Stocks and individual share prices swung sharply on Thursday as company earnings, guidance updates and deal news drove midday moves across retail, industrials, financial technology and biotech. Walmart, Advance Auto Parts, Coty and Wolfspeed posted declines after results or outlook missed expectations, while Deere, Nordson and Webull jumped on stronger-than-anticipated quarters and revised forecasts.
Key takeaways
- Walmart shares fell 9% after second-quarter results topped estimates but same-store sales and guidance came in below expectations.
- Deere shares gained nearly 9% following a fiscal third-quarter beat and an improvement to net income guidance.
- Biotech and autos saw large drops as Moderna slid 25% after a rapid reversal from a late-stage trial surge, while Advance Auto Parts dropped 25% on mixed results.
- Crypto-linked equities rose after bitcoin and ether rallied on President Donald Trump’s push for crypto-friendly legislation, lifting Coinbase, Strategy and Circle Internet and others.
- Investors weighed guidance and execution as several companies moved primarily on forecast changes rather than headline revenue beats.
What drove the biggest movers
Retail and consumer: Walmart and Advance Auto Parts
Walmart shares tumbled about 9% after the retailer reported second-quarter revenue that topped estimates, but same-store sales rose 2.6%, below the 3.5% expected by analysts polled by FactSet. The company’s earnings per share guidance for the fiscal third quarter and full year also fell short of expectations, shifting focus from the revenue beat to weaker demand trends and a less favorable outlook.
Advance Auto Parts slid 25% after mixed second-quarter results. Revenue came in at $2 billion, below the $2.04 billion expected by analysts polled by LSEG, while same-store sales declined 0.5% versus an estimated 1.4% increase. The stock’s magnitude of decline reflected how investors weighed both the top-line miss and deteriorating same-store performance.
Industrials: Deere and Nordson
Deere gained almost 9% after the tractor and equipment maker delivered fiscal third-quarter results that “trounced” analyst expectations. According to the company’s reported figures, it earned $5.10 per share on revenue of $11 billion versus LSEG consensus estimates of $4.70 per share and $10.73 billion. Deere also lifted the lower end of its full-year net income guidance to $4.75 billion to $5 billion, compared with FactSet consensus of $4.88 billion.
Nordson shares rose about 7% after the coatings and adhesives equipment maker raised its full-year guidance. The company now expects adjusted earnings of $11.80 to $12 a share, up from an earlier range of $11.30 to $11.80. The revised forecast also topped a FactSet consensus call for $11.60 a share, giving investors a clearer path to stronger profitability for the year.
Trading platform and contract news: Webull and Transocean
Webull gained more than 4% after reporting a second-quarter adjusted operating income of $62.6 million, above the $33.5 million analysts were estimating, according to FactSet. Revenue of $198.8 million also beat expectations of $183 million, supporting the upbeat share move.
Transocean rose about 2% after signing a $300 million, two-year contract for an ultra-deepwater drillship with ONGC of India, with options out to 2031. Deal-related visibility can improve investor confidence in utilization and revenue over future periods, particularly when contract terms extend beyond the near term.
Crypto-linked shares, biotech reversals and other sector moves
Crypto-related equities track bitcoin and ether
Crypto-related stocks rose midday after bitcoin and ether surged, tied to President Donald Trump’s push for Congress to pass crypto-friendly legislation. Coinbase, Strategy and Circle Internet each gained about 8%, while Mara Holdings climbed 12% and American Bitcoin added 7%. The rally underscored how regulatory momentum can translate quickly into equity performance for market participants with direct or indirect crypto exposure.
Moderna plunges after trial-driven spike
Moderna shares fell 25% one day after soaring 177%, a sharp reversal driven by late-stage trial reaction earlier in the week. The company’s skin cancer vaccine trial—developed with Merck and in combination with Keytruda—was reported to have met key goals in patients with high-risk or advanced melanoma whose detectable cancer had been completely removed through surgery. Investors appeared to reassess the next set of implications after the initial surge, contributing to the outsized selloff.
Auto, cosmetics and semiconductors: mixed execution and outlook pressure
Coty dropped 9% after reporting a larger quarterly loss than expected and describing fiscal 2027 as a “transition year.” The cosmetic maker posted an adjusted loss of 2 cents per share in its fiscal fourth quarter, double the 1 cent loss expected by analysts polled by LSEG, pointing to weaker profitability and a more uncertain earnings path.
Wolfspeed declined 15%. Quarterly revenue of $149.6 million missed FactSet’s $150 million consensus estimate, adding pressure to a stock already sensitive to demand expectations for semiconductor components.
China tech and cybersecurity: earnings miss and management shake-up
NetEase, listed in the U.S., fell 5% after its quarterly earnings missed analyst estimates, a reminder that even when revenue growth stabilizes, a miss against expectations can weigh heavily on valuation.
CrowdStrike slid 4% after Axios reported that chief technology officer Elia Zaitsev is leaving to start an AI-focused cyber venture fund called Cognition. While the report does not itself signal operational failure, investor focus on leadership and strategy can move shares quickly when the change is framed around AI and cyber priorities.
Offshore drilling and earnings guidance: Reuters-style headline catalysts
Beyond the contract announcement, several moves reflected guidance revisions or earnings beats and misses relative to consensus, which continued to dominate midday trading decisions. Nordson and Deere benefitted most from clearer forward outlooks, while Walmart, Advance Auto Parts and Coty were penalized for weaker same-store trends, forecast misses or transitional outlook language.
What investors will watch next
After a session defined by earnings releases, guidance updates and deal headlines, the market’s next focus will likely shift to upcoming company reports and the broader policy calendar, especially given how crypto-linked equities reacted to legislative expectations. Investors may also watch whether guidance revisions persist across sectors and whether regulatory headlines continue to drive sentiment for crypto-related names.
