 billion, as the company said it made progress with its AI plans. Meta said it anticipates first-quarter revenue of between $39.5 billion and $41.8 billion, with analysts expecting about $41.65 billion.

Shares of Meta rose more than 3% in extended trading following the release of the results. They've gained about 73% over the past year through Wednesday's close, which set a record high for the fifth-straight session.

The results came as the company boosted iꦓts spending to supp൲ort its AI ambitions, with $39 billion in expenditures for 2024, up from $28 billion in 2023.

Meta said it plans to make$60 billion to $65 billion in capital expeꦕnditures this year, as the tech gian✃t expands its AI efforts."We continue to make good progress on AI, glasses, and the future of social media," CEO Mark🏅 Zuckerberg said in a release, adding, "I'm excited to see these efforts scale further in 2025."

Meta, along with many of its mega-cap peers in tech, faces intense pressure to show the🌳 billions of dollars it is spending on AI will be worth the costs.

-澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:Kara Greenberg

Tesla Sees 2025 Delivery Growth as Q4 Results Miss Estimates

Tesla (TSLA) after the closing bell reported fourth-quarter revenue and adjusted profit that came in below analysts' estimates, though said vehic🤡le sales should grow in 2025.

Tesla posted net income of $2.32 billion, or $0.66 per share, on revenue of $25.71 billion. Analysts polled by Visible Alpha expected profit of $2.33 billion, or 66 cents per share, on revenue of $27.35 billion. Adjusted 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:earnings per share (EPS) of $0.73 came in 5 cents below estimates.

The results come after Tesla's Q4 deliveries and production figures 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:fell short of estimates earlier this month. The EV maker recorded a year-over-year deliveries decline for the first time, slipp꧒ing to 1.79 million in 2024 from 1.81 million the prior year.

Tesla said in its Q4 release that it expects vehicle sales to return to growth this year. The company also said its plans for a more affordable model are 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:still on track to enter production in the first half of the year, though no official💦 announcement has been made about what the more affordable Tesla will look like o🉐r cost.

After sinking immediate🐲ly fol🌃lowing the report, Tesla shares were up about 3% in recent extended trading.

-澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:Aaron McDade

Starbucks Jumps 8% as Turnaround Plan Takes Shape

Starbucks (SBUX) shares jumped Wednesday as some analysts seem to be buying in—albeit cautiously—on new CEO Brian Niccol’s “澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:Back to Starbucks” turnaround plan. 

 “The pace of change is accelerating at Starbucks,” JPMorgan analysts said in a research report Wednesday, pointing to a narrower-than-expected 4% decline in global 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:same-store sales in the company’s fiscal first quarter. The firm holds an “overweight” rating and a $105 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:price target, encouraging investors to “focus on the improving momentum in th𝓰e business which should carry shares🍰 higher.”

Starbucks shares gained🍷 8.1% to $108.58 today, closing at their highest level since May 2023.

Niccol, who 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:took the reins in September, has implemented the “Back to Starbucks” turnaround strategy that has inc🌜luded the reinstatement of a policy requiring customers to make a purchase if they want to spend time in the company’s cafes or use its bathrooms. 

Jefferies analysts had a more bearish stance, seeing “[n]o early signs of meaningful improvement” in same-store sales or traffic trends. The firm on Wednesday wrote that it expects 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:Starbucks' current woes "to last longer than most investors expect" but said the company should benefit "eventually" from strategic changes now underway. Jefferies maintained its "underperform”  rating and price target of $76.

Oppenheimer analysts, taking a more Goldilocks approach, said, “Our thesis [is] to remain on the sidelines,” reiterating a neutral “perform” rating. Starbucks has a “favorable setup” under Niccol, but “we struggle to identify a clear path” for same-store sales, margin, and 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:earnings per share improvement, said Oppenheimer.

-澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:Andrew Kessel

What Analysts Think of Meta Platforms Ahead of Earnings

Meta Platforms (META) is set to report its fourth-quarter results after the closing bell Wednesday, with analysts largely bullish on the tech giant's ability to build on a strong 2024 as its AI investments show 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:some signs of paying off.

Meta's stock price rose by nearly two-thirds last year, “driven by revenue upside, strong cost discipline, and optimism on AI capabilities,” Bank of America analysts said Thursday. The analysts added they “remain positive on the stock in 2025,” given rising AI contributions to ad revenue, growing messaging revenue, and recent workforce reductions. 

BofA ♏reiterated a “buy” rating and raised its price target for the stock to $710 from $660. Overall, 26 of the 28 analysts covering Meta tracked by Visible Alpha have a “buy” or equivalent rating, with 🎃the remaining two issuing “hold” ratings. Their consensus price target is about $688.

Meta shares were down 0.2% at around 🀅$673 in late trading.

Wall Street expects Meta to report fourth-quarter revenue of $47.04 billion, up 17% 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:year-over-year. Earnings are projected to rise to $17.6 billion, or $6.78 ꦉper share, up from $14.02 billion, or $5.33 per share, a year earlier, even as Meta boosts spending on AI.

On Friday, CEO Mark Zuckerberg unveiled plans for $60 billion to $65 ꦡbillion in&n♈bsp;capital expenditures this year, up from an estimated 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:$38 billion to $40 billion in 2024, as the tech giant expands its AI efforts.

Meta's spending will likely be in the spotlight Wednesday amid concerns American firms could be overspending on AI after 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:Chinese AI startup DeepSeek claimed to develop AI models rivaling leadingꦺ American ones for a fraction of the cost. In a note to clients Tuesday, Morgan Stanley analysts suggested Meta could stand to benefit from DeepSeek's advance, by implementing its improvements in Meta's own models.

What Analysts Think of Microsoft Ahead of Earnings

Microsoft (MSFT) is set to report fiscal second-quarter earnings after the market closeꦺs ✃Wednesday, with analysts largely bullish ahead of the results.

“Investor sentiment has shifted negative as a ‘wall of worry' around gross margins, capex, GenAI monetization and the OpenAI relationship builds,” Morgan Stanley analysts said recently, noting that Microsoft has underperformed other large cap software companies over the ꧙past three months.

The firm lowered its price target to $540 from $548 but said Microsoft’s position in 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:generative artificial intelligence aওnd recent 💛market trends could create “an attractive entry point.”

The analysts added earlier this week that advances by 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:Chinese AI startup DeepSeek, which sent a slew of AI stocks tumbling Monday on concerns about the competitiveness of U.S. firms, 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:could be a "posജitive" for Microsoft, noting its Azure platform stands to benefit from a proliferation of AI𝄹 models and consumer applications.

Overall, 18 of 19 analysts tracked by Visible Alpha have a “buy” or equivalent ratin🀅g, compared to 1 “hold” rating. Their cons😼ensus price target is just over $517.

Microsoft shares were down 0.5%🍃 at around $4ꦐ45 in recent trading.

Wall Street expects Microsoft to report revenue of $68.89 billion, up 11% year-over-year; and earnings of $23.26 billion, or $3.12 per share, up from $21.87 billion, or $2.93 per share a year earlier. Revenue from Microsoft's Intelligent Cloud segment, which includes its Azure cloud computing platform, is expected to climb 20% to $25.76 billion. 

-澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:Andrew Kessel

Fed Ends Streak of Rate Cuts

The Federal Reserve's policy committee voted to hold its key interest rate steady Wednesday, as stubborn inflation and a resilient labor market in recent months have curbed the central bank's appetite to lower borrowing costs.

As widely expected by financial markets, the 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:Federal Open Market Committee held the 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:fed funds rate at a range of 4.25% to 4.5% at its meeting Wed🐓nesday, ending a three-meeting streak oౠf rate cuts.

 he fed funds rate, which influences borrowing costs on all kinds of loans, is now a full percentage point below the 20-year high where it had been held for more than a year to combat inflation. However, Fed officials still consider it "restrictive," or high enough to discourage borrowing and spending, and a drag on the economy.

Fed officials cut rates late last year after economic data showed inflation was falling toward the central bank's goal of a 2% annual rate. At the same time, the labor market was weakening and unemployment was rising. Both of those trends encouraged the Fed to cut rates to boost the economy and salvage the labor market, as the Fed pursued its "澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:dual mandate" to use monetary policy to promote full employment and low inflation.

But since then, inflation 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:has grown more stubborn. Fed officials have also shown concern about President Donald Trump's proposed tariffs on foreign trade, which could push up consumer prices and stoke inflation depending on how they are implemented. Meanwhile, unemployment has stabilized, 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:reducing the urgency to cut rates.

"The unemployment rate has stabilized at a low level in recent months, and labor market conditions remain solid," the committee said in a statement Wednesday. "Inflation remains somewhat elevated."

The statement published Wednesday was similar to the one from its most recent meeting in December but removed references to the unemployment rate having risen and inflation ha𒁃ving made progress toward the Fed's goal.

Read our live 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:Fed meeting coverage here.

-澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:Diccon Hyatt

CrowdStrike Levels to Watch as Stock Falls from Record

CrowdStrike (CRWD) shares lost ground Wednesday after surging to a record high Tuesday following news of a 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:c⛦yber attack against Chinese AI startup DeepSeek.

Since the 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:50-day moving average (MA) crossed back above the 200-day MA in late November to form a 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:golden cross, CrowdStrike shares have consolidated within a 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:rectangle formation, a chart pattern that signals a 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:continuation of the stock’s longer-term uptrend.

The price staged a decisive volume-backed breakout above the pattern’s upper trendline on Tuesday, which also points to further upside. While the 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:relative strength index (RSI) confirms bullish price momentum with a reading above the 70 threshold, it also places the indicator in 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:overbought&nbꦐsp;territory, increasing the possibility f💦or short-term profit-taking.

CrowdStrike shares were down nearly 4% at around $392 in mid-aftꦏernoon trading Wednesday.

Read the full 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:technical analysis piece here.

-澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:Timothy Smith

DJT Surges on Announcement of Finance Platform

Shares of Trump Media and Technology Group surged Wednesday morning after U.S. President Donald Trump's media company announced its first move into the world of financial services.

Trump Media (DJT), which owns Truth Social and a 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:streaming service, said Wednesday that its board🦩 has approved a financial services strategy that inclu🐭des a new product and new investments.

The company said it will launch a platform called Truth.Fi, and also invest $250 million of its roughly $700 million in assets to be handled by investment manager Charles Schwab (SCHW). The funds will diversify Trump Media's assets, and be allocated to a variety of investment♏s like exchange-trade𝄹d funds or cryptocurrency, the company said.

The company plans to launch Truth.Fi sometime this year, as the company's "new agreements are consummated, funding levels are determined, and any necessary approvals by financial regulators are secured." Schwab will "broadly advise" on the Truth.Fi investments that will likely be focused on American manufacturing and energy companies, Trump Media said.

In the weeks following his election victory, Trump placed his shares in the media company in a 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:revocable trust, 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:regulatory filings showed.

Trump Media shares were up around 8% Wednesday. Despite the gai🌠n today, the stock is d🍸own about 5% since the start of the year.

Cloud-Solutions Provider F5 Soars on Strong Results

Shares of F5 (FFIV) traded at an all-time high Wednesday, a day after 𝕴the cloud-solutions provider posted record results and strong guidance on increasing market demand.

The company reported fiscal 2025 first-quarter adjusted 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:earnings per share (EPS) of $3.84, with revenue cli🐻mbing nearly 11% year-over-year to $766 million. Analysts surveyed by Visible Alpha were anticipating $3.37 and $715.3 million, respectively.

Software revenue jumped 22% to $209 ౠmillion, systems revenue added 18% to $160 million, and revenue from global services was 3% higher ꦦto $398 million.

The company expects full-year adjusted EPS increasing 6.5% to 8.5%, up from its previous estimate of 5% to 7% growth. It sees revenue growth𒆙 of 6% to 7%, 🍌compared with the earlier forecast of a 4% to 5% rise.

F5 shares were up 11% at around $300 in recent trading. The stock has gained 💝about 60% over the past 12 months.

-澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:Bill McColl

T-Mobile Stock Pops as Results Handily Top Estimates

Shares of T-Mobile US rose Wednesday morning after the telecommunications company reported strong🌊 fourth-quarter results.

T-Mobile (TMUS) reported $2.98 billion, or $2.57 per share, in net income on $21.87 billion in revenue for the final quarte▨r of 2024. Analysts had expected $2.63 billion, or $2.26 per share, in profits on $21.31 billion in revenue, according to estimates compiled by Visible Alpha.

CEO Mike Sievert said that T-Mobile had its lowest full-year 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:churn rate for postpaid phone subscribers on record, and said it recorded its third straight year of at least 3 million postpaid phone net additions. The company recorded 903,000 postpaid phone net addit𓆏ions and 428,000 net internet customer addi▨tions, above the 859,810 and 402,000, respectively, that analysts had expected.

T-Mobile expects to record 5.5 million to 6 million net new customers in 2025, but did not provide a profit forecast because of the "high variability and difficulty in predicting" factors like tax expense and interest expense, which affect net income.

T-Mobile joins telecommunications rivals AT&T (T) and Verizon (VZ), which 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:each topped estimates in their 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:own fourth-quarter results over the last week.

T-Mobile shares were up 8% in recent trading. The stock has gained nearly 50% over the past 12 months, about double the S&P 500's increase over the period.

-澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:Aaron McDade

Major Indexes on Pace to Post Gains in January

U.S. equities took a bruising to kick off the week, but with yesterday's gains the major indexes are all near record highs and on pace to post gains for the month.

The Dow enters Wednesday's session just 0.4% away from an all-time closing high, while the S&P 500 is 1% below its record close set last Thursday. The Nasdaq Composite is 2.2% away from its record closing high.

With three trading days remaining in the month, the Dow is up 5.4% so far in January, while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq have gained 3.2% and 2.2%, respectively. The Dow and S&P both posted losses in D♎ecember, while the Nasdaq is riding a two-month winning streak.

Key Apple Stock Price Levels to Watch

Apple (AAPL) shares were losing ground in premarket trading Wednesday after two straight days of solid 🐻gains.

While AI-linked stocks 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:tumbled to start the week on news that a sophisticated AI model developed by Chinese startup DeepSeek can compete with leading American models at a fraction of the cost, Apple shares climbed as investors concluded it wဣasn’t all bad news for the iPhone maker.

After setting a record high in late December, Apple shares retraced as much as 📖16% before finding support early last week around the 200-day moving average.

Appl🍬e shares broke above a key resistance area of $235 on Tuesday, and investors should keep a close eye on the $260 level. Key support levels are near $218 and $207.

Share𝄹s we🥂re down nearly 2% at around $234 in recent trading.

Read the full 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:technical analysis piece here.

-澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:Timothy Smith

Major Stock Index Futures Point to Mixed Open

Futures ti💖ed to the Dow Jones Industrial Average were down less than 0.1%.

S&P 500 futures were flat.

Nasdaq 100 futures were up 0.3%