Key Moves in Apple, Amazon, Coinbase, and Netflix: What Investors Need to Know Today

Imagine checking your report card and seeing all A’s—some companies just had their own “report card day,” and the results sent their stock prices on a wild ride. Investors pay close attention when big names announce how much money they made because it can change how much those stocks are worth—just like grades can affect your future plans.

Why This Matters for Investors

When companies announce their quarterly earnings, it can shake up the whole stock market. Good news can make stocks jump, while bad news can drag them down. If you own shares or are thinking about buying, knowing how these companies are doing helps you make smarter choices about your money.

Winners: Who Surprised to the Upside?

• Apple: Shares shot up 4% after Apple’s profits and sales beat what experts guessed. Their new iPhone 17 is selling well, and Apple expects a strong holiday season.
• Amazon: The stock soared 14% as Amazon’s sales and profits topped expectations, thanks to its fast-growing cloud business. Amazon’s revenue was about $2.4 billion higher than hoped.
• Cloudflare: Up more than 8% after reporting more profits and sales than predicted. Their cloud services are in high demand.
• Twilio: Shares jumped 10% after making more money than experts thought, showing strong demand for its messaging services.
• Coinbase: Gained 2% as crypto trading brought in more money than expected.
• Atlassian: Up 8% after beating profit forecasts and raising its outlook for the year.
• Lumen Technologies: Rose 6% by losing less money than feared and making more sales than expected.
• First Solar: Climbed nearly 4% after strong sales and a bright forecast for next year.
• Zillow Group: Up 2% on higher profits and sales than expected.
• Reddit: Rose over 2% after stronger-than-expected earnings and revenue.
• Strategy (formerly MicroStrategy): Up 3% after record profits, boosted by its bitcoin holdings.
• Netflix: Gained 3% after announcing a 10-for-1 stock split, making shares more affordable for small investors. Learn more about stock splits.

Bears: Who Faced Trouble or Fell Short?

• Gilead Sciences: Dropped about 1% even though sales and profits beat expectations. Sometimes, even good news isn’t enough if investors want more.
• Roku: Fell over 7% because advertising money slowed down and competition got tougher, even though profits were higher than expected.
• Monolithic Power Systems: Down nearly 3% despite beating forecasts, showing that sometimes high expectations can make it tough to impress investors.

What History Tells Us

Earnings season often makes stocks jump or dip. According to a Nasdaq study, stocks that beat earnings estimates gain about 1% more in the next week than those that miss. This shows why investors watch these announcements closely—one good or bad report can make a real difference.

Bull vs. Bear: The Ups and Downs

• Pros for Investors:
  • Strong earnings can lift whole sectors, not just individual stocks.
  • Positive surprises may mean companies are handling tough times well.
  • Stock splits, like Netflix’s, can make shares easier for small investors to buy.
• Cons for Investors:
  • Even good results can disappoint if expectations are sky-high.
  • Competition and changing markets can hurt, as seen with Roku.
  • Short-term jumps might not last if the wider economy turns sour.

Investor Takeaway

• Check if your portfolio has exposure to these companies—big moves after earnings can affect your gains or losses.
• Don’t chase stocks just because they jumped; look for steady growth and strong business trends.
• Watch for sector impacts: tech, streaming, and cloud companies are especially sensitive to earnings news.
• Stock splits can make shares more affordable, but focus on the company’s real value, not just the lower price.
• Stay balanced—one quarter’s results are important, but long-term trends matter more for building wealth.

For the full original report, see CNBC